Alabama Administrative Code
Title 290 - ALABAMA STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION
Chapter 290-3-3 - TEACHER EDUCATION - PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
Section 290-3-3-.57 - School Psychology (Grades P-12)
Universal Citation: AL Admin Code R 290-3-3-.57
Current through Register Vol. 42, No. 5, February 29, 2024
(1) Rationale. These standards are aligned with the standards of the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) for the preparation of school psychologists.
(2) Unconditional Admission to a School Psychology Program. Initial certification for a school psychologist shall be at the Class AA level.
(a) Criteria
for unconditional admission to school psychology programs shall include two
full years of full-time professional educational work experience in a P-12
school system(s) and at least a valid master's-level
professional educator certificate in school psychometry, school psychology, or
special education. An individual who holds a valid
out-of-state professional educator certificate in school psychometry, school
psychology, or special education at the master's level may be admitted to a
Class AA program for school psychology.
(b) If an individual who is unconditionally
admitted to an Alabama Class AA program in school psychology based on a
valid master's-level professional educator certificate
in school psychometry, school psychology, or special education from another
state, completes the Class AA program in school psychology, and subsequently
applies for Alabama certification at the Class AA level, then the individual
must hold at least a valid Class A Professional
Educator Certificate in school psychology, school psychometry, or special
education before applying for Class AA certification.
(3) Program Curriculum. In addition to meeting Rule 290-2-2-.46(2)(a) -(e), the program shall include content related to:
(a)
Practices that
Permeate All Aspects of Service Delivery: Data-based Decision Making and
Accountability.
1. School
psychologists have knowledge of varied methods of:
(i) Assessment and data collection methods
for identifying strengths and needs, developing effective services and
programs, and measuring progress and outcomes.
(ii) Varied methods of consultation,
collaboration, and communication applicable to individuals, families, groups,
and systems and used to promote effective implementation of services.
2. As part of a systematic and
comprehensive process of effective decision making and problem solving that
permeates all aspects of service delivery, school psychologists demonstrate
skills to:
(i) Use psychological and
educational assessment, data collection strategies, and technology resources
and apply results to design, implement, and evaluate response to services and
programs.
(ii) Consult,
collaborate, and communicate with others during design, implementation, and
evaluation of services and programs.
(b)
Direct and Indirect
Services.
1.
Student Level
Services. School psychologists have knowledge of direct
interventions that focus on academic and social/emotional interventions for
children and families. School psychologists engage multi-disciplinary teams
(including children, teachers, parents, and other school professionals) to
develop and implement academic and mental health interventions.
(i) Interventions and instructional support
to develop academic skills.
(I) School
psychologists have knowledge of biological, cultural, and social influences on
academic skills; human learning, cognitive, and developmental processes; and
evidence-based curriculum and instructional strategies.
(II) In collaboration with others, school
psychologists demonstrate skills to use assessment and data-collection methods
and to implement and evaluate services that support cognitive and academic
skills.
(ii)
Interventions and mental health services to develop social and life skills.
(I) School psychologists have knowledge of
biological, cultural, developmental, and social influences on behavior and
mental health; behavioral and emotional impacts on learning and life skills;
and evidence-based strategies to promote social-emotional functioning and
mental health.
(II) In
collaboration with others, school psychologists demonstrate skills to use
assessment and data-collection methods and to implement and evaluate services
that support socialization, learning, and mental health.
2.
Systems Level
Services - Schools. School psychologists have knowledge of direct
and indirect services that focus on knowledge of schools and system structures,
and preventive and responsive services. School psychologists implement
school-wide practices to promote learning and knowledge of principles and
research related to resilience and risk factors.
(i) School-wide practices to promote
learning.
(I) School psychologists have
knowledge of school and systems structure, organization, and theory; general
and special education; technology resources; and evidence-based school
practices that promote academic outcomes, learning, social development, and
mental health.
(II) In
collaboration with others, school psychologists demonstrate skills to develop
and implement practices and strategies to create and maintain effective and
supportive learning environments for children and others.
(ii) Preventive and responsive services.
(I) School psychologists have knowledge of
principles and research related to resilience and risk factors in learning and
mental health, services in schools and communities to support multitiered
prevention, and evidence-based strategies for effective crisis
response.
(II) In collaboration
with others, school psychologists demonstrate skills to promote services that
enhance learning, mental health, safety, and physical well-being through
protective and adaptive factors and to implement effective crisis preparation,
response, and recovery.
