Program
Approval Board
210
Tillman Hall
Dr. Gail
Rys
Assistant
Director of Graduate Studies
Dear
Dr. Rys:
Dr.
George Bear recently made me aware of the effort to seek approval for offering
a specialist degree in school psychology at the
National
Association of School Psychologists (NASP) standards for program approval and
for national certification require a minimum of specialist level training (i.e., the equivalent of three years of full-time
study with a minimum of 60 graduate semester hours). Additionally, NASP Standards for Training and Field Placement
Programs in School Psychology (2000), which serve
as the basis for NASP approval and NCATE national recognition of programs,
require “institutional documentation of program completion.” It is also
important that school psychology be documented as a specialization in the
program. While this can be accomplished in a variety of ways that NASP does not
prescribe, a specialist degree in school psychology would be advantageous.
There
are various alternatives for institutional documentation of school psychology
program completion (e.g., master’s degree followed by certificate of advanced
graduate studies granted upon specialist level program completion). However, the
means by which universities document completion of most programs is by granting
a degree consistent with the required level of preparation. The specialist
degree is the degree corresponding most closely to the 60
graduate credit hour minimum level of training required by NASP and by most
state departments of education.
A
specialist degree in school psychology would have the advantage of making your
program’s depth and breadth of school psychology training more apparent to
state certification officers and prospective employers. Additionally, a
specialist degree could result in a higher salary level for graduates in some
school districts and agencies. It is thus not surprising that the specialist
degree is seen as advantageous to school psychology students and prospective
students.
There
is a continuing and, in most regions and communities, an increasing need for
well-trained school psychologists qualified to provide a wide range of
educational and mental health services to children and youth. I commend you and
your institution for responding to this need and for pursuing the option of
offering a degree consistent with both national standards and the level of
quality training that the
Please
let me know if I may be of further assistance.
Sincerely,
Joseph
Prus, Ph.D.
Chair,
Program Approval Board