A variety of activities have potential for enhancing a school psychologist's knowledge and skills. Activities should be chosen as part of an overall professional development plan designed to enhance your knowledge in several foundation areas. Plan a variety of activities that emphasize learning, including workshop experiences, coursework, presentations, self-study, program development, leadership, or research. You may evaluate and select CPD activities based on your own professional development needs, and may claim the activities for CPD credit, without contacting NASP for preapproval. However, you should be able to answer "yes" to all four of the following questions to claim CPD credit:

• Did the activity enhance or upgrade my professional skills or add to my knowledge base?
• Was the activity relevant to the professional practice of school psychology?
• Did the activity fit into my personal plan for continuing professional development?
• Did the activity go beyond the ordinary aspects of my employment?

School psychologists showing evidence of having taken the NASP Self-Assessment for School Psychologists and completing the NASP Professional Growth Plan can receive one NASP-approved CPD credit each year, for up to three (3) CPD credits per NCSP renewal cycle. For the purposes of NCSP renewal, this would be categorized as a self-study activity (Category H). Consider using this sample of a completed Professional Growth Plan to help get you started.

CPD Credit: One CPD credit is defined as 1 contact hour or an actual clock hour (60 minutes) spent in direct participation, as a learner, in a structured educational format. For purposes of NCSP renewal, CPD credits are valid for a 36-month period after they are earned. The 3-year period is counted backward from the month in which your renewal application is submitted to the NASP office. For example, if the renewal application is submitted in June 2016, credits earned from June 2013 through June 2016 would be accepted for that renewal cycle. Credits from a previous renewal cycle may not be resubmitted. Credits above the required 75 hours may not be carried over to the next renewal cycle.

Documenting CPD

The following forms of CPD documentation are acceptable:

• Documentation of attendance provided by a CPD sponsor.
• Official Transcripts for college or university credit.
• Activity Documentation Form (PDF)
  Any activity not otherwise documented by one of the above may be documented with this form.

Documentation of CPD activities should include the following information:

• name of participant
• CPD hours
• hours of participation
• category or type of activity
• certification or member number
• title or topic of activity
• activity sponsor, if applicable
• date of activity

Category A: Attending Workshops or In-Service Training

Credit allowances: This category is defined by professional development activities that involve opportunities for direct instruction and interaction. It includes seminars, workshops, presentations, real-time webcasts, and distance-learning programs with interactive capabilities. Credit is only given for periods of participation in active insruction/presenting/learning, and should not include breaks. One hour of participation: 1 CPD credit

Maximum credits: None

Required documentation: Documentation of attendance or Activity Documentation Form. Program flyers, handouts, agendas, and brochures may be used to supplement the Activity Documentation Form, but are not accepted forms of documentation.

Category B: College and University Coursework

Credit allowances: This category includes all college or university credit, including both on-site and distance-learning courses.

• One semester hour = 15 CPD credits (e.g., 3 credit course = 45 CPD credits)
• One quarter hour = 10 CPD credits

Maximum credits: None

Required documentation: Official college or university transcript

Category C: Delivering and Preparing Training and In-Service Activities

Credit allowances: One hour of participation: 1 CPD credit. CPD credit may be claimed once for development and presentation of new workshops or in-service training activities.

Maximum credits: 30 CPD credits

Required documentation: Program flyer, syllabus, or Activity Documentation Form. The hours of CPD credit, date of training, and sponsor must be included in the documentation.

Category D: Research and Publications

Credit allowances: Research and contribution to the professional knowledge base are valuable CPD activities. To claim credit in this category, it is necessary for the participant to reasonably estimate the amount of time spent and claim those actual hours up to the maximum specified.

Maximum credits: 25 CPD credits total

• Empirical research: Up to 10 CPD credits per project
• Professional publication: Up to 5 CPD credits per project

Required documentation: Activity Documentation Form; documentation of publication or presentation of findings.

Category E: Supervision or Mentorship of Graduate Students or Early Career Professionals

Credit allowances: For purposes of CPD credit, field supervisors of school psychology practicum students, interns, and mentors of early career professionals should consider the extent to which this activity leads to professional growth on the part of the supervisor/mentor.

• Supervision/mentorship of one intern/mentee for one academic year: Up to 10 CPD credits
• Supervision/mentorship per semester: Up to 5 CPD credits

Maximum credits: 20 CPD credits

Required documentation: Activity Documentation Form

See Guidance for Postgraduate Mentorship and Professional Support for suggestions and recommendation when establishing professional mentorships. Following the suggestions within this document is not required to claim CPD. Mentors can submit the co-signed Professional Support Verification Form as evidence.

Category F: Supervised or Mentored Experience

Credit allowances: NASP advocates that school psychologists engage in supervision to promote their own professional growth and exemplary professional practices. The supervised experiences may occur as part of a planned and sequential program on the job or in settings outside the school psychologist's regular job setting. For CPD credit, the supervised experience should lead to professional growth and new knowledge and skills.

• One hour per month: Up to 10 CPD credits
• Two hours per month: Up to 20 CPD credits

Maximum credits: 20 CPD credits

Required documentation: Activity Documentation Form signed by mentor or supervisor

See Guidance for Postgraduate Mentorship and Professional Support for suggestions and recommendation when establishing professional mentorships. Following the suggestions within this document is not required to claim CPD. Mentees should submit the co-signed Professional Support Verification Form as evidence.

Category G: Program Planning/Evaluation

Credit allowances: Credit for program planning and evaluation may be claimed when planning, implementing, and evaluating a new program or initiative, but not for maintenance and evaluation of an ongoing program or initiative.

• One hour of participation: 1 CPD credit

Maximum credits: 25 CPD credits

Required documentation: Activity Documentation Form

Category H: Self-Study

Credit allowances: Two types of self-study are valid for CPD credit:

Formal structured programs are self-study programs developed and published to provide training in specific knowledge or skill areas, including, for example, NASP online modules. A test is typically given at the end of the program and often a certificate of completion is issued. This also could include a course taken on the Internet.

Informal self-study involves systematically studying a topic of interest by reviewing the literature and becoming familiar with the available resources. Included in this category are the reading of books, journals, and manuals; or reviewing NASP convention proposals. One hour of participation in either type: 1 CPD credit

Maximum credits: 40 CPD credits. Starting July 1, 2023, one may accrue all 40 hours from formal self-study opportunities, though can claim no more than 20 hours from informal self-study. 

Required documentation: Certificate of completion or Activity Documentation Form (listing at least four resources used for each informal self-study topic)

Category I: Professional Organization Leadership

Credit allowances: A school psychologist may earn CPD credit for holding a position in a local, state, or national professional school psychology organization. Officer, board position, committee chair: 5 CPD credits per position

Maximum credits: 10 CPD credits are allowed every 3 years.

Required documentation: Activity Documentation Form