School Psychologist First Time

Requirements

For the Residency First Issue Certificate

This application is for people seeking their first-tier certification for the school psychologist role.

• Master's degree in school psychology*. Must submit official transcripts showing degree
• Eligibility Options:
  • Completion of any state's approved program leading to certification for the school psychologist role Form 4098E OR
  • If you did not complete an approved program, three years of out of state experience in the school psychologist role - Form 4020F-1 OR
  • Hold a valid Nationally Certified School Psychologist (NCSP) credential issued after December 31, 1991, by the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP)
• Completion of a comprehensive exam** relevant to the role
• Submission of fingerprints for a background check is required if a valid certificate is not already on record

*DEGREE NOTE: If your master's degree is not in school psychology, you could still be eligible if you completed a state-approved school psychologist preparation program (submit Form 4098E) OR you completed all course work requirements for an additional master's degree in school psychology (submit written, signed verification from the head of the school psychology department or registrar's office of the institution. The OSPI Certificating Office is not authorized to perform transcript evaluations.)

**EXAM NOTE: If you completed a comprehensive exam relevant to school psychology in your program, you may submit Form 4098E for verification. If you did not complete such an exam in your program, verification of one of the following Praxis tests is required:

• Praxis II specialty area test (code 5403) with a passing score of 155 (10/1/2022 to current)
• Praxis II specialty area test (code 5402) with a passing score of 147 (10/1/2014 to 9/30/2022)
• Praxis II specialty area test (code 0401) with a passing score of 165 ( Prior to October 2014)
• Praxis II specialty area test (code 10400) with a passing score of 600 ( Prior to September 2008)

For the Professional Certificate

This application is for people seeking the second-tier certification for the school psychologist role.

• Must meet all requirements for the Residency ESA First Issue Certificate
• Must hold a valid Nationally Certified School Psychologist (NCSP) credential issued by the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP)
• Must attest to completion of an issue of abuse course for more information see WAC 181-79A-030(9). This course MUST be entered into the 'PD Hours' section of your E-Certification account prior to applying
• Must attest to completion of a suicide prevention training approved by PESB in the state of Washington within the five years previous to application Form 4020S

ISSUES OF ABUSE COURSE NOTE: The issues of abuse course or course work must include information related to identification of physical, emotional, sexual, and substance abuse; the impact on learning and behavior; the responsibilities of an educational staff associate to report abuse or to provide assistance to victimized children; and methods of teaching about abuse and its prevention.

Apply

If you have all the necessary documentation to apply for this certificate, login to E-Certification.