Massachusetts School Psychologist Continuing Education Requirements
Review Massachusetts school psychologist educator-license renewal requirements, Professional Development Points, Licensed Educational Psychologist continuing education, NASP-approved courses, and online professional development.
Massachusetts School Psychologist Renewal at a Glance
DESE Professional License PDPs
Renewal of a Massachusetts primary Professional educator license generally requires 150 Professional Development Points.
Year Educator License Cycle
Massachusetts Professional educator licenses are generally renewed on a five-year cycle.
LEP Continuing Education
Massachusetts Licensed Educational Psychologists must complete 30 approved CE contact hours every two years.
The Massachusetts Board of Registration of Allied Mental Health and Human Services Professions lists the National Association of School Psychologists as a Board-recognized entity for Licensed Educational Psychologist continuing education.
Massachusetts School Psychology Renewal Overview
How Are Massachusetts School Psychologists Credentialed?
School psychologists working in Massachusetts public schools are credentialed through the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.
The School Psychologist license covers All Levels. Massachusetts offers an Initial License followed by a Professional License.
For the Professional School Psychologist license, Massachusetts requires an Initial License, three years of employment as a school psychologist, and either a passing score on the National School Psychology Examination or maintenance of an eligible professional credential such as the NCSP or Massachusetts Educational Psychologist license.
School Credential
Massachusetts Requires 150 PDPs for a Primary Professional License
Educators renewing a primary Professional license generally must complete at least 150 Professional Development Points during the applicable five-year renewal period.
Content and Pedagogy Requirements
Massachusetts professional-license renewal rules include minimum requirements related to both the educator's license content area and pedagogy.
Current regulations require at least 15 PDPs in the content area of the license and at least 15 PDPs in pedagogy.
DESE renewal guidance also requires educators to develop an Individual Professional Development Plan or educator plan focused on strengthening professional knowledge and skills that support improved student learning.
Required Areas
Using NASP-Approved Courses for Massachusetts Educator Renewal
Professional development related to the content and practice of school psychology may support Massachusetts Professional educator license renewal when it satisfies DESE's PDP requirements.
Massachusetts educator-license renewal focuses on the content, duration, documentation, and professional relevance of the activity, as well as the applicable PDP distribution requirements.
Because NASP-approved courses are designed specifically for school psychologists, many courses may align with the content area of a School Psychologist license. However, NASP provider status alone should not be represented as automatic DESE approval for every individual course or PDP category.
NASP Approved Provider #1152
Massachusetts Also Has a Licensed Educational Psychologist Credential
Massachusetts is one of the states that separately licenses Educational Psychologists (LEPs) through the Board of Registration of Allied Mental Health and Human Services Professions.
The LEP credential is separate from the DESE School Psychologist educator license. Massachusetts law requires LEP applicants to hold school psychologist certification or comparable certification from another state, along with specified graduate education, experience, supervision, and examination requirements.
Licensed Educational Psychologists must complete 30 approved continuing education contact hours every two-year renewal period.
NASP-Approved Courses Can Be Especially Relevant for Massachusetts LEPs
The Massachusetts Board lists the National Association of School Psychologists as one of the recognized entities that may approve continuing education for Licensed Educational Psychologists.
Massachusetts identifies the following recognized entities for Licensed Educational Psychologist continuing education:
NASP Approved Provider #1152
Massachusetts LEP Continuing Education Requirements
The Board's continuing education regulations require Licensed Educational Psychologists and other covered allied mental health professionals to complete approved continuing education during each biennial renewal cycle.
Ethics, Anti-Discrimination, and Supervision
The Massachusetts Board encourages allied mental health licensees, including LEPs, to include certain subject areas within their 30-hour continuing education requirement.
The Board encourages 3 contact hours in ethics, 3 contact hours in anti-discrimination, and 3 contact hours in supervision for licensees who supervise the clinical work of students, interns, or others.
These are identified by the Board as encouraged areas rather than separate additional hours beyond the 30-hour requirement.
Board-Encouraged Topics
Keep Documentation of Completed Professional Development
Massachusetts educators and Licensed Educational Psychologists should maintain records demonstrating completion of professional development and continuing education used for renewal.
Can Massachusetts School Psychologists Take Online CE Courses?
Yes. Online professional development may be used when the activity satisfies the requirements associated with the credential being renewed.
Child & School Psychology CE provides structured, asynchronous professional development designed specifically for school psychologists and related professionals.
For DESE educator-license renewal, school psychologists should ensure that courses meet applicable PDP requirements. For Massachusetts Licensed Educational Psychologists, NASP is specifically recognized as a continuing education approval entity.
Online CE for School Psychologists
Explore self-paced professional development in assessment, behavior, mental health, ethics, legal issues, data-based decision making, and school psychology practice.
Browse CE CoursesMassachusetts Psychologist Licensure Has Separate CE Requirements
A Massachusetts School Psychologist educator license or Licensed Educational Psychologist license is separate from full psychologist licensure through the Massachusetts Board of Registration of Psychologists.
Massachusetts licensed psychologists must complete 20 CE credits during each two-year renewal period.
The Board currently accepts formal CE programs only when they are offered through APA-approved sponsors.
NCSP Renewal Requirements Are Separate
Nationally Certified School Psychologists have separate NASP continuing professional development requirements. Massachusetts also recognizes maintenance of the NCSP as one pathway toward the Professional School Psychologist educator license.
Official Massachusetts Licensing Information
Massachusetts School Psychologist educator licenses are administered by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. The separate Licensed Educational Psychologist credential is administered by the Board of Registration of Allied Mental Health and Human Services Professions.
View Massachusetts Educator Licensure Regulations ↗View Massachusetts LEP Continuing Education Information ↗