Standard 19: Legal, Ethical, and Professional Foundations
The program provides candidates with the knowledge base specific to the professional
specialty of school psychology. This knowledge base includes (a) the history and foundations
of school psychology, (b) legal and ethical issues, (c) professional issues and standards,
(d) alternative models of service delivery of school psychological services, (e) emergent
technologies, and (f) the roles and functions of the school psychologist. The program
requires candidates to understand the diverse values that influence the lives of people,
and to be prepared to practice in schools in ways that meet all appropriate ethical,
professional, and legal standards both to enhance the quality of services and to protect
the rights of all parties.
1. History and Foundations of School Psychology
Candidates demonstrate knowledge of the history and foundations of school psychology
through coursework in:
*Psychology 277 - Role and Function of the School Psychologist
o Historical Perspectives - Session 2
2. Alternative Models of Service Delivery
Candidates demonstrate knowledge of alternative models for the delivery of school
psychological services, emergent technologies, and the roles and functions of the
school psychologist through coursework in:
*Psychology 277 - Role and Function of the School Psychologist
o Future - Session 3
o The Evolution of School Psychology - Session 28
o The Future of School Psychology - Session 29
Psychology 286 - Instructional Consultation and Intervention
o Instructional environment and Direct Assessment of Academic Skills - Session 3
o Progress Monitoring Setting Goals - Session 6
Psychology 284 - Assessment of Intellectual Abilities
o Historical Overview - Session 2
Psychology 267 - Internship in School Psychology
o Goals 1-15 - Fall Semester
o Course Requirements - 2 Assessments reports, 1 counseling report, intervention
project - Pg,6
o Class Presentation - Pg, 8
3. Legal Requirements
Candidates demonstrate the ability to adhere to (a) due process guidelines in all
decisions affecting pupils; (b) accepted standards in assessment, consultation, and
general professional practice; and (c) all legal requirements, as in response to legal
decisions through coursework in:
*Psychology 277 - Role and Function of the School Psychologist
o Roles: Consultation - Session 15
o Legal Issues - Session 20
o Ethical Issues - Session 24
Psychology 279 - Consultation and Supervision
o Ethical and Legal Issues & Supervision - Session 27
Psychology 286 - Instructional Consultation and Intervention
o Consultation and Intervention Project - Pg, 3
o Review of Consultation, teacher and student interviews - Session 2
Psychology 284 - Assessment of Intellectual Abilities
o Standards & Ethics - Session 3
o Issues in Assessment - Session 5
Psychology 285 - Assessment of Learning and Developmental Problems
o Review of Legal and Ethical Consideration in Assessment - Session 3
o Special Education Eligibility - Session 5
Psychology 267 - Internship in School Psychology
o Goals 1-15 - Fall Semester
o Intern‘s Responsibilities - Pg, 3
o Reading/Topic: Williams, Armistead, & Jacob (2008). Review of ethics (pp.1 -28);
Professional competency (pp. 23-26) - Session 3
o Williams, Armistead, & Jacob
(2008). Professional Relationships (pp.27-54) - Session 4
o Legal and Ethical Issues on Professional Relationships - Session 6
o Topic: Legal Updates - Session 9,10
4. Rights to and Eligibility for Special Education Services
Candidates are knowledgeable of the legal requirements that determine the pupil's
rights to and eligibility for special education services and the processes that protect
pupil's rights through coursework in:
*Psychology 277 - Role and Function of the School Psychologist
o Legal Issues - Session 20
o Special Education Case Law - Session 21
o Special Education Law - Session 22
Psychology 287 - Practicum in School Psychology
o IEP Meetings - Session 11 - 2nd Year/Fall Semester
o Eligibility Review: Mental Retardation - Session 8 - 1st Year/Spring Semester
