Lauren Moss EDPSY 685 State Licensure Paper. School Psychologist Licensure: A Comparison of Standards between Indiana and Ohio

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1 School Psychologist Licensure: A Comparison of Standards between Indiana and Ohio In order to become a practicing school psychologist in a given state, an individual must receive credentials from that state s State Board of Education (SEA). Each state has differing licensure standards regarding the criteria an individual must meet to be a certified school psychologist in that state. Additionally, states may have different names for similar licenses and some states may offer licenses that other states do not offer. The purpose of this paper is to compare the licensure standards between Indiana and Ohio and identify the scope of practice for individuals with a doctorate in school psychology. Licensure in Indiana Proficient practitioner license. The most basic license that an individual can obtain to practice school psychology in Indiana is the Proficient Practitioner License (National Association of School Psychologists [NASP], 2010). In order to receive this license, the applicant must have successfully completed a master s degree from an approved school psychologist program. If the applicant has completed a master s degree in another area, (s)he should have completed additional work in an approved school psychologist program. The Proficient Practitioner License (PPL) must be renewed by the SEA after two years (NASP, 2010). Accomplished practitioner license. After receiving the Proficient Practitioner License, the applicant can begin to work towards receiving the Accomplished Practitioner License (APL). In order to receive this license, one of two routes should be taken: the applicant can use his/her National Certification in School Psychologist (NCSP) to receive the credential or (s)he can demonstrate that (s)he has met the requirements that are put forth by the state (NASP, 2010). The criteria put forth by the state include: (a) completion of five years of practice as a school

2 psychologist after the issuance of the PPL, (b) completion of an educational specialist or higher degree in a psychology-related field at an approved program, and (c) has received a recommendation for the APL by the licensing advisor at the approved program. If the applicant wishes to use his/her NCSP to receive the APL, the following requirements must be met: (a) completion of a 60 graduate semester/90 quarter hours of study from an organized program that is officially title School Psychology, with at least 54 graduate semester/81 graduate quarter hours having been exclusive of supervised internship experience; (b) successful completion of a 1200-hour internship in school psychology, with at least 600 hours completed in a school setting; and (c) achievement of a passing score (165) on the National School Psychology Examination that is administered by the Educational Testing Service (NASP, n.d.). The primary difference between using the NCSP to obtain the APL credential and meeting the requirements put forth by the state is that the state s requirements do not specify internship or graduate semester hour requirements, while the NCSP requirements do. If the applicant meets all of these requirements, (s)he may use the NCSP in place of meeting the requirements that are outlined by the SEA. In most cases, however, an applicant who holds a NCSP would still meet the SEA s requirements. The APL must be renewed every five years by acquiring 90 clock hours, where one semester hour = 15 clock hours (NASP, 2010). Scope of practice. Individuals holding an SEA credential (either the APL or PPL) can practice in prekindergarten through 12 th grade. The state of Indiana offers the Independent Practice Endorsement (IPE) to those holding an SEA credential, provided they meet the following requirements: (a) licensed as a school psychologist from the professional standards board; (b) employed by a developmental center, state hospital, public or private hospital, mental

3 health center, rehabilitation center, or private or public school for at least 30 hours/week during the contract period; (c) have at least a 60 semester hour master s or specialist degree in school psychology; (d) demonstrate graduate level competency through completion of coursework and a practicum in the areas of assessment and counseling; (e) completed at least 1200 hours of school psychology experience beyond the master s level, with at least 600 hours in a school setting; (f) completed at least 400 hours of supervised experience in identification and referral of mental and behavioral disorder, with at least one hour/week of direct personal supervision for a minimum of ten hours of direct supervision; (g) completed at least 52 hours of supervision within consecutive months, with no more than one hour of supervision included in each week s total and at least 900 hours of direct client contact taking place within the month period; (h) provide proof to the board that the applicant does not have a conviction which will directly affect the applicant s ability to practice; (i) provide proof to the board that the applicant has not been the subject of disciplinary action by a licensing or certification agency on the grounds that the applicant was endangering the public; and (j) pass the examination provided by the board (NASP, 2010). This credential allows a school psychologist holding an APL credential to practice in a non-school setting. At the doctoral level, licensing for private practice is available from the Indiana Psychology Board Professional Licensing Agency. The following must be completed before applying for licensure as a psychologist: (a) the application must be completed and signed; (b) official transcripts, including the doctoral transcript, must be sent to the licensing agency; (c) proof of internship completion must be provided; (d) a marriage certificate or legal name change certificate should be included if your name is not the same on all documents; (e) verification of licensure should be submitted if you have ever been licensed in another state; (f) a criminal

