New Mexico

In This Section

Accepts NCSP as a route to school based credential.

SEA Credential:
Level 1, School Psychologist: A level 1 school psychologist shall have documentation in their personnel file with the school district, local education agency, or school-related setting from a level 3 clinical supervising school psychologist who holds pre k-12 licensure pursuant to the provisions of this rule, and shall meet the following requirements:

  • A master's degree or educational specialist degree, or doctorate degree in school psychology from a regionally accredited college or university;

and one of the following:

  • 60 graduate hours incorporating the department-approved competencies in school psychology, which may be completed as part of a master's or educational specialist degree program or in addition to the master's degree, meeting the applicable program requirements as follows:
    • the 60 graduate hours awarded by a New Mexico college or university must include a 1,200-hour internship supervised by an appropriately licensed psychologist, 600 hours of which must be in a school-related setting; psychological assessment, counseling, and other psychological interventions with students with emotional disturbances shall comprise a minimum of 300 hours of the internship; or
    • the 60 graduate hours awarded by a college or university outside New Mexico must be for a school psychology or equivalent program accepted by the department and include an internship in a school setting as described in Paragraph (1) of Subsection B of 6.63.5.8 NMAC; or
    • the 60 graduate hours as described in Paragraph (1) of Subsection B of 6.63.5.8 NMAC, with documentation of 1,200 hours within a two-year period of successful supervised experience in either school psychology, psychological assessment and counseling, or other psychological interventions with at least 600 hours in a school-related setting.
  • a doctorate degree in psychology, that includes 12 semester hours of child-focused course work in development, assessment, intervention, and 600 hours of supervised experience in a school-related setting; or
  • a valid psychologist or psychologist associate license issued by the New Mexico board of psychologist examiners and that includes 12 semester hours of child-focused course work in development, assessment, and intervention and 600 hours of supervised experience in a school-related setting

Level 2, School Psychologist: Requires

  • A valid level 1 license with at least three full school years of school-related experience;
  • successful completion or demonstration of competencies for a level 1 school psychologist, and
  • satisfactory completion of supervised experience as a level 1 school psychologist, consisting of a minimum of 600 internship hours and 1,200 post-internship supervised hours in a school-related setting.

Level 3, Clinical Supervising School Psychologist:

  • a valid level 2 license with at least three full school years of school-related experience, including 750 hours of satisfactory post-graduate experience as reported by a level 3 supervising school psychologist;
  • 60 graduate hours in a master's or master's plus certificate of advance graduate studies (CAGS) program, educational specialist degree, master's or doctorate degree in school psychology from a regionally accredited college or university.  The master's CAGS and educational specialist programs shall include at least one academic year of pre-degree supervised internship experience, consisting of a minimum of 1,200 hours of which at least 600 hours must be in a school-related setting;
  • successful completion or demonstration of competencies for the school psychologist level 1 and 2 licenses;
  • hold one of the following valid and current certifications or licenses:
    • a license as a psychologist issued by the New Mexico board of psychology examiners;
    • a license as a psychologist associate issued by the New Mexico board of psychology examiners; or
    • an active nationally certified school psychologist credential issued by the national association of school psychologists.

All levels must also pass the Praxis (passing score 147) OR hold the NCSP credential

Continuing Education Requirements:

For a level 1 license, a school psychologist is supervised by a level 3 school psychologist. When he or she meets the competencies and criteria outlined in the rule then he or she can apply for a level 2 license. Once an employing district has evaluated a school psychologist at level 2 and feels he or she is ready to move on to the next level, then he or she can apply for a level 3 license. The district has to complete the Superintendent's recommendation form.

Scope of Practice:
The full range of expected competences for school psychologists are described in New Mexico's Administrative Code, Title 6, Chapter 63.  "School psychologist" is defined as "a person who is trained to address psychological and behavioral problems manifested in and associated with educational systems by utilizing psychological concepts and methods in programs or actions that attempt to improve the learning, adjustment, and behavior of students, including assessment and psychological pre-referral/intervention procedures in a school-related setting." "School-related setting" means "limited to a public school, state institution, or department-accredited nonpublic school." Finally, "Psychological interventions and practices" means "the inclusion, but not limitation of, consultation, behavioral assessment/intervention, psychological evaluation, psycho-educational evaluation, counseling, family therapy, individual or group therapy, workshops in self-understanding, human relations, communication, and tutorial programs, and organizational development, parent counseling, vocational development, parent education programs, program planning and evaluation, crisis intervention, specific behavior management, skill training, and transition planning and evaluation.  All psychological interventions and practices are to be provided within the scope of the psychologist's training and practice."  
Level 3 school psychologists may provide clinical supervision to others.

School psychologists may also qualify for the Educational Diagnostician (PreK-12) credential.

SEA website: http://www.ped.state.nm.us

State Consultant/Contact:
Dr. Kurt Steinhaus
Secretary of Education
(505) 827-1436

SEA documents: Current Rule 6.63.3 NMAC Rule Part Name: Licensure for School Psychologists, Pre-K-12

 

Psychology board website