o Eligibility Review: Specific Learning Disability - Session 9 - 1st Year/Spring Semester
o Eligibility Review: Emotional Disorder - Session 12 - 1st Year/Spring Semester
o IEP practice: Providing Information on Parent Rights and Explaining Results with
a Normal Curve - Session 3 - 2nd Year/Spring Semester
o Manifestation determination; Group Intervention Discussion - Session 12 - 2nd Year/Spring Semester
Psychology 284 - Assessment of Intellectual Abilities
o Learning Objective - 3
o Standards & Ethics - Session 3
o Issues in Assessment - Session 5
Psychology 285 - Assessment of Learning and Developmental Problems
Review of Legal and Ethical Consideration in Assessment - Session 3
Special Education Eligibility - Session 5
Psychology 267 - Internship in School Psychology
o Goals 1-15 - Fall Semester
o Intern‘s Responsibilities - Pg, 3
o Reading/Topic: Williams, Armistead, & Jacob (2008). Review of ethics (pp.1 -28);
Professional competency (pp. 23-26) - Session 3
o Williams, Armistead, & Jacob (2008). Professional Relationships
(pp.27-54) - Session 4
Legal and Ethical Issues on Professional Relationships - Session 6
o Topic: Legal Updates - Session 9,10
5. 504 Plans
Candidates demonstrate knowledge of and the ability to participate in the development
and implementation of 504 Plans in the school setting through coursework in:
*Psychology 277 - Role and Function of the School Psychologist
o Special Education Law - Session 22
o Special Education Law - Session 23
*Psychology 278 - Intervention and Prevention
o Learning Objective - 1,4,5
o Behavior Intervention Case Management (BICM) Training - Lecture 1 Functional Analysis/Hughes
Bill/FBA - Session 6
Behavior Intervention Case Manager Training(BICM) - Lecture 2 Function-based Treatments/Functionally
equivalent goals/BSP/BIP design - Session 7
Psychology 267 - Internship in School Psychology
o Goals 1-15 - Fall Semester
o Intern‘s Responsibilities - Pg, 3
6. Formative Process
Candidates participate in an ongoing formative process that helps them identify their
personal strengths and weaknesses for the purpose of improving the candidates' expertise
in the practice of school psychology through an evaluation process with the program
faculty once each semester. (See Evaluation form in Common Standards section.)
Psychology 277 - Role and Function of the School Psychologist
o Introduction and Course Overview
o Reflection Papers - Pg, 2
Psychology 287 - Practicum in School Psychology
o Practicum Evaluations and NASP portfolio - 1st Year/ Fall Semester
o Practicum Evaluations and NASP Portfolio - 1st Year/ Spring Semester
o Practicum Evaluations and NASP Portfolio - 2nd Year/ Fall Semester
o Practicum Evaluations and NASP Portfolio - 2nd Year/ Spring Semester
Psychology 267 - Internship in School Psychology
o Field Based Supervisor‘s Responsibilities - Pg, 4
o Performance Evaluations - Pg, 7
Psychology 278 - Intervention and Prevention
o Learning Objective - 1
o Functional Behavior Assessment - Pg, 4
o Home Collaboration/Homework Interventions - Session 9
*Program Handbook – Appendix B & Appendix F
7. Ethical Codes
Candidates are familiar with the content of the codes of ethics and service delivery
standards of national (National Association of School Psychologists and American Psychological
Association) and state (California Association of School Psychologists) professional
organizations through coursework in:
*Psychology 277 - Role and Function of the School Psychologist
o Special Education Case Law - Session 21
o Special Education Law - Session 22
o Ethical Issues - Session 24
Psychology 284 - Assessment of Intellectual Abilities
o Standards & Ethics - Session 3
Psychology 285 - Assessment of Learning and Developmental Problems
o Review of Legal and Ethical Consideration in Assessment - Session 3
o Special Education Eligibility - Session 5
Psychology 267 - Internship in School Psychology - Fall Semester
o Reading/Topic: Williams, Armistead, & Jacob (2008). Review of ethics (pp.1 -28);
Professional competency (pp. 23-26) - Session 3
o Williams, Armistead, & Jacob (2008). Professional Relationships (pp.27-54) - Session
