Certification patterns and requirements for school psychologists

Journal of School Psychology 1970 • Vol. 8, No. 4

CERTIFICATION PATTERNS AND REQUIREMENTS FOR SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS VENUS W. B L U E S T E I N CHARLES A. M I L O F S K Y University of Cincinnati Summary: A questionnaire was sent to 50 state superintendents of public instruction and to directors of education in five U.S. territories. Information was requested relevant to state certification for school psychologists, including minimal academic, teaching, and internship requirements. Fifty-five questionnaires were returned. Forty-four states and territories indicated certification standards which were subsequently discussed in detail. Trends noted were: more states requiring certification for school psychologists, higher academic requirements, increasing levels of certification, and a shift away from a mandatory teaching certificate for state certification as a school psychologist. required. Questions also were asked Various surveys relevant to state cerabout specific minimal entry requiretification requirements for school psyments, 1 levels and grades of certificachologists have been reported (Hottion, internship and other supervised rocks, 1946; Hall, 1949; Claytor, 1950; experience, and salary range. Written Newland, 1956; Hodges, 1960; Gray, standards were requested as well. A 1963; Nelson, 1963; Gross, Bonham & follow-up questionnaire was sent in Bluestein, 1966; Traxler, 1967). The June to the three states not responding present survey closely follows the geninitially. Fifty-five questionnaires were eral format used by Gross et al. (1966), returned subsequently and written stanbut has been extended to obtain other dards were submitted by 38 states and pertinent data not ordinarily included in previous reports. The findings of the territories. study were compared to those of Gross RESULTS et al. (1966) and Traxler (1967) in General requirements. The data reorder to ascertain any trends that have vealed a gradual increase in the numemerged in the field during the past ber of states certifying school psycholthree or four years. ogists over the years. Since 1967, Alabama, Nevada, Vermont, and VirPROCEDURE ginia have established certification stanO n May 2, 1969, a questionnaire was dards. As of May, 1969, 11 states and mailed to the 50 state superintendents territories require no certification: of public instruction, to the directors Alaska, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississipof education in the Canal Zone, Guam, pi, Montana, New Hampshire, New Tutuila, and Mariana Islands, and to Mexico, Texas, Guam, MaNana Islands, the appropriate executive officer in and Tutuila. Alaska, Guam, Louisiana, Washington, D.C. The respondent was Mississippi, Montana, and New Hampasked whether state department of edushire reported various stages of developcation certification was required for ing or considering such standards. Sevschool psychologists; whether the cereral states are revising requirements. tificant needed to hold or to be eligible Kentucky currently requires a license for a standard teaching certificate; and, granted by the State Board of Psyif so, whether teaching experience was chological Examiners to practice school psychology. The Department of Education does certify school psychomel"Minimal entry requirements" refer to those standards which must be met in order trists, however, and indications are that to perform some type of psychological sercertification in school psychology also vices within the public schools, excluding will be available through the Departemergency or substandard but not temporary ment within two years. California and certification.

CERTIFICATION PATTERNS Colorado will accept certification by the State Board of Medical or of Psychological Examiners, respectively, as one route into school psychology, while Minnesota makes the latter a requirement for full certification. Michigan currently provides for a "school diagnostician service" for screening students for the Mentally Handicapped Program, but reports that legislation has been introduced to create school psychological services for all pupils. Table 1 lists the 44 states and territories certifying school psychologists and indicates where multiple levels of certification exist, the minimal academic entry requirement, and whether a teaching certificate is a mandatory prerequisite or if alternate routes to school psychology certification are available. As in previous studies, "School Psychologist" was found to be the most prevalent title used in certification, and was designated at one level or another by 40 of the 44 certifying states. At the time of the Gross et al. (1966) survey, six states reserved the tire "School Psychologist" for the doctorally trained (i.e., those either holding the doctorate or having completed at least two-thirds of all course requirements for the degree). These were (and are): Connecticut, Hawaii, Indiana, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Wyoming. Georgia and North Dakota now have a similar practice. In 1969, 23% of the states (compared to 30% in 1966) required certification as a teacher or eligibility for such certification as a prerequisite for the initial school psychologist certificate. Five other states (11%) provide an alternate route, and Ohio is currently experimenting with an alternate route for meeting this standard. Of the states recently adopting certification standards for school psychologists, two require a teaching certificate, one does not, and one provides for an alternate route. Four states which required teacher cer-

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tification in 1965 have since dropped this requirement, and Kentucky reports that it will not be required for school psychologists, which seems to be the general trend nationally. As nearly as could be determined, since responses to the questionnaires sometimes contradicted the written standards, only Nebraska and Oregon require actual classroom teaching experience for full certification as a school psychologist (i.e., beyond practice teaching, which is presumed to be mandatory for teacher certification). Four states had such a requirement in 1967.

