W. Va. Code § 18-10R-2

Current through 2024 First Special Session
Section 18-10R-2 - Definitions

"Active Military Member" means any person with full-time duty status in the armed forces of the United States, including members of the National Guard and Reserve.

"Adverse Action" means disciplinary action or encumbrance imposed on a license by a state licensing authority.

"Alternative Program" means a non-disciplinary, prosecutorial diversion, monitoring, or practice remediation process entered into in lieu of an adverse action which is applicable to a school psychologist and approved by the state licensing authority of a member state in which the participating school psychologist is licensed. This includes, but is not limited to, programs to which licensees with substance abuse or addiction issues may be referred in lieu of an adverse action.

"Commissioner" means the individual appointed by a member state to serve as the representative to the commission for that member state.

"Compact" means this School Psychologist Interstate Licensure Compact. "Continuing Professional Education" means a requirement, imposed by a member state as a condition of license renewal to provide evidence of successful participation in professional educational activities relevant to the provision of school psychological services.

"Criminal Background Check" means the submission of fingerprints or other biometric-information for a license applicant for the purpose of obtaining that applicant's criminal history record information, as defined in 28 C.F.R. § 20.3(d), and the state's criminal history record repository as 81 defined in 28 C.F.R. § 20.3(f).

"Doctoral Level Degree" means a graduate degree program that consists of at least 90 graduate semester hours in the field of school psychology including a supervised internship.

"Encumbered License" means a license that a state licensing authority has limited in any way other than through an alternative program, including temporary or provisional licenses.

"Executive committee" means the commission's chair, vice chair, secretary and treasurer and any other commissioners as may be determined by commission rule or bylaw.

"Equivalent License" means a license to practice school psychology which a member state has identified as a license which may be provided to school psychologists from other member states pursuant to this compact.

"Home state" means the member state that issued the home state license to the licensee and is the licensee's primary state of practice.

"Home state License" means the license that is not an encumbered license issued by the home state to provide school psychological services.

"School Psychological Services" means academic, mental and behavioral health services including assessment, prevention, consultation and collaboration, intervention, and evaluation provided by a school psychologist in a school, as outlined in applicable professional standards as determined by commission rule.

"License" means a current license, certification, or other authorization granted by a member state's licensing authority that permits an individual to provide school psychological services.

"Licensee" means an individual who holds a license from a member state to provide school psychological services.

"Licensing Authority" means a member state's regulatory body responsible for issuing licenses or otherwise overseeing the practice of school psychology.

"Member State" means a state that has enacted the compact and been admitted to the commission in accordance with the provisions of this article and commission rules.

"Model Compact" means the model language for the School Psychologist Interstate Licensure Compact on file with the Council of State Governments or other entity as designated by the commission.

"Practice of School Psychology" means the delivery school psychological services.

"School Psychologist Interstate Licensure Compact Commission" or "Commission" means the joint government agency established by this compact whose membership consists of representatives from each member state that has enacted the compact, and as further described in section seven of this article.

"Specialist-Level Degree" means a degree program that requires at least 60 graduate semester hours or their equivalent in the field of school psychology including a supervised internship.

"Qualifying National Exam" means a national licensing examination endorsed by the National Association of School Psychologists and any other exam as approved by the rules of the commission.

"Qualifying School Psychologist Education Program" means an education program which awards a Specialist-Level or Doctoral-Level degree or equivalent upon completion and is approved by the rules of the commission as meeting the necessary minimum educational standards to ensure that its graduates are ready, qualified, and able to engage in the practice of school psychology.

"Remote State" means a member state other than the home state where a licensee holds a license through the compact.

"Rule" means a regulation promulgated by an entity, including but not limited to the commission and the state licensing authority of each member state, that has the force of law.

"School Psychologist" means an individual who has met the requirements to obtain a home state license that legally conveys the professional title of school psychologist, or its equivalent as determined by the rules of the commission.

"Scope of Practice" means the procedures, actions, and processes a school psychologist licensed in a state is permitted to undertake in that state and the circumstances under which that licensee is permitted to undertake those procedures, actions, and processes. The procedures, actions, and processes, and the circumstances under which they may be undertaken, may be established through means including, but not limited to, statute, rules, case law, and other processes available to the state licensing authority or other government agency.

"State" means any state, commonwealth, district, or territory of the United States of America.

"State Licensing Authority" means an agency, whether the Department of Education or otherwise, or other entity operating as an arm of a state that is responsible for the licensing and regulation of school psychologists.

"State Specific Requirement" means a requirement for licensure covered in coursework or examination that includes content of unique interest to the state.

"Unencumbered License" means a license that authorizes a licensee to engage in the full and unrestricted practice of school psychology.

W. Va. Code § 18-10R-2

Added by 2024 Acts, ch. TBD (HB 4951), eff. 6/7/2024.