Georgia School Psychologist Continuing Education Requirements
Georgia school psychologists hold a Professional service certificate in School Psychology through the Georgia Professional Standards Commission (GaPSC). Georgia professional certificates are generally valid for five years. School psychologists have several renewal pathways, including Georgia professional learning requirements, a current NCSP credential, a current Georgia psychologist license, and certain school-psychology-specific professional learning options.
Georgia School Psychologist Requirements at a Glance
Georgia School Psychologist Renewal Pathways
Georgia's School Psychology certification rule provides several ways to renew a Professional School Psychology certificate.
General Professional Learning Requirements
Complete the professional learning requirements in GaPSC Rule 505-2-.36.
Current National Certification
Submit a valid Nationally Certified School Psychologist credential issued through the National School Psychology Certification Board.
Georgia Psychologist License
Submit a current Georgia psychologist license issued through the state's professional licensing system.
NCSP Can Satisfy Georgia School Psychology Renewal
Georgia expressly recognizes the Nationally Certified School Psychologist (NCSP) credential as a School Psychology certificate renewal option.
A school psychologist with a valid NCSP may submit that credential instead of relying solely on the general Georgia professional learning renewal pathways.
This makes NASP continuing professional development particularly relevant to Georgia school psychologists who maintain national certification.
If You Work for a Georgia Public School System
Georgia handles professional learning differently for educators employed by a Georgia Local Unit of Administration (LUA) in positions requiring certification.
These educators generally participate in ongoing, job-embedded professional learning through their employing LUA.
Professional learning is tied to individual, school, and district educational goals. The employing LUA documents fulfillment of the professional learning requirements as part of the renewal process.
Professional Learning Plans and Goals
Georgia uses Professional Learning Goals (PLGs) and, for certain educators, Professional Learning Plans (PLPs) to guide professional growth.
- Professional learning should be ongoing.
- It should relate to identified educator, school, and system goals.
- The educator's supervisor and employing system participate in documenting successful completion.
NCSP Option for Georgia LUA Employees
Georgia's general renewal rule specifically recognizes service-field professionals, including school psychologists, who meet optional state or national credential requirements in their field rules.
For a school psychologist, that includes the NCSP pathway described in the School Psychology certification rule.
If You Are Not Employed by a Georgia School System
Georgia provides more traditional credit-based renewal options for educators who are not employed in Georgia schools, agencies, or other qualifying education organizations.
For a currently valid certificate, renewal activities generally must be completed during the certificate's validity period. For an expired certificate, qualifying renewal activities generally must have been completed within the five years preceding the renewal application.
Georgia General Renewal Credit Options
An educator using Georgia's general renewal-credit route may complete a qualifying combination of the following options.
College Coursework Requirements
When college coursework is used for general Georgia certificate renewal, the coursework must meet GaPSC accreditation requirements.
- A total of 6 semester hours may satisfy the general renewal requirement.
- Coursework must be earned through an institution meeting GaPSC accreditation requirements.
- Final course grades must generally be B or better.
- Audited courses and coursework exempted without credit are not accepted for this purpose.
Georgia CEU Requirements
Educators using CEUs under the general renewal-credit pathway may complete 10 CEUs.
Georgia defines 10 contact hours as 1 CEU, meaning 10 CEUs generally represents 100 contact hours.
Do NASP-Approved Courses Automatically Count as Georgia CEUs?
Not automatically under the general Georgia CEU pathway.
NASP Approved Provider status is directly useful for NCSP continuing professional development, and Georgia expressly recognizes a current NCSP as a School Psychology certificate renewal pathway.
However, Georgia's general certificate-renewal rule has its own requirements governing which organizations may issue CEUs for direct GaPSC renewal-credit purposes.
Therefore, a NASP-approved course should not automatically be described as a Georgia GaPSC CEU unless it also meets the specific Georgia provider or approval requirements for that renewal pathway.
Child & School Psychology CE
Child & School Psychology CE is a NASP Approved Provider, Provider #1152.
