§ 4989.20. — 4989.20. (Amended by Stats. 2025, Ch. 787, Sec. 69.)

California § 4989.20.

• Jurisdiction: California
• Code BPC: Business and Professions Code - BPC
• Div. 2.: DIVISION 2. HEALING ARTS
• Ch. 13.5.: CHAPTER 13.5. Licensed Educational Psychologists
• Art. 2.: ARTICLE 2. Licensure

Text

(a)
The board may issue a license as an educational psychologist if the applicant satisfies, with proof satisfactory to the board, the following requirements:
(1)
Possession of, at minimum, a master’s degree in psychology, educational psychology, school psychology, counseling and guidance, or a degree deemed equivalent by the board. This degree shall be obtained from an educational institution approved by the board according to the regulations adopted under this chapter.
(2)
Attainment of 18 years of age.
(3)
Is not subject to denial of licensure pursuant to Section
480.
(4)
Successful completion of 60 semester units or 90 quarter units of postgraduate study in pupil personnel services.
(5)
Two school terms of full-time, or the equivalent to full-time, experience as a licensed or credentialed school psychologist in the public schools or in another school setting as specified in regulations. The experience shall be gained over a period of at least two school terms. The applicant shall not be credited with
experience obtained more than six years immediately preceding the date on which the application for licensure was received by the board.
(6)
If the experience required by paragraph (5) was completed while holding a California credential in a school located in California, completion of one of the following:
(A)
A minimum of 1,200 hours of supervised professional experience in an accredited school psychology program.
(B)
One school term of full-time, or the equivalent to full-time, experience as a California credentialed school psychologist in the California public schools, or in another school setting as specified in regulations, obtained under the direction of a California-licensed educational psychologist.
The experience shall be gained over a period of at least one school term. The applicant shall not be credited with experience obtained more than six years immediately preceding the date on which the application for licensure was received by the board.
(7)
If the experience required by paragraph (5) was not completed while holding a California credential in a school located in California, completion of one of the following:
(A)
A minimum of 1,200 hours of supervised professional experience gained in California in an accredited school psychology program, gained no more than six years immediately preceding the date on which the application for licensure was received by the board.
(B)
One school term of full-time, or
the equivalent to full-time, experience as a California credentialed school psychologist in the California public schools, or in another school setting as specified in regulations, obtained under the direction of a California licensed educational psychologist. The experience shall be gained over a period of at least one school term. The applicant shall not be credited with experience obtained more than six years immediately preceding the date on which the application for licensure was received by the board.
(8)
Passage of the licensed educational psychologist written examination administered by the board. A passing score on this examination shall be accepted by the board for a period of seven years from the date the examination was taken.
(b)
For purposes of this section, the
following definitions apply:
(1)
“Full time” means the days or hours of creditable service the employer requires to be performed by the employee in a school term under their collective bargaining agreement or employment agreement. It shall consist of a minimum of 175 days, or 1,050 hours, per school term.
(2)
“Equivalent to full time” means the days or hours of creditable service that a person who is employed on a part-time basis would be required to perform in a school term if they were employed full time in that part-time position.
(3)
“School term” means a minimum period of 35 weeks beginning the first day and ending the last day creditable service is required to be performed by a member employed on a full-time basis,
excluding any period that has been excluded pursuant to a publicly available written contractual agreement. The school term shall also be the same for an individual who is not employed on a full-time basis who is performing the same duties as a member employed on a full-time basis.

Legislative History

Amended by Stats. 2025, Ch. 787, Sec. 69. (SB 775) Effective January 1, 2026.