4 background check should be completed; and (g) the Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP) and the Indiana jurisprudence examination must be passed. If the applicant s application is approved to take the EPPP and jurisprudence examination, the applicant will receive a temporary license until the board receives the applicant s test results (Indiana Professional Licensing Agency [IPLA], n.d.a). Licensed psychologists can also obtain endorsement as a Health Service Provider in Psychology (HSPP) if they wish to engage in independent diagnosis and treatment of mental and behavioral disorders (IPLA, n.d.b). In order to receive this endorsement, psychologists must meet the following requirements: (a) have completed a doctoral degree; (b) have completed a 1500 hour internship in not less than 12 months; (c) have completed 1600 post-internship hours with a minimum of 900 hours of face-to-face client contact hours in not less than 12 months; (d) have all forms completed and signed by an appropriate supervisor; and (e) be granted a license to practice psychology in the state of Indiana (IPLA, n.d.b). Licensure in Ohio Temporary pupil services licenses. The temporary pupil services license (TPSL) is comparable to the PPL that is granted in Indiana. In order to obtain the TPSL, the applicant must have his/her master s degree in school psychology and must be enrolled in an internship (NASP, 2010). The SEA does not specify the number of credit hours an applicant must complete when completing his/her master s program. Because this is a temporary license, it should not be renewed. Professional school psychologist license. The professional school psychologist license (PSPL) is comparable to the APL in Indiana. Unlike the APL, applicants who have the NCSP cannot use that credential to obtain the PSPL. The following requirements must be met to earn

5 the PSPL: (a) completion of a master s degree in school psychology (no specification of credit hours); (b) completion of a nine month, full-time internship in an approved school setting (minimum of 600 hours), and a score of 161 of higher on the Praxis II (NASP, 2010). The PSPL should be renewed every five years by acquiring six semester hours or 18 continuing education units (CEUs) if employed in a school setting, where 10 contact hours equals one CEU. Scope of practice. Receiving the TPSL or PSPL only allows practice in the schools. If individuals wish, they can pursue the School Psychologist Licensure, which is offered by the Ohio State Board of Psychology. Requirements to receive this license include: (a) a passing score (660 or 165) on the Praxis); (b) an oral examination; (c) three letters of reference; (d) a minimum of a master s in school psychology; and (e) completion of an internship and three years of experience, with at least two of those years being in the employment of a private school or board of education (NASP, 2010). For individuals with a doctoral degree, psychology licensure is available from the Ohio State Board of Psychology. Requirements to become a licensed psychologist in the state of Ohio include: (a) submission of a completed and notarized application; (b) completion of a criminal background check; (c) submission of graduate transcripts, dissertation abstract, and list of dissertation committee members; (d) submission of three reference letters from psychologists; (e) submission of a photograph to identify applicants during the oral examination; and (f) a passing score (500 on computer-based or 140 on written version) on the EPPP and the Ohio oral examination (State Board of Psychology of Ohio [SBPO], 2010). Upon successfully passing the oral examination, applicants are issued a license number, license card, and are able to practice psychology independently in the state of Ohio within five business days of the oral examination (SBPO, 2010).

6 Comparison of Licensing Standards Overall, the licensing standards in Indiana are very similar to the standards in Ohio. Both offer similar temporary credentials via the PPL in Indiana and the TPSL in Ohio. The APL in Indiana is very similar to the PSPL in Ohio, with the exception that individuals seeking licensure in Indiana can use their NCSP credential in lieu of meeting the state of Indiana s requirements to obtain the APL, something that individuals in Ohio cannot do. Both states also offer similar licensure for individuals at the doctoral level and for individuals who wish to practice school psychology outside of the school setting. The main difference between the licenses offered by the state departments of psychology (not the SEA), is that licenses (the School Psychologist or Psychologist License) offered by the State Board of Psychology of Ohio require three reference letters, but the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency has no such requirement for those wishing to obtain the IPE, private practice, or HSPP credentials. Ohio also requires double the hours that Indiana requires to renew the SEA credential: 180 hours must be earned in Ohio to renew the PSPL versus 90 hours in Indiana to renew the APL. There are pros and cons to licensure in Indiana or Ohio. It seems slightly easier to obtain credentials in Ohio, but requires more work to maintain those credentials. There are more avenues to credentialing in Indiana, but there seem to be more hoops to jump through to get to the credentials. Upon successful completion of the school psychology program at Ball State, I will be eligible to receive credentials in Indiana as a licensed school psychologist and will be very close to meeting the requirements to be a licensed psychologist, so it does not seem incredibly likely that obtaining licensure in Ohio would be difficult if that is the path I take. This paper has helped clarify the differences in licensure between Indiana and Ohio and has helped illustrate how licensure can vary from state to state.

7 References Indiana Professional Licensing Agency. (n.d.a). Information pertaining to examination. Retrieved from Indiana Professional Licensing Agency. (n.d.b). Health service provider in psychology. Retrieved from National Association of School Psychologists. (n.d.). Interested in becoming a NCSP? Retrieved from National Association of School Psychologists. (2010). State school psychology credentialing requirements. Retrieved from State Board of Psychology of Ohio. (2010). Instructions and information for applicants for psychologist license. Retrieved from