A school counselor is a professional educator who holds a valid school counselor certification as defined by the professional educator Standard board. The purpose and role of the school counselor is to plan, organize, and deliver a comprehensive school guidance and counseling program that personalizes education and supports, promotes, and enhances the academic, personal, social, and career development of all students, based on the national Standard for school counseling programs of the American school counselor association.

(1) As provided under subsections (2) and (3) of this section, individuals certified by the professional educator Standard board as a school nurse, school social worker, school psychologist, or school counselor must complete a training program on youth suicide screening and referral as a condition of certification. The training program must be at least three hours in length. The professional educator Standard board must adopt Standard for the minimum content of the training in consultation with the office of the superintendent of public instruction and the department of health. In developing the Standard, the board must consider training programs listed on the best practices registry of the American foundation for suicide prevention and the suicide prevention resource center.

(2) This section applies to the following certificates if the certificate is first issued or is renewed on or after July 1, 2015:

• (a) Continuing certificates for school nurses;
• (b) Continuing certificates for school social workers;
• (c) Continuing and professional certificates for school psychologists; and
• (d) Continuing and professional certificates for school counselors.

(3) A school counselor who holds or submits a school counseling certificate from the national board for professional teaching Standard or a school psychologist who holds or submits a school psychologist certificate from the national association of school psychologists in lieu of a professional certificate must complete the training program under subsection (1) of this section by July 1, 2015, or within the five-year period before the certificate is first submitted to the professional educator Standard board, whichever is later, and at least once every five years thereafter in order to be considered certified by the professional educator Standard board.

(4) The professional educator Standard board shall consider the training program under subsection (1) of this section as approved continuing education under *RCW 28A.415.020 and shall count the training program toward meeting continuing education requirements for certification as a school nurse, school social worker, school psychologist, or school counselor.

Candidates for school counselor and school psychologist certification shall complete the following requirements in addition to those set forth in WAC 181-79A-150 and 181-79A-226.

• (1) Degree. It shall not be necessary for any candidate who holds a master's or doctorate degree to obtain the specified master's degree if the candidate provides satisfactory evidence to the superintendent of public instruction that he or she has completed all course work requirements relevant to the required master's degree and has satisfactorily completed a comprehensive examination required in such master's degree program. This examination shall be an examination of an accredited institution of higher education or the National Counselor Examination (NCE) of the National Board of Certified Counselors (NBCC) or, in the case of school psychologists, hold the Nationally Certified School Psychologist (NCSP) credential from the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP). If any candidate has been awarded a master's degree without a comprehensive examination, the candidate, as a condition for certification, shall successfully complete the Praxis II exam in the appropriate role.

• (2) School counselor.

• (a) Residency.

• (i) Hold a master's degree in counseling.

• (ii) Completion of a state-approved school counselor program.

• (b) Professional. A professional certificate may be earned by an individual who holds a valid school counseling certificate issued by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standard (NBPTS).

• (c) Beginning with certificates first issued or renewed after July 1, 2015, continuing and professional certificates for school counselors include a requirement for suicide prevention training under RCW 28A.410.226.

• (3) School psychologist.

• (a) Residency.

• (i) The candidate shall hold a master's degree in school psychology.

• (ii) Completion of a state-approved school psychology program.

• (b) Professional. An individual who holds a valid Nationally Certified School Psychologist (NCSP) credential issued by the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) shall be deemed to have met the requirement for professional certification.

• (c) Continuing and/or professional certificates for school psychologists include a requirement for suicide prevention training under RCW 28A.410.226 as described in WAC 181-85-075.