School Counseling

In the Florida certification process, there are three different certificates you can choose from that relate to school counseling: guidance and counseling, school psychologist and school social worker. Each path has different requirements to gain certification.

Guidance and Counseling Certification Requirements (Two plans)

1. Plan One. A master's or higher degree with a graduate major in guidance and counseling or counselor education which includes three (3) semester hours in a supervised counseling practicum in an elementary or secondary school.
2. Plan Two. A master's or higher degree with thirty (30) semester hours of graduate credit in guidance and counseling to include the areas specified below:
   1. Three semester hours in principles, philosophy, organization and administration of guidance,
   2. Three semester hours in student appraisal including administration and interpretation of standardized tests,
   3. Three semester hours in education and career development information practices and systems,
   4. Three semester hours in learning, personality theory, and human development,
   5. Three semester hours in counseling theories and individual counseling techniques,
   6. Three semester hours in group counseling and guidance techniques,
   7. Three semester hours in consultation skills and techniques for conferring with groups such as agencies, teachers, and parents,
   8. Three semester hours in legal, ethical, and current issues affecting school counselors,
   9. Three semester hours in specialized counseling techniques for use with elementary or secondary level special populations such as exceptional students, dropouts, and minorities, and
   10. Three semester hours in a supervised counseling practicum in an elementary or secondary school.

School Psychologist Certification Requirements (5 plans)

1. Plan One. A specialist's or higher degree with a major in school psychology which includes six (6) semester hours of graduate credit in a year-long supervised school psychology internship in an elementary or secondary school.
2. Plan Two. A master's or higher degree and completion of a graduate program in school psychology which includes sixty (60) semester hours of graduate credit in school psychology to include the areas specified below:
   1. Credit in each of the following six core competency areas:
      1. Psychological foundations;
      2. Educational foundations;
      3. Psychoeducational assessment;
      4. Interventions and specialized techniques;
      5. Statistics, measurement, and research design; and
      6. Professional school psychology.
   2. Three semester hours in a supervised practicum in school psychology.
   3. Six semester hours in a year-long supervised school psychology internship in an elementary or secondary school. No more than 12 semester hours of credit in the internship shall be accepted.
3. Plan Three. A master's or higher degree with completion of a graduate program in school psychology and 3 years of full-time experience as a school psychologist in an elementary or secondary school. The experience shall be acceptable provided the applicant held a valid full-time school psychologist certificate issued by the state where the experience was gained.
4. Plan Four. A master's or higher degree with 60 semester hours of graduate credit in school psychology to include the areas specified below:
   1. Six semester hours in educational foundations. Courses in this area include: education of exceptional learners, instructional and remedial techniques, and organization and operation of schools;
   2. Nine semester hours in psychoeducational assessment to include 3 semester hours in individual intellectual assessment. Courses in this area include individual intellectual assessment, psychoeducational assessment, and personality or behavior assessment;
   3. Nine semester hours in interventions and specialized techniques. Courses in this area include consultation, counseling, applied behavioral analysis, behavior management, and prescriptive intervention;
   4. Six semester hours in statistics, measurement, and research design. Courses in this area include: statistics, testing and measurement, research design, and program evaluation;
   5. Three semester hours in professional school psychology. Courses in this area include: history and foundations of school psychology, legal and ethical issues, professional issues affecting school psychologists, and rules and functions of the school psychologist;
   6. Six semester hours in a year-long supervised school psychology internship in an elementary or secondary school. The internship shall total at least twelve hundred (1200) clock hours with at least six hundred (600) clock hours in an elementary or secondary school. The internship shall be completed at an institution which offers a master's or higher degree major in school psychology. No more than twelve (12) semester hours of credit in the internship shall be accepted. Three (3) years of full-time experience as a school psychologist will satisfy the internship requirement;
   7. Three semester hours in a supervised practicum in school psychology in addition to the internship described in paragraph (4)(f) of this rule. Three years of full-time experience as a school psychologist in an elementary or secondary school will satisfy the supervised practicum requirement. The experience shall be acceptable provided the applicant held a valid full-time school psychologist certificate issued by the state where the experience was gained.
5. Plan Five. A valid certificate as a Nationally Certified School Psychologist issued by the National School Psychology Certification System.

School Social Worker

The process to become a schools social worker is less stringent. A bachelor's or higher degree is required with an undergraduate or graduate major in social work. The program must be accredited by the National Council on Social Work Education or the institution must be accredited in accordance with the provisions from the Department of Education.