Qualifying courses may be used toward applicable NCSP continuing professional development requirements.
Because Georgia accepts a current NCSP as a School Psychology certificate renewal pathway, NASP-approved professional development may be especially useful for Georgia school psychologists who maintain the NCSP.
School psychologists who plan to use an individual course directly under Georgia's general PLU or CEU renewal system should separately verify that it meets current GaPSC approval requirements.
Georgia Association of School Psychologists (GASP) Renewal Option
Georgia's School Psychology rule contains another profession-specific option for school psychologists who are not employed by a Georgia LUA at the time of renewal.
For these individuals, 10 Professional Learning Units awarded by the Georgia Association of School Psychologists (GASP) may satisfy renewal requirements.
Timing Requirement
The GASP PLUs must have been earned during the validity period of the certificate.
If the certificate is already expired, they must have been earned within the 5 years before the renewal application.
Georgia School Psychologist Initial Certification
Georgia also recognizes national school psychology credentials and preparation standards for initial certification.
An applicant may qualify for a Professional School Psychology certificate through one of several pathways.
Georgia-Approved Program
Completion of an approved school psychology preparation program at the specialist degree level or higher.
NASP-Approved Program
Completion of a school psychology preparation program approved by the National Association of School Psychologists.
NCSP
Submission of a valid NCSP credential issued by the National School Psychology Certification Board.
Georgia-Specific Certification Requirements
Initial Georgia School Psychology certification also includes applicable Special Georgia Requirements.
- Applicable GACE content knowledge assessment requirements.
- Georgia Standards of Conduct requirements.
- Submission of the required certification application and supporting documentation to GaPSC.
Criminal Background Check for Renewal
Georgia renewal requirements also include criminal-record-check provisions for educators employed by Georgia LUAs.
The employing Georgia LUA is responsible for ensuring that the applicable background check is completed during the school year in which the certificate expires.
If an educator has not previously completed an FBI fingerprint background check while employed by the current public school system, an FBI fingerprint check may be required.
What If You Hold More Than One Georgia Certificate Field?
Georgia's general renewal rule states that an educator who holds multiple certificate fields or types may generally renew all of them by completing the renewal requirements for the field of placement during the renewal period.
School psychologists holding additional Georgia credentials should still confirm whether any field has separate or additional conditions.
Can Online Continuing Education Count in Georgia?
Online professional learning may be useful for Georgia school psychologists, but the way the activity is applied depends on the renewal pathway being used.
Georgia School Psychologist Renewal Comparison
Online Continuing Education for Georgia School Psychologists
Child & School Psychology CE provides self-paced online professional development designed specifically for school psychologists and related professionals.
Courses address assessment, intervention, behavior, ethics, special education law, Section 504, student mental health, data-based decision making, and evidence-based school psychology practice.
We are a NASP Approved Provider, Provider #1152. Qualifying courses may be used toward applicable NCSP continuing professional development requirements.
Georgia school psychologists using the NCSP pathway may find NASP-approved professional development particularly relevant because Georgia expressly accepts a valid NCSP as a School Psychology certificate renewal option.
View Online CE CoursesMaintaining Your NCSP?
Georgia is one of the states that expressly recognizes a current NCSP credential as an alternative pathway for renewal of the state's Professional School Psychology certificate.
School psychologists maintaining both credentials should follow NASP's current CPD rules so the NCSP remains valid when it is used for Georgia renewal.
View NCSP CPD RequirementsOfficial Georgia Resources
Certification and renewal rules may change. School psychologists should verify current requirements with the Georgia Professional Standards Commission before submitting a renewal application.
- GaPSC Rule 505-2-.146 – School Psychology
- GaPSC Rule 505-2-.36 – Renewal Requirements
- Georgia Professional Standards Commission – Professional Learning
- Georgia Professional Standards Commission
Requirements reviewed September 2026. This page is provided for informational purposes and is not a substitute for current guidance from the Georgia Professional Standards Commission or an employing Georgia school system.