Specific entry requirements. The questionnaires and written standards were analyzed to determine specific state department of education minimal entry requirements for school psychologists in terms of degree, academic major, credit hours, courses, and supervised experience. It should be noted that universities preparing school psychologists frequently have their own additional requirements. The data which follow represent general trends. It is beyond the scope of this paper to discuss in detail requirements which may be peculiar to particular states. The number of credit hours required for certification at the entry level varies from state to state. Thirty-three states require a Master's degree or equivalent or work beyond the Master's. Eighteen states designate one or more acceptable major areas of study. These include, in order of frequency: school psychology or psychology; guidance; educational, clinical, or counseling psychology; rehabilitation psychology; and social work. The implication is that the major area of study is not an issue in most states. Twenty-five states designate a specific number of hours which must be earned as part of or in addition to the Master's degree. The range is from 10 to 66 semester hours, with a median of 40. Nine additional states prescribe a number of graduate credits, rather than a degree per se, ranging

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State

JOURNAL OF $CI-IOOL PSYOI-IOLOOY Table 1 School Psychology General Certification R e q u i r e m e n t s by States CertifiTeaching Requirement Minimal Entry Degree cation

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Alabama Alaska Arizona: a. Psychometrlst b. Assistant School Psychologist c. School Psychologist Arkansas California: a. Psychometrist h. School Psychologist Canal Zone Colorado Connecticut: a. Psychological Examiner b • School Psychologist Delaware District of Columbia: a. Psychometrist b. School Psychologist c. Clinical Psychologist Florida: a. R a n k l I b. Rank IA c. Rank I Georgia: a. Psychometrist b. Associate School Psychologist c. School Psychologist Guam Hawaii: a. PsychologicalExamlner b. School Psychologist Idaho: a. Psychological Examiner b. School Psychologist Illinois Indiana: a. School Psychometrlst b • 'School Psychologist Iowa Kansas: a. School Psychologist I b. 'School Psychologist II Kentucky: a. School Psychometrist Louisiana Maine Mariana Islands Maryland Massachusetts Michigan: a. 'SchoolDiagnostlclan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri: a. School Psychological Examiner

X X K X X X

X X

X X

xl X

?

X

? X

X X X X X X X

X X X Xo X X X X X X

X X

X X

CERTIFICATION State

Certification

Teaching Requirement •

•

273

PATTERNS

~

.

Minimal Ent~'7 Degree ~

~ "

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Montana X Nebraska: a. School Psychometrist K b. School Psychologist K X Nevada: a. SchooIPsychomctrist X I X h. School Psychologist X New Hampshire X X New Jersey X New Mexico X X New York X X North Carolina X North Dakota: a. Psychometrist b. School Psychologist Ohio x xi Oklahoma: a. Provisional b. School Psychologist X Oregon X Pennsylvania: a. Educational SpecialistI X Rhode Island South Carolina: a. School Psychologlst--Class I X I b. Senior School Psychologist-Class I Adv. X South Dakota: a. School Psychological Examiner X b. School Psychologist X X Tennessee: X a. School Psychological Services Worker b. School Psychologist X Texas X Tutuila X Utah: a. School Psychometrlst X X b. School Psychologist X Vermont X X Virginia J4 X Washington X X West Virginia X X X Wisconsin: a. Provisional X b. School Psychologist I X c. School Psychologist II X Wyoming: a. Psychological Technician X X b. School Psychologist X aUndergraduate credit is accepted at the discretion of the university. bTeaching certificate will not be required for school psychology when new standards go into effect. cOhio has an experimental alternate route to certification for those persons not holding a valid Ohio teaching certificate•

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from 15 to 72 semester hours, with a median of 60. Twenty-two states will accept some undergraduate credits at the entry level in required areas. This practice does not always reduce the total number of graduate hours that must be accumulated. At least 38 states prescribe areas within psychology and education in which the certificant must achieve academic training. There is a great deal of similarity in this respect from state to state. Table 2 lists broad areas of study and the number of states that require work in each area for initial certification in school psychology. Specific courses and number of credit hours required within an area vary from state to state and with the level of training expected. Approximately one half of the states specify that a laboratory practicum must accompany the courses in individual assessment. Considering that course titles are deceptive and that universities often have expectations above state minimal standards, it is likely that school psychology trainees are exposed to most of the areas listed in Table 2 in one way or another. Practical supervised experience of some sort is mandatory in most states as a prerequisite to certification, although there appears to be little uniformity in this respect. Such experience may be labeled practica, field experience, internship, or externship, and the same label may represent a different kind of experience in different states. Some states designate "clock hours," ranging from 120 to 525. Others require anywhere from one semester to a full year of full-time supervised experience. In four states, teaching experience a n d / o r supervised experience in school psychology satisfy this requirement. Seven states require university supervised practica only, usually in conjunction with course work. The written standards for ten states mention no such requirements at the entry

