wa-law.org > bill > 2025-26 > SB 5666 > Original Bill
The legislature finds that school psychologists are an integral part of supporting student learning, mental health, and behavior to help students achieve academically, socially, behaviorally, and emotionally. School psychologists work to reduce barriers to student success by enhancing psychological and educational support, including specialized knowledge of students' rights. The national association of school psychologists recommends a maximum ratio of 500 students per school psychologist to provide a comprehensive range of school psychological services. There is a shortage of school psychologists in the state, which jeopardizes the state's ability to provide essential services, such as direct behavioral health services, and to provide support to students, schools, and communities. Data indicates that shortages of school psychologists will persist into the future and that there is an insufficient number of credentialed school psychology graduates produced by the state's higher education institutions to fill existing gaps. The legislature further finds that initiatives designed to promote and support the education and preparation of school psychologists can help mitigate this shortage, such as increasing the availability of high-quality internships. Research and best practice show that after three years of employment within a school, school psychologists become embedded in their community, resulting in lower turnover within the profession.
The public school-based mental health internship grant program is established to support school districts, educational service districts, charter schools, and state-tribal education compact schools to attract and pay full-time school psychology interns participating in an accredited school psychology training program.
In administering the program, the council shall:
Coordinate with school districts, educational service districts, charter schools, and state-tribal education compact schools to identify school districts and schools that have qualified supervisors who can support school psychology internships in partnership with an institution of higher education;
Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, allocate program funds to school districts, educational service districts, charter schools, and state-tribal education compact schools, through a competitive process, for one-year internship grants equal to either: 75 percent of the entry-level salary of a school psychologist in the district or school; or 75 percent of the entry-level salary of an educator with a master's degree and 45 credits in the district;
Establish eligibility criteria to receive an internship grant under the program, which must include requirements that a recipient:
Is enrolled in a school psychologist preparation program at an institution of higher education; and
Is placed as an intern at a school district, educational service district, charter school, or state-tribal education compact school that employs a qualified supervisor; and
Establish an advisory committee, which may include school counselors and school nurses, to assist in the implementation of the program. The advisory committee shall:
Make recommendations regarding the funding for internship grants that reflect barriers to becoming a school-based mental health professional and the best practices of internships in other states; and
Include representatives of school psychologist preparation programs, teacher preparation programs, and representatives of diverse communities.
For purposes of this section, the following definitions apply:
"Educator" means a teacher, paraeducator, principal, administrator, superintendent, school counselor, school psychologist, school social worker, school nurse, school physical therapist, school occupational therapist, behavioral analyst, orientation or mobility specialist, or school speech-language pathologist or audiologist.
"School psychologist" has the same meaning as described in RCW 28A.410.044.
In compliance with RCW 43.01.036, the council, in consultation with the office of superintendent of public instruction, shall report to the legislature by December 1, 2026, and by December 1st annually thereafter, on career data for school psychologists and outcomes of the public school-based mental health internship grant program established in section 2 of this act. The data must include:
School psychologists and other licensed professionals providing school psychology services employed and contracted in the state;
School psychologists and other licensed professionals providing school psychology services employed and contracted in person and remotely;
The number of grant applicants;
The number of grants and grant amounts awarded; and
Demographic data on grant recipients.
The report must be made publicly available on the website of the council.
For purposes of this section, "school psychologist" has the same meaning as described in RCW 28A.410.044.