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School Psychologist Certificate

School Psychologist Certificate

A person employed as a school psychologist in a Michigan school is required to hold a valid Michigan School Psychologist Certificate or a Preliminary School Psychologist Certificate.

An application for a School Psychologist Certificate or Preliminary School Psychologist Certificate is created through the Michigan Online Educator Certification System (MOECS).

Preliminary School Psychologist Certificate

(R 380.204 & 380.205) Valid for 3 years and available to individuals who meet the following requirements:

  1. Complete a graduate degree in an approved school psychology certification program (no less than 45 semester credit hours); and
  2. Complete a 600 clock-hour, supervised practicum in school psychology; and
  3. Possess a valid out-of-state school psychologist certificate or license if the school psychologist program was completed in another state.

Preliminary School Psychologist Renewal

(R 380.204 & 380.205) A one-time, 3-year renewal may be granted upon application and verification of one of the following:

  • Six (6) semester credit hours in an approved school psychologist program from an Educator Preparation Institution. The credit must be completed since the issue date of the preliminary psychology certificate; or
  • A valid, out-of-state school psychologist certificate.

School Psychologist Certificate

(R 380.206) Valid for 5 years and available to individuals who meet the following requirements:

  1. Possess a current or expired Preliminary School Psychologist Certificate; and
  2. Complete a state-approved specialist-level degree or the equivalent (no less than 60 semester credit hours) in school psychology with a 1200 clock-hour internship from an Educator Preparation Institution (EPI).

An out-of-state applicant may qualify for a School Psychologist Certificate (R 380.206), valid for 5 years, as an initial certificate if the individual meets the following requirements: 

  1. Complete a specialist-level degree or the equivalent (no less than 60 semester credit hours) in school psychology with a 1200 clock-hour internship from an out-of-state Educator Preparation Institution; and
  2. Possess a valid Nationally Certified School Psychologist (NCSP) credential issued by the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP), or a valid, standard school psychologist certificate from the state where the program was completed.

School Psychologist Renewal

(R 380.206) Valid for 5 years and renewable using one of the following options:

Option A: One of the Education-Related Professional Learning options listed below, completed since the issue date of the most recent school psychologist certificate or renewal and logged into MOECS.

Option B: A valid Michigan Professional Teaching Certificate.

Option C: A valid Nationally Certified School Psychologist (NCSP) credential.

Option D: A valid out-of-state school psychologist certificate. Option D is for a one-time renewal only.

Education-Related Professional Learning

Education-Related Professional Learning Options

One of the following Education-Related Professional Learning options must be earned since the issue date of the most recent certificate or renewal. These hours must be entered into Michigan Online Educator Certification System (MOECS) prior to applying for the renewal for the system to recognize your eligibility:

*Credits in a planned course of study may include credits taken as part of an education-related master’s or higher degree or credits in a program that leads to an endorsement. 

Education-Related Professional Learning Conversion

College credit

1 semester credit = 25 professional learning hours

SCECH

1 SCECH Hour = 1 professional learning hour

DPPD

1 DPPD hour = 1 professional learning hour

Documenting Education-Related Professional Learning

  • College credits must be documented on a transcript and submitted as part of the application. Unofficial transcripts or copies are acceptable.
  • SCECHs are maintained in the system and do not require additional documentation as part of the application process. In order to receive SCECHs, programs must be submitted by the sponsoring entity and educators must complete the evaluation in their MOECS profile.
  • DPPD completed prior to July 1, 2020 must be submitted in the MOECS system and a form signed by the administrator must be submitted as well.

MOECS Application

All applications for initial certification and renewal are submitted through MOECS. Applicants that use District Provided Professional Development to renew a school psychologist certificate must submit the DPPD form completed by the employing district.