4
o Legal and Ethical Issues on Professional Relationships - Session 6
o Topic: Legal Updates - Session 9,10
8. Laws and Regulations
Candidates are aware of the many sources and content of laws and regulations and are
able to participate in a variety of decision-making activities in the school setting
that involve the legal rights of pupils and their parents or guardians through coursework
in:
*Psychology 277 - Role and Function of the School Psychologist
o Legal Issues - Session 20
o Special Education Case Law - Session 21
Special Education Law - Session 22
Psychology 287 – Practicum in School Psychology
o Eligibility Review: Mental Retardation - Session 8 - 1st Year/Spring Semester
o Eligibility Review: Specific Learning Disability- Session 9 - 1st Year/Spring Semester
o Eligibility Review: Emotional Disorder- Session 12 - 1st Year/Spring Semester
o IEP practice: Providing Information on Parent Rights and Explaining Results with
a Normal Curve - Session 3 - 2nd Year/Spring Semester
Psychology 284 - Assessment of Intellectual Abilities
o Issues in Assessment - Session 5
Psychology 285 - Assessment of Learning and Developmental Problems
o Review of Legal and Ethical Consideration in Assessment - Session 3
o Special Education Eligibility - Session 5
*Psychology 267 - Internship in School Psychology
o Reading/Topic: Williams, Armistead, & Jacob (2008). Review of ethics (pp.1 -28);
Professional competency (pp. 23-26) - Session 3 - Fall Semester
o Williams, Armistead, & Jacob (2008). Professional Relationships (pp.27-54)- Session
4
o Legal and Ethical Issues on Professional Relationships- Session 6
o Topic: Legal Updates- Session 9,10
9. Value Conflicts
Candidates combine a data-driven model with an ethical decision-making process to
resolve problems arising from value conflicts at the individual, group, and organizational
levels through coursework in:
Psychology 277 - Role and Function of the School Psychologist
o Roles: Academic Assessment - Session 12
o Ethical Issues - Session 24
*Psychology 279 - Consultation and Supervision
o Behavior Consultation/ Consultation Stages - Session 6
o Ethical and Legal Issues & Supervision - Session 27
Psychology 286 - Instructional Consultation and Intervention
o Teacher and Student Interviews – Session 2
o Interventions - Session 4
o Progress Monitoring Setting Goals - Session 6
o Consultation and Intervention Project - Pg, 3
*Psychology 267 - Internship in School Psychology - Fall Semester
o Reading/Topic: Williams, Armistead, & Jacob (2008). Review of ethics (pp.1 -28);
Professional competency (pp. 23-26) - Session 3
o Williams, Armistead, & Jacob (2008). Professional Relationships (pp.27-54) - Session
4
o Legal and Ethical Issues on Professional Relationships - Session 6
o Topic: Legal Updates - Session 9,10
o Class Presentation - Pg,11
10. Resolving Dilemmas
Candidates display ability to resolve dilemmas combining a data-driven model with
an ethical decision-making process when legal guidelines and ethical codes do not
provide explicit guides to problem resolution through coursework in:
Psychology 277 - Role and Function of the School Psychologist
o Legal Issues - Session 20
o Ethical Issues - Session 24
*Psychology 279 - Consultation and Supervision
o Behavior Consultation/Consultation Stages - Session 6
o Ethical and Legal Issues & Supervision - Session 27
Psychology 286 - Instructional Consultation and Intervention
o Teacher and Student Interviews – Session 2
o Instructional environment and Direct Assessment of Academic Skills - Session 3
o Interventions - Session 4
o Progress Monitoring Setting Goals - Session 6
o Consultation and Intervention Project - Pg, 3
*Psychology 267 - Internship in School Psychology - Fall Semester
o Reading/Topic: Williams, Armistead, & Jacob (2008). Review of ethics (pp.1 -28);
Professional competency (pp. 23-26) - Session 3
o Williams, Armistead, & Jacob (2008). Professional Relationships (pp.27-54) - Session
4
o Legal and Ethical Issues on Professional Relationships - Session 6
o Topic: Legal Updates - Session 9,10
o Class Presentation - Pg,11