Rachel Chilton
OSPA Executive Director

We at OSPA know the law change from last December that moves the ODE school psychology license under the purview of the State Board of Psychology (SBP) has caused plenty of uncertainty and confusion. Below is an update — previously shared via email — on what we know and what to expect.

The SBP has been proactive in preparing for the day when all ODE school psychology licenses are transferred to SBP: Jan. 1, 2025. SBP has included OSPA Executive Director Rachel Chilton in all its discussions with the groups impacted by this including the Inter-University Council (training programs), ODE Office for Exceptional Children and ODE Office of Licensure. SBP Director Dr. Ron Ross has been steadfast in his commitment to ensure this transition is as painless as possible.

Here is what we know:

• All licenses will become SBP licenses starting Jan. 1, 2025. This will occur with no paperwork or payment on your end.
• If your current ODE license will expire before Dec. 31, 2024, you must renew it with ODE.
• You will first renew your SBP license by Sept. 30, 2025. SBP will notify you during summer 2025 that your license is set to expire.
• Details on how to prepare for this first renewal will be available in the second half of 2024, when the SBP’s amended rules become effective.
• Everyone will renew their licenses on years ending in 0 and 5.
• Your CE requirement for the school-based license will be 50 hours — including 4 hours in ethics/professional conduct/cultural competence — over the five-year license period. However, in lieu of requiring 50 clock hours of CE programs, our intention is to accept compliance reports from existing Local Professional Development Committees (LPDC) to verify 5-year professional development completion, meaning we would ask your LPDC to certify to OSPA that your 5-year plan has been successfully completed. This option will be proposed in regulations by the SBP.
• A number of other pathways to proving CE completion will be proposed by SBP in its rulemaking process.
  The renewal fee – as set in law – will be $300.
• If you also hold a private practice license through SBP, nothing will change for you aside from the license now being called “independent school psychologist.” You will still renew on even numbered years.
• SBP will propose in rule that holding an active independent school psychology license will satisfy CE requirements, just as it does now.
• If you have a permanent license through ODE, it will no longer be permanent, and you will have to start submitting renewal paperwork. Unfortunately, SBP does not have a mechanism to support the permanent licenses.
• The Office for Exceptional Children will continue to be our partner in all things school psychology.
• The temporary licenses granted to interns to allow them to work in schools during their internship will remain with ODE as a temporary pupil services license. The law did not touch this element, so new school psychs will hold a temporary license through ODE during their internship and then have to apply with SBP for their full license.

Another part of the law change that was not initially apparent to us is that OSPA is named in the bill as being the entity that certifies to SBP that licensees have completed their continuing education requirement. This has been the practice for those with private practice licenses, as SBP does not have the infrastructure to verify whether individuals have completed their hours. OSPA leadership has had initial discussions about how to handle doing this for roughly 3,000 licensees given we currently have about 200 private practice licensees we manage. Again, SBP will be proposing rules that will retain the LPCD structure to verify professional development activities. If you do not have an LPDC, you would be able to use our established process for private licensees and submit certificates of completion evidencing 50 CE clock hours. Actual details of how this would work are still being worked out.

We know many of you are frustrated by this change, as are both OSPA and SBP. We will, however, do everything we can to make this painless for all parties. Always feel free to reach out to Rachel Chilton with your questions and concerns.