Issues and trends in the accreditation of school psychology programs in the United States

Abstract

AbstractProgram accreditation, which serves as a designator of quality based on a review by colleagues external to the institution using standards established by the profession, is playing an increasingly important role in the preparation and credentialing of school psychologists. Doctoral school psychology programs often seek accreditation by the American Psychological Association (APA), which impacts graduate eligibility for an independent practice license in many states. Most specialist and doctoral programs also seek recognition by the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) and National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education, which impacts graduate eligibility for national certification and eligibility for a credential to practice in the schools in many states. APA and NASP recognition standards and requirements are discussed and compared. The graduate preparation standards and associated documentation requirements of these two organizations differ in some important respects, but have many commonalities. Both have been impacted by an increasing emphasis in higher education on assessment and documentation of outcomes (vs. inputs and processes), requiring more comprehensive aggregation and use of data for program evaluation and improvement. Despite such requirements, an increasing number of school psychology programs have sought and achieved recognition by APA and/or NASP. The authors discuss possible future trends in accreditation, including a continued move toward outcomes‐based assessment, more emphasis on the use of external quality indicators, increased use of technology in both training and documentation, and a greater need for collaboration among higher education faculty, programs, and accrediting organizations. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.