District of Columbia School Counselor Certification
To become a certified school counselor in Washington, D.C., you need OSSE’s Standard School Service Provider (SSP) credential. That means a master’s in school counseling, 300 supervised school-based hours (a CACREP-accredited degree also counts), a passing score on D.C.’s school counselor content exam, and an FBI background check. The credential lasts four years.
District of Columbia Links
In D.C., the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) issues school counselor credentials, called School Service Provider (SSP) credentials. They come in two versions, a four-year Standard and a two-year Initial. DC Public Schools (DCPS) requires the OSSE credential for its counselor positions. If you’re headed to a public charter or private school, verify that school’s requirements and check the applicable DC Department of Health licensing rules, which OSSE links to.
Initial D.C. School Counselor Certification
Most applicants who’ve finished a master’s program apply for the Standard SSP credential. It’s the full credential, valid for four years and renewable.
The Initial SSP credential is a one-time, nonrenewable credential that lasts two years. It’s for counselors with a master’s in counseling who have either 300 hours of supervised experience or two years of full-time teaching but are still short on school counselor coursework. You can’t be missing more than 12 semester hours. Along with your transcripts, you’ll submit one of two things: a copy of an active full school counselor credential from another state, or a DC LEA Request Form signed by the hiring official at the D.C. school system where you’re seeking work. If you’re already credentialed elsewhere, the first route doesn’t depend on a D.C. employer. If you aren’t, plan on the second.
If you’re not sure which credential fits your situation, contact OSSE’s Educator Credentials Team at 202-741-5881 or [email protected].
Step 1: Meet the Education Requirements
For the Standard SSP credential, you’ll need one of the following:
- A master’s degree from an approved program in school counseling, or
- A master’s degree in counseling plus graduate-level school counseling coursework, with a grade of C or higher, in each of these areas:
- Philosophy and principles underlying guidance and other pupil personnel services
- The theory and practice of counseling, including work with exceptional and culturally diverse students
- Educational and psychological measurement
- Career development theory, including career planning, decision-making techniques and the use of occupational and educational information
- Understanding the individual (the nature and range of human characteristics)
- Group counseling and group guidance processes
- Research and evaluation
- Elementary, middle and secondary school counseling
If your degree is from a non-U.S. institution, you’ll also need a foreign credential evaluation before OSSE can review your transcripts.
Step 2: Meet the Field Experience Requirement
OSSE requires at least 300 hours of supervised school-based field, practicum or internship experience completed as part of your degree. D.C. also accepts any one of these in its place:
- A school counseling degree from a CACREP-accredited program
- A valid National Certified Counselor (NCC) credential from the National Board for Certified Counselors
- Two or more years of full-time teaching experience, or one year of full-time experience as a school counselor
These are D.C.’s rules, not a national standard. Other states set their own field experience requirements and decide which substitutes they accept, so don’t assume what works here will carry over if you move.
The teaching route matters if you’re already in a classroom. Take Denise, who’s taught fourth grade at a DCPS elementary school for three years and is starting a master’s in counseling at night. Her teaching years can satisfy OSSE’s field experience requirement on their own. That doesn’t shorten her degree, though. CACREP-accredited programs include their own practicum and a 600-hour internship, which usually run during the school day, so she’ll need a plan for that stretch.
If you’re still choosing a program, the CACREP route is the simplest. All three programs in the table below are CACREP-accredited.
Step 3: Submit a Criminal Background Check
You’ll need an FBI Identity History Summary Check (IHSC) issued within the 12 months before you submit your application. You can get one in two ways.
Through an FBI-approved channeler (faster): Submit your fingerprints and payment through an approved channeler and get your results electronically. Fees vary by channeler. OSSE keeps a list in its guide to obtaining an FBI Identity History Summary Check.
Directly through the FBI: Mail an FD-1164 fingerprint card with an $18 fee to the FBI. OSSE says this route takes about 12 to 14 weeks, so start early if you choose it. The same OSSE guide covers the details.
Step 4: Pass the Content Exam
You’ll need a passing score on D.C.’s required school counselor content exam, the Praxis School Counselor test (test code 5422). OSSE’s required exam list sets the passing score at 159. If you’ve already passed a comparable exam in another state where you hold an active school counselor license, OSSE accepts that score instead. Check the OSSE credentialing exams page or the Praxis website before you register, since requirements can change.
