N.J. Admin. Code § 6A:9B-14.9

Current through Register Vol. 56, No. 21, November 4, 2024

Section 6A:9B-14.9 - School psychologist

(a) The school psychologist endorsement authorizes the holder to serve as a psychologist in preschool through grade 12.

(b) To be eligible for the standard educational services certificate with a school psychologist endorsement, a candidate shall hold a master's or higher degree from an accredited college or university and complete the following:

1. A Department-approved graduate program or a minimum of 60 semester-hour graduate credits in the following areas:

i. Educational foundations/school psychology practice and development: a minimum of 12 semester-hour credits in areas such as the role and function of the school psychologist, multicultural education, educational organization and leadership, curriculum development, and learning theories;

ii. Education of students with disabilities: a minimum of six semester-hour credits in areas such as education and/or psychology of students with disabilities and educational assessment of students with disabilities;

iii. Assessment, intervention, and research: a minimum of 18 semester-hour credits, including study in the required areas of cognitive assessment, personality assessment, and school consultation. Additional study may be completed in areas such as applied behavior analysis, school interventions, curriculum-based measurement, multicultural counseling or individual counseling procedures, tests and measurements, statistics and research design, and analysis;

iv. Human behavioral development: a minimum of 12 semester-hour credits in areas such as human development, social psychology, personality psychology, neurological and/or physiological basis of behavior, and psychopathology; and

v. Electives: additional study in areas at (b)1i, ii, iii, and iv above. Externships and practicum experiences may be accepted for elective study.

2. A practicum of 300 clock hours. The practicum shall consist of a sequence of closely supervised on-campus and field-based activities designed to develop and evaluate a candidate's mastery of distinct professional skills consistent with program and/or course goals;

3. An externship of 1,200 clock hours. A minimum of 600 clock hours shall be completed in a school setting with school-age children. The remaining clock hours may be completed in a school or clinical setting, or may be completed under an emergency certificate while concurrently participating in an approved college or university school psychology program. Externship experiences completed in a school setting shall be supervised by a person holding a standard New Jersey or out-of-State educational services certificate with a school psychologist endorsement; and

(c) Persons who completed a master's or higher degree in clinical psychology from an accredited college or university and present official documentation of 600 clock hours of experience as a psychologist working with children in a clinical setting shall meet the school psychology externship and practicum requirements by completing a 900-clock-hour school psychology externship in a New Jersey school, with school-age children, under a New Jersey emergency certificate.

(d) The externship for a candidate for the standard educational services certificate with a school psychologist endorsement shall comply with the following:

1. The externship shall be taken under the direction of an accredited college or university as part of a program for the preparation of school psychologists.

i. In cases where the Office is issuing an emergency certificate, it may approve an equivalent externship that is not under the jurisdiction of a college or university program.

2. The college or university shall arrange externships as a program of supervised experiences. Externship credit shall not be awarded for clinical or laboratory work done as part of the requirements in courses such as "cognitive or personality assessment" or "school consultation."

3. At least 50 percent of the externship shall be in the psychological services division of a school district or in a college or university demonstration center that serves a cross section of school-age children. A person holding a standard New Jersey school psychologist certificate shall provide local supervision for the period of externship training.

4. The college, university, or school district, as appropriate, shall provide the extern with various group and individual achievement tests, personality and cognitive assessment tools, and the results of audiometric and visual screening.

5. The college, university, or school district, as appropriate, shall provide the extern with adequate office space for conferences, counseling, and diagnostic studies.

6. For purposes of study and guidance, the college, university, or school district, as appropriate, shall provide the extern with access to comprehensive records on pupil growth and development.

7. The college, university, or school district, as appropriate, shall provide the extern with supervised experience in the following areas: in-service programs for faculty members; conferences with special personnel; utilization of available community resources; conducting a diagnostic study; report writing; building relationships with the community; and counseling pupils, parents, and faculty.

8. No more than 50 percent of the externship can take place in an approved hospital, institution, clinic, or agency established for the study and/or treatment of children and adults with special needs. A licensed psychologist or school psychologist shall supervise the extern during the hospital, institution, clinic, or agency experience. The director of the hospital, institution, clinic, or agency shall certify that the externship experience includes the following: conducting a diagnostic study; reporting, writing, and communicating diagnostic findings; and participating in staff planning and evaluating conferences.

(e) A school district seeking authorization for the employment of an extern under an emergency certificate shall submit a request to the executive county superintendent for preliminary approval. The request shall include the following information:

1. The name of the fully certified school psychologist in the school district under whose supervision the externship will be carried out. The supervising school psychologist shall hold a standard educational services certificate with a school psychologist endorsement and shall have three years of experience under the endorsement;

2. The nature and extent of the training experiences that will be provided under supervision during the externship;

3. The dates of the externship period;

4. The total number of clock hours to be worked during the externship; and

5. Official college transcripts showing successful completion of a minimum of 40 semester-hour graduate credits pursuant to (b)1 above that shall include study in the areas of cognitive assessment, personality assessment, and school consultation, pursuant to (b)1iii above.

(f) Upon the executive county superintendent's request, the Office may issue an emergency certificate to a candidate who meets the following requirements:

1. A bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university; and

2. Official college transcripts showing successful completion of a minimum of 30 semester-hour graduate credits applicable toward the standard certificate with a school psychologist endorsement in the areas at (b)1i through v above. The credits shall include study and practicum experience in assessment.

(g) The Office will issue a standard educational services certificate with a school psychologist endorsement to holders of a currently valid Nationally Certified School Psychologist (NCSP) license.

N.J. Admin. Code § 6A:9B-14.9

Amended and recodified from 6A:9B-12.9 by 47 N.J.R. 2989(a), effective 12/7/2015

Amended by 55 N.J.R. 853(a), effective 5/1/2023