Senate Bill 472: School Psychologist Omnibus

• School psychologists receive a monthly salary supplement of $650 plus an additional 12% monthly supplement if they hold a Nationally Certified School Psychologist (NCSP) credential, with $8.1 million appropriated for 2023-2024.

• Establishes a School Psychologists Grant Program providing up to $5,000 signing bonuses to recruit school psychologists, prioritizing school units without full-time school psychologists, with $1.7 million appropriated.

• Department of Public Instruction must create a full-time recruitment and retention coordinator position by September 1, 2023 to recruit school psychologists from other states.

• Creates a school psychologists internship program offering up to 10-month stipends at beginning salary rates to full-time graduate students, with field supervisors eligible for $500-$1,200 lump sum supplements, funded with $5 million.

• Appropriates $5 million to Appalachian State University for a virtual school psychology training program and $1.6 million to five UNC universities to expand school psychology programs with the goal of doubling graduate production.