Table 2 Frequency of Mention of Required Courses Course Category

Number of States

Psychometric techniques: intelligence, learning disability Individual 38 Group 17 Child or developmental psychology 32 Statistics anck/or research methods 29 Counseling, psychotherapy, interviewing 26 Exceptional children: psychology of, methods of teaching, psychology of handicapped, organization of programs 26 Measurement: educational, theory of 23 Psychology of learning andg'or educational psychology 23 Education: methods, principles, philosophy, history, administration, supervision, curriculum, school law 23 Behavior pathology, abnormal 22 General psychology: experimental, theoretical, perception, physiological, history and systems, comparative 22 Personality theory 19 Projective and non-projective techniques, personality appraisal 18 Social psychology: group dynamics, human relations, community services, community relations, anthropology, economics 15 Personal adjustment, mental hygiene 14 Remedial diagnosis, instruction 12 Guidance: principles and practices 8 Clinical psychology (unspecified) 3 level. Of the 34 states in which practical experience is known to be mandatory for initial certification, 50% specify that it must be under a certified school psychologist or some other approved person (usually a Phi) psychologist). Approximately 3 0 ~ of the states require or will accept experience that is obtained in a variety of settings, including public schools and other community agencies dealing with children. Only three states indicated that experience must be exclusively within a school setting. Levels, grades of certification. It proved a confusing task to ascertain from the written standards and questionnaires just what the practices are

CERTIFICATION PATTERNS relevant to levels and grades of certification. Division 16 of APA (1963) recommended that distinct "levels" of functioning be established for school psychologists differentiated by amount of training, expected competencies, and rifle. Using this as a guideline, 24 states reported one level only for school psychologists, 15 reported two levels, and five reported three levels. At least two additional states are considering levels of certification. When these findings were compared to those of the Gross et al. (1966) and Traxler (1967) studies, a slight trend was noted toward establishing more than one level of certification. Since 1966, four states have added a second level; two states have added a third level. Where levels exist, titles vary. Psychometrist, Psychological Examiner, and School Technician are frequently employed at one level, while Assistant or Associate School Psychologist may be used at another level, and School or Clinical Psychologist at still another level. The written standards do not always indicate what the differences are, if any, in the duties or responsibilities at each level. In some cases no real differences appear. In other situations, the Psychornetrist apparently performs the same service as the School Psychologist, but must do so under supervision. In still other instances, the Psychornetrist seems restricted to group evaluations or to routine individual assessment for special class placement. Although the School Psychologist performs these same services, he also may engage in research, supervisory and consultative activities, curriculum development, therapy, and inservice training. There is much variation among states concerning standards for each level. As nearly as could be determined, all states require additional academic training for the higher level of certification. Nine states require the doctorate or equivalent at the highest level. Most of the remaining states re-

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quire advanced work or additional credit hours in the same content areas as for the lower level. In some eases course work in therapy techniques, personality assessment, and research methods are reserved for those seeking higher levels of certification, thus implying a differential function. Several states require experience at the lower levels a n d / o r an internship as well as academic work to qualify for a higher level of certification. Many writers confuse "levels" with "grade" of certificate. A state may have only one level of certification in that all certified school psychologists perform basically the same duties and have the same responsibilities. However, several grades of certification may be available which individuals may earn with additional academic or professional training a n d / o r accumulative years of experience. An analysis of written standards revealed such differing practices among the states that a discussion of general trends is difficult. Some states reported one level of certification and one grade; others, one level but two or three grades. States which have levels of certification may have one grade with. in each level or two or three grades each. When grades exist, most states require experience under the lower grade certificate plus additional academic training; a few require either experience only or academic training only to qualify for the next higher grade. At least four states require the doctorate or equivalent for the highest certificate even though there is only one level. In most states the highest grade certificate is issued for life. However, in at least three states, these certificates must be renewed periodically and the competence of the certificant reconfirmed. There are numerous variations within individual states. For example, in some states one is certified to practice at a given level for a limited period. The implication is that he must

