§18-10R-1. Interstate Compact for School psychologists; purpose.

(a) The purpose of this compact is to facilitate the interstate practice of school psychology in educational or school settings, and in so doing to improve the availability of school psychological services to the public. This compact is intended to establish a pathway to allow school psychologists to obtain equivalent licenses to provide school psychological services in any member state. In this way, this compact shall enable the member states to ensure that safe and effective school psychological services are available and delivered by appropriately qualified professionals in their educational settings.

(b) To facilitate the objectives described in subsection (a) of this section, this compact:

(1) Enables school psychologists who qualify for receipt of an equivalent license to practice in other member states without first satisfying burdensome and duplicative requirements;

(2) Promotes the mobility of school psychologists between and among the member states in order to address workforce shortages and to ensure that safe and reliable school psychological services are available in each member state;

(3) Enhances the public accessibility of school psychological services by increasing the availability of qualified, licensed school psychologists through the establishment of an efficient and streamlined pathway for licensees to practice in other member states;

(4) Preserves and respects the authority of each member state to protect the health and safety of its residents by ensuring that only qualified, licensed professionals are authorized to provide school psychological services within that state;

(5) Requires school psychologists practicing within a member state to comply with the scope of practice laws present in the state where the school psychological services are being provided;

(6) Promotes cooperation between the member states in regulating the practice of school psychology within those states; and

(7) Facilitates the relocation of military members and their spouses who are licensed to provide school psychological services.