3.
Systems Level Services -
Family-School Collaboration.
(i)
School psychologists have knowledge of principles and research related to
family systems, strengths, needs, and culture; evidence-based strategies to
support family influences on children's learning, socialization, and mental
health; and methods to develop collaboration between families and
schools.
(ii) School psychologists,
in collaboration with others, demonstrate skills to design, implement, and
evaluate services that respond to culture and context and facilitate family and
school partnership/interactions with community agencies for enhancement of
academic and social-behavioral outcomes for children.
(c)
Foundations of School
Psychologists' Service Delivery.
1.
Diversity in development and learning.
(i) School psychologists have knowledge of
individual differences, abilities, disabilities, and other diverse
characteristics; principles and research related to diversity factors for
children, families, and schools, including factors related to culture, context,
and individual and role differences; and evidence-based strategies to enhance
services and address potential influences related to diversity.
(ii) School psychologists demonstrate skills
to provide professional services that promote effective functioning for
individuals, families, and schools with diverse characteristics, cultures, and
backgrounds and across multiple contexts, with recognition that an
understanding and respect for diversity in development and learning and
advocacy for social justice are foundations of all aspects of service
delivery.
2.
Research, program evaluation, legal, ethical, and professional
practice. School psychologists have core foundational knowledge
and experiences and implement practices and strategies in research, program
evaluation, and legal, ethical and professional practice.
(i) Research and program evaluation.
(I) School psychologists have knowledge of
research design, statistics, measurement, varied data collection and analysis
techniques, and program evaluation methods sufficient for understanding
research and interpreting data in applied settings.
(II) School psychologists demonstrate skills
to evaluate and apply research as a foundation for service delivery and, in
collaboration with others, use various techniques and technology resources for
data collection, measurement, analysis, and program evaluation to support
effective practices at the individual, group, and/or systems levels.
(ii) Legal, ethical, and
professional practice.
(I) School
psychologists have knowledge of the history and foundations of school
psychology; multiple service models and methods; ethical, legal, and
professional standards; and other factors related to professional identity and
effective practice as school psychologists.
(II) School psychologists demonstrate skills
to provide services consistent with ethical, legal, and professional standards;
engage in responsive ethical and professional decision-making; collaborate with
other professionals; and apply professional work characteristics needed for
effective practice as school psychologists, including respect for
characteristics needed for effective practice as school psychologists (respect
for human diversity and social justice, communication skills, effective
interpersonal skills, responsibility, adaptability, initiative, dependability,
and technology skills).
(4) Requirements for Certification in School Psychology. Readiness to serve as a school psychologist shall include:
(a) A valid
Class A Professional Educator Certificate in school psychometry, school
psychology, or special education.
(b) An official transcript from a regionally
accredited institution documenting an earned education specialist
degree.
(c) A survey of special
education course is required unless that course was taken for prior level
certification. [See Rule
290-3-3-.01(51)
]. An individual who completed a survey of special education course prior to
the semester when the individual met requirements for unconditional admission
to a Class AA program July 1, 2017, or thereafter, must take a course focused
primarily on one of the following categories: methods of accommodating
instruction to meet the needs of students with exceptionalities in inclusive
settings, multicultural education, teaching English language learners, rural
education, or urban education. A diversity course used to meet this requirement
for Class A certification may not be used to meet the requirement for Class AA
certification.
(d) Satisfactory
completion of a State-approved program with a minimum GPA of 3.25 in all
courses in the approved program for school psychology as verified on an
official transcript. Effective for candidates unconditionally admitted to a
Class AA school psychology program July 1, 2017, and thereafter, satisfactory
completion of a State-approved program with a minimum GPA of 3.50 on all
courses in the Alabama State Board of Education approved school psychology
program.
(e) Competence to perform
as a school psychologist in a supervised P-12 internship of at least 300 clock
hours supervised by an individual holding valid Alabama certification in school
psychology.
(5) Testing for Certification in School Psychology. Applicants for initial certification in school psychology through the completion of a Class AA program must meet the Praxis requirements of the Alabama Educator Certification Assessment Program (AECAP) as a precondition for certification.
Previous Rule.54 was renumbered.2570 per certification published August 31, 2021; effective October 15, 2021.
Author: Dr. Eric G. Mackey
Statutory Authority: Code of Ala. 1975, §§ 16-3-16, 16-23-14.
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