Your 75 NCSP hours: what counts, and what to keep.

What NASP asks of NCSP holders

75 hours within 36 months. NCSP holders must complete at least 75 hours of continuing professional development (CPD) activities within 36 months of renewal and maintain documentation of those activities. The credential is valid for 36 months from the month renewed, and expiration is always the last day of the month.

Hours with set sources and topics. At least 10 of the 75 hours must come from a NASP-approved provider or APA-approved sponsor of continuing education; Special Learning is neither. NASP also requires at least 3 CPD hours regarding ethical practice and/or the legal regulation of school psychology and 3 CPD hours in equity, diversity, inclusion and social justice (EDI). We do not claim that either course meets the approved-provider, ethical/legal or EDI requirement.

No preapproval. NASP says you "may evaluate and select Continuing Professional Development (CPD) activities based on your own professional development needs, and may claim the activities for CPD credit, without contacting NASP for preapproval." You should be able to answer yes to its four questions: did the activity enhance your skills or knowledge, was it relevant to the professional practice of school psychology, did it fit your personal plan for professional development, and did it go beyond the ordinary aspects of your employment?

Formal self-study. NASP's Category H counts formal structured self-study programs, including a course taken on the Internet, at 1 CPD credit per hour, up to 40 credits; since July 1, 2023, all 40 may come from formal self-study. Its documentation is a certificate of completion.

Audits. NASP audits up to 10% of renewals, so keep all documentation. Your state credential has its own rules; check them too.

Read NASP's own pages before you plan your hours: NCSP renewal

Does an online autism course from Special Learning count toward my NCSP renewal hours?

NASP says you may select continuing professional development activities based on your own needs and claim them without contacting NASP for preapproval, when the activity enhanced your skills or knowledge, was relevant to the professional practice of school psychology, fit your plan and went beyond the ordinary aspects of your employment. NASP's Category H counts formal self-study, including a course taken on the Internet, at 1 CPD credit per hour, up to 40 credits. It does not count toward the 10 hours that must come from a NASP-approved provider or APA-approved sponsor; Special Learning is neither. We do not claim that any course meets the ethical/legal or EDI requirement.

Two collaboration courses for school psychologists

Each recorded course is 2 hours and costs $39, paid once, with a downloadable slide deck and a certificate of completion after you pass its quiz. The certificate shows your name, the course title, the dates and the hours. You decide whether a course meets NASP's four questions for you.

Shared students

Collaboration Series Module 4: Psychologists and ABA Providers

School psychologist responsibilities compared with behavior analyst assessment, planning and staff training: a worked assessment example dividing observations, interviews, assessment information and graphing between the two roles; terms the two fields use differently; and settling a disagreement with agreed measures, baseline data, a trial and a joint review of results.

See the course, $39

School teams

Collaboration Series Module 1: IEP Team Multidisciplinary Collaboration

Ann Beirne and Jennifer Rumfola look at overlapping responsibilities on an IEP team: team roles, shared goals and disagreements between disciplines, collaboration models, parent participation, social validity and evidence-based practice in school teams.

See the course, $39

Other professions

Speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists, psychologists, counselors and social workers: find your profession's course and board rule. Questions about a course? Contact us.