Are you aspiring to become a school psychologist in Ohio? Understanding the licensure requirements is crucial for your career path. Let's break down the essentials for you.
SEA Credential
To start, Ohio offers two types of credentials for school psychologists:
- Temporary Pupil Services License: Requires a master's degree in school psychology and enrollment in an internship.
- Professional School Psychologist License: Requires a master's degree in school psychology, successful completion of a 9-month full-time internship (at least 600 hours in a school setting), and a passing score on either the Praxis School Psychologist exam (147 or higher) or the Ohio Assessments for Educators (OAE) (score of 220).
Applications for these licenses must be made through the Ohio Department of Education.
Continuing Education Requirements
To maintain your licensure, you must meet the continuing education requirements:
- Renewal every 5 years requires continuing professional development of 6 semester hours, or 18 CEUs (180 contact hours) if employed in a school setting.
- Starting in 2025, renewal will require 50 clock hours, including 4 in ethics/multicultural competency, every five years.
Scope of Practice
With an SEA credential, school psychologists can provide services in various educational settings, including K-12 public schools, pre-K and early childhood settings, and private and charter schools. However, the SEA credential does not allow practice outside of schools.
If you wish to practice outside of schools, you must obtain a School Psychologist Licensure from the Ohio State Board of Psychology. This licensure requires:
- A passing score on the Praxis (147).
- An oral examination.
- Three reference letters.
- A minimum of a master's degree in school psychology.
- Verification of an internship and 3 years of experience, with at least 2 years in the employment of a board of education or a private school meeting State Board of Education standards.
- Each of the 4 years must reflect 9 months of full-time work. Experience outside of a school setting must be supervised by a qualified licensee and verified on a Training Supervision Documentation form.
For more detailed information, please follow this link.