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then meet the qualifications of the next higher level or no longer practice. In other situations, once full certification is achieved within a given level, one may remain there indefinitely. Some states allow the certificant to practice under the same grade of certification indefinitely; others require progressing to the next highest grade, and so on. DISCUSSION Table 3 summarizes some of the key findings of the present study. When compared to those reported by Gross et al. (1966) and Traxler (1967), several trends seem apparent. First, the number of states requiring state department of education certification for school psychologists is increasing. Second, levels of certification are becoming more frequent. In this respect, there is a slight tendency toward establishing lower entry levels, often termed Psychometrist or Technician, and to require the doctorate or equivalent training at the highest level or for the highest grade of certification. Those states

which accepted only doctoral training at the entry level in 1966 now make provisions for the subdoctoral psychologist. Third, there is evidence to suggest that academic requirements for certification are being increased, and that the states are beginning to recognize the doctorally trained individual in terms of higher salaries, differential responsibility, and type of certificate (e.g., some states issue renewable certificates for a longer period of time to someone with the doctorate). Fourth, there is a move away from requiting teacher certification and classroom experience for school psychologists. I t is of interest that nearly all states require work in education (or a teaching certificate) and psychology for certification regardless of degree or major (even at the doctoral level). This suggests that departments of psychology and colleges of education should work together in preparing this specialist. I t proved difficult to ascertain from the written standards just what the actual practices are in many cases.

Table 3 Summary of General Certification Patterns and Requirements for School Psychologists Pattern or Requirement States and territories certifying school psychologists States and territories not certifying school psychologists States certifying only one level States certifying two levels States certifying three levels Acceptance of undergraduate credits Bachelor's plus graduate hours minimal training at lowest entry level Two graduate years or 60 graduate semester hours minimal training at lowest level Master's degree or equivalent minimal training at lowest entry level Master's degree minimal training at lowest entry level Master's degree pins graduate hours minimal training at lowest entry level Teacher certification or eligibility for certification mandatory Teacher certification or eligibility one of alternate routes No teacher certification, eligibility, or alternate route necessary

Number

Percent

of States(a)

44 11 24 15 5 22 7

8o% 20% 55% 35% lO% 50% 17%(b)

2 6 21

5%(b) 14% (b) 50 % (b)

6 10 6 27

14% (b) 23 % (c) 14% (c) 63%(c)

a"States" also implies territories. bBased upon 42 states (this information unknown for Georgia and Hawaii). eBased upon 43 states (this information unknown for Georgin).

CERTIFICATION PATTERNS

There is little uniformity in the way standards are reported, in the terminology used, and in the ways terms are interpreted. Similarly, authors interpret the data in different ways in reporting results, which makes it difficult to compare findings in the absence of the actual data. T h e r e appears to be a wide variation a m o n g states concerning minimal standards in school psychology. Such issues become important considerations in establishing a national association, a national image, and reciprocity agreements, and suggests a need, perhaps, for a conference on the training of school psychologists. I~FERENCt~S AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGICAL As SOGIATION3 COMMITTEE ON TRAINING STANDARDSAND CERTIFIGATIO'N~ DMSION 16. Proposals

for state department of education certification of school psychologists. American Psychologist, 1963, 18, 711-714. CLAYTOR, M. P. State certification requirements for public school psychologists. ]ournal of Psychology, 1950, 29, 390-396. GRAY, S. W. (ED.) The internship in school psychology. Proceedings of the Peabody Conference, March 21-22, 1963. Department of Psychology. George Peabody College for Teachers: Nashville, Tennessee, 1963. GRoss, F. P., BONHANI, S. J., & BLUESTEIN,

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V. Entry requirements for state certification of school psychologists: A review of the past nineteen years. Journal oI School Psychology, 1966, 4, 43-51. HALL, M. E. Current employment requirements of school psychologists. American Psychologist, 1949, 4, 519-525. Hovo~s, W. State certifieatlon of school psychologists. A m • r i c a n Psychologist, 1960, 6, 346-349. H ORROCKS, J. E. State certification requirements for school psychologists. American Psychologist, 1946, 1, 399-401. N~LSON, W. H. Variations in patterns of certification for school psychologists. ]our. nal of School Psychology, 1963, 2, 17-33. NEWLAND, T. E. Formalized psychological services in state education progrnm~. American Psychologist, 1956, 11, 136140. TRAXLER, A. J. State certification of school psychologists. American Psychologist, 1967, 22, 660-666. Venus W. Bluestein Assistant Professor of Psychology and Education Coordinator, School Psychology Program Psychology Department University of Cincinnati Cincinnati, Ohio 45221 Charles A. Milofsky Certified School Psychologist Full-time graduate doctoral student University of Cincinnati Cincinnati, Ohio 45221 Received: August 1, 1969 Revision Received: December 1, 1969