On June 5th, AFT President Randi Weingarten sent a letter to the American Psychological Association (APA), which, on behalf of the AFT's members, opposed the APA's proposed revisions to their "Model Act for State Licensure." The revision in question would remove an exemption that permits school psychologists to use that title based on their specialist credentials rather than requiring a doctoral degree, the minimum credential for psychologists outside public school systems.

"We are very concerned that the broad array of important services provided by school psychologists will be greatly diminished if you [the Board of Educational Affairs and the Model Licensure Act Task Force] disallow the current exemptions," Weingarten's letter states. "School psychologists have had extensive training, including lengthy practicum experiences and internships." The letter emphasizes the high standards held for school psychologist certification, which are guided by the National Association of School Psychologists and require comprehensive training to deal with the specific needs of school children, such as learning and behavior and classroom management. Special education programs are one way in which school psychologists provide essential and highly specialized services.

The Model Act states the APA's policies regarding the licensure of psychologists and serves as "a prototype for drafting state legislation regulating the practice of psychology," according to a FAQ on the APA's Web site about the Model Act revisions. School psychologists are currently accredited by state education agencies and are not required to have doctoral degrees but a minimum of three years' graduate-level training. The proposed change is not supposed to prevent current school psychologists with Masters or Specialist degrees from practicing. Rather, the FAQ says, it is "intended to affect title only." Some school psychologist associations, however, fear that eliminating the exemption would lead to state's removing it from state law, so only licensed psychologists and a few doctoral-trained school psychologists could provide their services in schools.

In Weingarten's letter, the AFT seeks to support its members by highlighting the possibly detrimental consequences of removing the exemption for school psychologists from the Model Act. Such changes "would actually harm children and schools by exacerbating the current shortage of school psychologists." Weingarten concludes, "We are confident that the intent of the APA is not to have an adverse impact on the many children who desperately need these services."

References:

American Psychological Association: "Frequently Asked Questions about the revision of
APA's Model Act for State Licensure for Psychologists." March 2009. http://forms.apa.org/practice/modelactlicensure/faq-mla-revision.pdf.

Maryland School Psychologists' Association: "Fact Sheet: School Psychologists and the
"Model Licensure Act"." April 2009. www.mspaonline.org/pdf/MLAfact%20Sheet4-09.pdf