An Act To Improve the Delivery of School Psychological Services to Children
Maine Legislature, Session 125, LD 1094
Committee Amendment CA_A_S279 (Senate)
Amends: 20-A MRSA §13022

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT" A " to S.P. 327, L.D. 1094, Bill, "An Act To 
Improve the Delivery of School Psychological Services to Children" 
Amend the bill by striking out all of section 2 and inserting the following: 
'Sec. 2. 20-A MRSA §13022, as enacted by PL 1993, c. 207, §3, is amended to 
read: 
§13022. School psychologists 
1. 
Definitions. 
For purposes of this section, a "sehool psyehologieal serviee 
provider" is a professiosal who pro:vides psyehologieal assessment, eonseltation or direet 
serviees, other tftas psyehotherapy, to students enrolled is a peblie sehool ar appro't':ed 
pd,/ate sehaol unless the context otherwise indicates, the following terms have the 
following meanings. 
A. 
"School psychologist" means a professional certified by the department as a 
school psychologist who provides school psychological services consistent with the 
national standards articulated by the most current Model for Comprehensive and 
Integrated School Psychological Services as published by the National Association of 
School Psychologists. 
"School psychologist" includes a school psychologist -
doctoral and a school psychologist - specialist. 
B. 
"School psychologist - doctoral" means a professional who meets the 
qualifications established in subsection 3 and holds a doctoral degree in psychology 
or a related field as determined by the advisory committee established in subsection 
7. 
C. 
"School psychologist - specialist" means a professional who meets the 
qualifications established in subsection 3 and holds a master's degree or 
specialist-level degree. 
I-A. Scope of services. A school psychologist delivers services to children from 
birth to grade 12 who are eligible to be enrolled in educational and intermediate 
education<l:l units, special education programs and approved private schools. The services 
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COMMITTEE AMENDMENT" A" to S.P. 327, L.D. 1094 
delivered are the services articulated under the domains of practice in the current Model 
for Comprehensive and Integrated School Psychological Services developed and 
published by the National Association of School Psychologists. 
2. 
Certification by commissioner. 
The commissioner shall certify school 
psychological service providers psychologists pursuant to rules adopted by the state 
board. 
The rules must include a code of ethics aad practice standards for seheel 
psychological service providers certified school psychologists that follow national 
standards set forth by the National Association of School Psychologists or a successor 
organization and ethics standards set forth by the National Association of School 
Psychologists or a successor organization and the American Psychological Association or 
a successor organization, violation of which constitutes grounds for suspension or 
revocation of the certification. 
3. 
Qualifications. 
State board rules governing the qualifications for a school 
psychological service prov-ider psychologist certificate must require that a certificate be 
issued only to an applicant who has met the academic and preprofessional requirements 
established by the state board for the provision of school psychological services and who, 
at a minimum: 
A. Holds a graduate degree from an accredited program in school psychology that 
was approved by the National Association of School PsychologistslNational Council 
for Accreditation of Teacher Education or the American Psychological Association in 
School Psychology at the time the degree was awarded; 
B. Has completed graduate work that is determined by the commissioner to be 
substantially similar to the programs referred to in paragraph A; or 
C. Holds a valid license from the State Board of Examiners of Psychologists with 
demonstrated competency in the area of school psychology as established by the state 
board. 
4. Term of issuance. The commissioner shall issue a school psychological service 
provider psychologist certificate for a term of years consistent with rules adopted by the 
state board. The length of the term may vary among certificate holders so as to be 
coterminous with any other professional license or certificate held by the school 
psychological service provider psychologist. The school psychological service provider 
psychologist certificate may be renewed in accordance with academic and professional 
requirements established by the state board. A certificate holder must be supervised for 
the first year following initial certification at no additional cost to the school 
administrative unit or the department. 
The state board shall require evidence ·of 
supervision prior to renewing a first-year certificate. Supervision of the first-year school 
psychologist must be in accordance with supervision standards established by the 
National Association of School Psychologists or a successor organization and provided 
by a person who is certified as a school psychologist under subsection 2 and is: 
A. 
A member of the Maine Association of School Psychology or a successor 
organization; or 
B. Employed by or under contract with a school administrative unit. 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT" A" to S.P. 327, L.D. 1094 
5. Exclusive regulatory authority. The provisions of Title 32, chapter 56 do not 
apply to persons certified as school psychological service providers psychologists under 
this section except to the extent that sooh the persons are also licensed or seek licensure 
under that chapter, engage in the practice of psychology beyond the scope of this section 
or hold themselves out as psychologists or psychological examiners. 
