[SPTRAIN:] NASP Accreditation Site Visit and Policies

[Politikos, Natalie]

---

From: Trainers of School Psychologists <SPT...@LSV.UKY.EDU> on behalf of NASP-NASPPAB <000056317da3159...@LSV.UKY.EDU>
Sent: Thursday, June 12, 2025 9:15 PM
To: SPT...@LSV.UKY.EDU <SPT...@LSV.UKY.EDU>
Subject: [External-email]: [SPTRAIN:] NASP Accreditation Site Visit and Policies

 

**Caution: This email was sent from outside the university. Please exercise caution when clicking links, opening attachments, or replying. When in doubt, contact the helpdesk.**

CAUTION: External Sender

Dear Colleagues,

Below please find information regarding a change in the NASP accreditation site visit fee and process. Links to this information on the NASP website have been included.

Accreditation Site Visit

Accreditation Fees and Deadlines

This communication also serves as a friendly reminder that programs must adhere to the NASP Substantive Change Policy (and other NASP Policies) located in the Policies and Procedures for the Review and Accreditation of Graduate Programs (attached and also on the NASP website).

 

Accreditation Site Visit

The purpose of the site visit is to a) clarify information contained in the program's written submission; b) validate data contained in the program's written submission; and c) obtain information about program quality from key constituencies that is not readily available through written or virtual means. 

NASP has designed a site visit process that professionals most familiar with program materials and, to the maximum extent possible, is efficient and cost-effective for programs and NASP as possible. The NASP site visit process involves two professionals familiar with the written submission and Board report, visiting the campus and interviewing key program stakeholders. Once a program has been determined to be "site visit ready," the names and contact information of the site visitors are shared with the program. Typically, a more experienced reviewer, serving as the chair of the site visit team, and one of the other reviewers conduct the site visit at a mutually agreeable time during the university semester/quarter.

The site visit should take place the cycle following the program's submission (for example, if a program submits for review on September 15th, the site visit would occur between March 15th -April 15th of the following cycle). 

To reduce the administrative burden on programs and streamline the payment process, starting July 1, 2025, programs approved for a site visit will be assessed a flat site visit fee of $2500. This fee continues to be much lower than the fee assessed by other related accrediting bodies. The fee will cover all site visitor expenses, including airfare, ground transportation, lodging, meals, and other reasonable expenses associated with the site visit.  Site visit fees must be received prior to the scheduled site visit. Site visitors are expected to follow the NASP travel and lodging reimbursement policies.

 

Substantive Change Policy 

School psychology programs often make changes that do not change programmatic scope, operations, or contents in significant ways. Such changes do not usually affect accreditation status. Other changes are more significant, however, and may affect accreditation. Substantive change is a significant modification or expansion in the nature and/or scope of a school psychology program accredited by or in the process of applying for accreditation by the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP). NASP accredited programs or programs having submitted an application for NASP accreditation that are considering substantive changes must notify the NASP Program Accreditation Board chair of the change prior to implementation.  

Types of Substantive Change 

NASP considers substantive changes to include any of the following that have occurred since the last time the program was reviewed and accredited, or since the most recent program review submission: 

• Any change in legal status, regional accreditation status, or ownership of the institution with which the program is affiliated.  
• A significant departure in program structure (e.g., including course sequence) and/or delivery method (from in-person to online) in the majority (more than 50%) of required courses cited as meeting NASP standards.  
• A change in the practica or internship structure, location(s), hours, supervision and/or supervisor requirements, except for those designed to strengthen compliance with NASP standards. 
• The addition of programs of study at a degree or credential level different than that included in the program’s NASP accreditation (e.g., an institution with a specialist-level degree program adding a doctoral-level program).  
• A change in title in the program or degree or similar institutional documentation of program completion except for those designed to make it clearer that the program is in school psychology.  
• A substantial (greater than 10%) increase or decrease in the number of credit hours or length of time required for successful completion of the program.  
• The offering of the program at a geographical site not mentioned in the program’s last NASP submission, and for which disaggregated data were not provided (see NASP statement regarding multiple sites). 
• The elimination of one or more full-time program faculty positions or “lines” (see definition of program faculty in the NASP Standards for the Graduate Preparation of School Psychologists).  
• Closing a program or plans to close a program (note that the NASP PAB will work with programs and institutions to assure that remaining students who entered what they believed to be a NASP accredited program will be able to complete such a program unless there are other significant changes in the program that jeopardize compliance with NASP standards).

Natalie N. Politikos, Ph.D., NCSP
Chair, NASP Program Accreditation Board
University of Hartford
Department of Psychology
203H East Hall
West Hartford, CT 06117
860-768-4545
email: nas...@naspweb.org

********************

Users should note that hitting the reply button will send a message back to the entire listserv. Messages that are of a personal nature and intended for a specific individual should be addressed directly and only to the individual who made the original post, not to the entire listserv.

Trainers of School Psychologists membership information, ongoing activities, and Listserv policies may be found at http://trainersofschoolpsychologists.org

Your departures can be completed by sending mail to LIST...@LSV.UKY.EDU with the text: signoff SPTRAIN

Your subscriptions can be completed by sending mail to LIST...@LSV.UKY.EDU with the text: subscribe SPTRAIN

********************