Step 5: Gather Your Application Materials
Your ECIS application will need:
- An FBI Identity History Summary Check (IHSC) issued within the previous 12 months
- Official transcripts from every college and university you attended, including transfer credits that led to a degree
- An Approved Program Verification Form, if your program was outside D.C.
- Proof of a passing score on the required content exam, which you can register for on the Praxis website
- An Employment Verification Form, if you’re using teaching or school counseling employment to meet the field experience requirement
- Copies of any active or expired service provider credentials held outside D.C.
OSSE’s SSP required documents page has the full checklist.
Step 6: Pay the Fee
OSSE raised its credentialing fees on October 1, 2026, the first change since 2009. An Initial or Standard SSP application submitted on or after that date costs $125 per credential area. Fees are nonrefundable, and OSSE doesn’t offer waivers, so make sure your application is complete before you pay. OSSE’s fee adjustment FAQ lists every credential type.
Step 7: Submit Your Application
Applications go through OSSE’s online Educator Credentialing Information System (ECIS), which includes a dashboard for tracking your application status and documents. OSSE’s application process overview and ECIS user guide walk through each screen.
OSSE offers one-on-one consultations and technical support every Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., booked by appointment through its credentialing page. You can also reach the Educator Credentials Team at 202-741-5881 or [email protected].
OSSE says processing can take up to six weeks from the date it receives a complete application. Missing documents are the most common cause of delays, so check the list in Step 5 before you hit submit. Once you’re credentialed, you’ll meet the DCPS bar: every DCPS school counselor position requires a master’s in school counseling and a valid OSSE certification.
School Counseling Programs in D.C.
Three D.C. universities offer a CACREP-accredited school counseling master’s. They’re listed below in alphabetical order.
| Institution | City | Degree | CACREP Accredited Through |
|---|---|---|---|
| George Washington University | Washington (classes held in Alexandria, Va.) | M.A. | October 31, 2030 / Accredited |
| Trinity Washington University | Washington | M.A. | March 31, 2027 / Accredited (Reaffirmation in Process) |
| University of the District of Columbia | Washington | M.S. | March 31, 2028 / Accredited |
George Washington University is based in D.C., but its school counseling classes meet two evenings a week on its Alexandria, Virginia, campus.
Trinity Washington University carries the label Accredited (Reaffirmation in Process), with a cycle ending March 31, 2027, so confirm its status on the CACREP register before you apply.
How this table was built. CACREP accredits every program here as a School Counseling program, verified against the CACREP register on September 30, 2026. Any program whose CACREP status shows a teach-out, closure, show-cause or withdrawal is excluded, because a reader cannot reliably enroll in it. Programs are listed alphabetically, not ranked. CACREP accreditation is not the same as state approval: check the District of Columbia requirements for school counselor certification before you enroll.
District of Columbia School Counselor Certification Renewal
D.C. SSP credentials are valid for four years. You can file for renewal once you’re within 150 days of your expiration date. Applying early will get your application rejected and the fee forfeited. OSSE offers three renewal options; you choose one. They can’t be combined for a single credential.
- Professional learning units (PLUs): Complete 120 clock hours of professional development, or eight semester credit hours, within the four years before you apply. At least 60 of those hours must relate directly to school counseling. OSSE’s PLU renewal page has the details, and our guide to professional development requirements for renewal covers what typically counts.
- Performance evaluation ratings: Submit DCPS IMPACT reviews showing effective or higher ratings for at least three of the previous four years. DCPS is currently the only D.C. school system whose evaluations OSSE accepts for renewal, so charter and private school counselors will need one of the other two options. See OSSE’s performance-based renewal page.
- Passing test scores: Take and pass the current Praxis School Counselor exam within the 12 months before you apply. The score you used for your original credential doesn’t count, and this option doesn’t accept scores from exams required for certification in another state. See OSSE’s test scores renewal page.
Whichever option you choose, you’ll also submit an FBI Identity History Summary Check issued within the previous 12 months. If you work for DCPS, OSSE says the district can share your clearance electronically, so confirm with DCPS before you order a new report. The renewal fee is $100 per credential area for applications submitted on or after October 1, 2026.
For more, visit OSSE’s credential renewal page or contact the Educator Credentials Team at 202-741-5881 or [email protected].
District of Columbia School Counselor Certification Through Reciprocity
If you hold an active, full school counselor credential from another U.S. state or territory, with no deficiencies, you may qualify for a D.C. credential through reciprocity. OSSE applies reciprocity only to your first application for a D.C. credential. Any D.C. credential issued after that has to meet D.C.’s own requirements. For example, counselors with a Maryland school counselor certification would apply through this route.
