Education Specialist in Advanced Educational Practice: School Psychology
The Program For The School Psychology Specialty is designed to produce graduates who meet requirements for licensure in school psychology from the Tennessee Department of Education; are prepared to utilize commonly accepted "best practices" in their work as school psychologists; and are prepared to provide leadership in their field to schools and other organizations serving children and adolescents.
75%-80% of the currently practicing school psychologists in southeastern Tennessee and northwest Georgia are UTC graduates.
NASP Conditional Status Information
The UTC School Psychology Program has received Conditional Approval from the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP). The letter from the NASP Program Approval Board (dated December 21, 2007) states that “Conditional Approval is awarded based on general consistency of the program with critical NASP standards, but also suggests the need to make changes in the program and/or to accumulate evidence that would establish consistency with all areas of the standards.” The Program’s Conditional Approval is effective from January 1, 2008 through December 31, 2009.
What does the program’s Conditional Approval mean for current and former students and for program faculty?
Some things remain the same as they were prior to our Conditional Approval. The program has been and continues to be approved by the Tennessee Department of Education (TDE). TDE approval allows our graduates to be licensed as School Psychologists by the TDE. Persons licensed as School Psychologists by the TDE are eligible for licensure in School Psychology by the Georgia Department of Education.
On the other hand, Conditional Approval by NASP has several benefits.
The program will be listed as a Conditionally Approved program on the NASP website and in the NASP newspaper, Communique.
Current students who graduate in 2008 or 2009 will be able to apply for certification as a Nationally Certified School Psychologist (NCSP) using the application process for graduates of a NASP approved program. (While graduates of programs that are not NASP approved can also apply to become NCSPs, they must provide extensive documentation that their training is consistent with NASP standards.)
Former students who graduated in 2007 can also apply for certification as NCSPs using the application process for graduates of a NASP approved program. These students must include a letter from Dr. Guess and Dr. Helton that states that their program was equivalent to the program approved by NASP. Drs. Guess and Helton will furnish this letter for 2007 graduates.
What happens after the program’s Conditional Approval expires on January 1, 2010?
The program faulty has already begun work that will hopefully lead to Full Approval beginning in January of 2010. We must submit a report justifying our request for Full Approval no later than September 15, 2009. The NASP Program Approval Board will then determine whether the program achieves Full Approval status.