6. Designation. Persons certified under this section may hold themselves out as 
school psychological service providers or may lise any blisisess same iscorporatisg 
variat:ioRs of that: title but may Rot held themselves Olit as psychologists, psychological 
examiRefll or asy blisisess sarne iRcorporatisg variatioRs of those titles psychologists but 
must include the word "school" in the designation, or as nationally certified school 
psychologists if they hold the credentials as designated by the National Association of 
School Psychologists or a successor organization. Persons certified under this section 
may not hold themselves out as psychologists, psychological examiners or any business 
name incorporating variations of those titles other than school psychologists or nationally 
certifled school psychologists unless they are appropriately licensed under Title 32, 
chapter 56. 
7. Advisory committee. There is established within the department, in accordance 
with Title 5, section 12004-1, the Advisory Committee on School Psychological Service 
Providers Psychologists, referred to in this subsection as "the committee." 
A. The duties of the committee are: 
(1) To advise the state board in the adoption of rules and a code of ethics and 
practice standards for school psychological service providers psychologists; and 
(2) To assist the commissioner in: 
(i) Certifying school psyehological service providers psychologists; 
(ii) 
Investigating alleged violations of the code of ethics and practice 
standards adopted by the state board; and 
(iii) Investigating alleged violations of section 13020 and certification rules 
governing school psyehological serviee providers psychologists. 
B. The committee consists of 9 members appointed by the commissioner. The 
membership consists of 2 certified psychological service providers school 
psychologists, 2 licensed psychologists, one faculty member from a graduate program 
in school psychology, one educator from a public school or approved private school 
and 3 parents or guardians of students. 
C. Three members of the committee must be initially appointed for a term of one 
year,3 for a term of2 years and 3 for a term of3 years. All appointments must be for 
a term of 3 years thereafter. Any member may serve beyond the expiration date of 
that member's term until a successor has been appointed and qualified. Any vacancy 
on the committee must be filled for the unexpired portion of the term. The committee 
shall elect its own chair. 
D. Members of the committee are entitled to receive compensation according to the 
provisions of Title 5, chapter 379. 
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COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "A "to S.P. 327, L.D. 1094 
8. 
Transition. 
Persons certified as school psychologists psychological service 
providers and school psychological examiners on the effectiv'e date of this section or after 
October 13) 1993 may continue to provide the services authorized by their respective 
certificates until the scheduled expiration of those certificates. The state board's rules 
must contain a schedule affording all certified school psychologists and school 
psychological examiners psychological service providers a reasonable amount of time to 
meet the requirements of the certificate authorized by subsection 2. 
Sec. 3. Stakeholders group to convene; report to the Joint Standing 
Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs. 
The chair of the Advisory 
Committee on School Psychologists, established in the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 5, 
section 12004-1 and referred to in this section as "the advisory committee," shall invite 
members of the Maine Psychological Association, the Maine Association of School 
Psychology and other interested stakeholders to meet with members of the advisory 
committee to discuss the ongoing responsibilities and effectiveness of the advisory 
committee. The stakeholders' discussion must -include, but is not limited to, issues related 
to certification of school psychologists and disciplinary actions. The stakeholder group 
shall submit its report to the Commissioner of Education who shall report to the Joint 
Standing Committee on Education and Cultural Affairs no later than January 15, 2012 
with recommendations and shall include any legislation needed to implement the 
recommendations with the report. 
The committee may report out legislation in the 
group.' 
SUMMARY 
This amendment distinguishes between a school psychologist at the specialist level 
and at the doctoral level. It replaces the scope of services section in the bill, clarifying 
that a school psychologist may deliver services to children from birth to grade 12. It 
references the current Model for Comprehensive and Integrated School Psychological 
Services as published by the National Association of School Psychologists for an 
articulation of the scope and delivery of services. It revises the supervision requirements 
for a school psychologist receiving initial certification. 
It removes the MaineCare reimbursement provision in the bill. 
It directs the 
Advisory Committee on School Psychologists to convene a stakeholders group to discuss 
issues regarding certification of school psychologists and requires a report by the 
Commissioner of Education to the Joint Standing Committee on Education and Cultural 
Affairs no later than January 15, 2012. 
It authorizes the Joint Standing Committee on 
Educational and Cultural Affairs to submit legislation to the Second Regular Session of 
the 125th Legislature based on the work of the stakeholders group. 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
Approved: 06/04/11 frac: 
LD 1094 
LR 1464(02) 
An Act To Improve the Delivery of School Psychological Services to Children 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment "A" S - 27~ 
Committee: Education and Cultural Affairs 
Fiscal Note Required: Yes 
Fiscal Note 
Minor cost increase - General Fund 
Additional costs to the Department of Education associated with rulemaking can be absorbed within existing budgeted 
resources. 
LR1464(02) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1