To qualify, you’ll need to have completed an approved program, or the approved sequence of coursework, that the other state required for its credential. You’ll also need passing scores on the school counseling content exam that state required. If you can’t show a comparable exam score, you’ll need to pass D.C.’s required exam, the Praxis School Counselor test (5422), before OSSE issues a full D.C. credential.
You’ll submit:
- A copy of your active standard or professional credential from the other state
- An FBI Identity History Summary Check (IHSC) issued within the previous 12 months. If you work for DCPS, confirm that the district has shared your clearance with OSSE.
- Official transcripts for the degrees and coursework behind your credential, plus a foreign credential evaluation for any study outside the U.S.
- Your test scores from the other state, or your scores on D.C.’s required exam
Reciprocity applicants file an SSP application, so the $125 SSP fee applies to applications submitted on or after October 1, 2026. OSSE’s out-of-state applicant page has the details, or contact the Educator Credentials Team at 202-741-5881 or [email protected].
District of Columbia School Counseling Certification Resources
For continuing education and career development, see:
- American School Counselor Association
- National Board for Certified Counselors
- District of Columbia School Counselor Association
- OSSE ARROW Program, which offers training, mentoring and funding opportunities to eligible D.C. school-based behavioral health providers. Its First Year Cadre is open to school counselors in their first year in a school-based setting, while some funding awards are limited to licensed clinicians, so check each opportunity’s eligibility rules.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the difference between the Initial and Standard SSP credentials in D.C.?
The Standard SSP is the full credential. It’s valid for four years and can be renewed. The Initial SSP is a one-time, two-year credential for counselors who are no more than 12 semester hours short on school counselor coursework. To apply, you’ll submit either an active full credential from another state or a DC LEA Request Form signed by a hiring official at a D.C. school system.
What Praxis exam does D.C. require for school counselor certification?
D.C. requires the Praxis School Counselor exam (test code 5422) with a passing score of 159. If you passed a comparable exam in another state where you hold an active school counselor license, OSSE accepts that score. Check the current requirement with OSSE or on the Praxis website before you register.
Do I need OSSE certification to work at a D.C. public charter school?
It depends on the school. DCPS requires OSSE credentials for its counselor positions. If you’re applying to a public charter or private school, verify that school’s requirements directly and check the applicable DC Department of Health licensing rules, which is where OSSE refers counselors in those settings. Some charter job postings still ask for OSSE certification or eligibility, so read each posting closely.
Can I get a D.C. school counselor credential if I’m licensed in another state?
Yes, through reciprocity, but OSSE applies it only to your first D.C. application. You’ll need an active, full credential with no deficiencies, a completed approved program in that state, and a passing score on the content exam that state required. If you don’t have a comparable exam score, you’ll pass the Praxis School Counselor test (5422) first. Applications submitted on or after October 1, 2026, carry the $125 SSP fee.
How do I renew my D.C. school counselor certification?
Pick one of three options: 120 hours of professional development with at least 60 related to school counseling, DCPS IMPACT ratings of effective or higher for three of the previous four years, or a passing score on the current Praxis School Counselor exam taken within the past 12 months. Each option also requires an FBI Identity History Summary Check issued within the past 12 months, and the renewal fee is $100.
- Two credential tiers. The Standard SSP lasts four years and renews. The Initial SSP lasts two years, doesn’t renew, and requires either an out-of-state credential or a D.C. school system’s signed request.
- 300 field hours, or a D.C. alternative. A CACREP-accredited degree, an NCC credential, two years of full-time teaching or one year as a school counselor also meets D.C.’s requirement.
- Praxis 5422, passing score 159. Scores from a comparable exam in a state where you hold an active license are also accepted.
- New fees as of October 1, 2026. SSP applications cost $125, and renewals cost $100 per credential area.
- Three CACREP programs. Trinity Washington, George Washington, and the University of the District of Columbia. GW’s classes meet in Alexandria, Virginia.
D.C. accepts a CACREP-accredited school counseling degree in place of its 300-hour field requirement, so check accreditation before you apply anywhere. If none of the three programs above fits your schedule, compare CACREP-accredited options in nearby states and online, and ask each one how its format handles skills assessments. CACREP requires students entering accredited counseling programs on or after July 1, 2026, to complete at least two synchronous skills and professional-disposition assessments, conducted in person or online.
