# Title 67 — Public Instruction, Superintendent of

## Article 67-11 — Education Professional Credentials

## Chapter 67-11-05 — School Counselor Credentials

### § 67-11-05-01. School counselor credential.

For purposes of school accreditation, a school may employ as a school counselor only a person
who holds a school counselor credential or a provisional school counselor credential as outlined in this
chapter or who has been authorized by the education standards and practices board in that specialty at
a level the department determines meets or exceeds the requirements of this chapter and is consistent
with the North Dakota teacher education program approval standards 2004 with 2006 revisions
adopted by the education standards and practices board.
History: Effective February 1, 2000; amended effective May 16, 2000; November 1, 2002; January 1,
2010.
General Authority: NDCC 15.1-02-04, 15.1-02-11, 28-32-02
Law Implemented: NDCC 15.1-02-04, 15.1-02-11, 15.1-13-23
### § 67-11-05-02. Issuing agency.

The North Dakota school counselor credential issuing agency address is:
Superintendent of Public Instruction
Department of Public Instruction
600 East Boulevard Avenue, Dept. 201
Bismarck, ND 58505-0440
History: Effective February 1, 2000; amended effective May 16, 2000.
General Authority: NDCC 15.1-02-04, 15.1-02-11, 28-32-02
Law Implemented: NDCC 15-20.4-03, 15.1-02-04, 15.1-02-11, 15.1-13-23
### § 67-11-05-03. Approval for school counselor programs.

Whenever this chapter refers to "state-approved program", it refers to the process by which the
education standards and practices board in concert with the department of public instruction shall
supervise a system of program approval at those colleges within the state of North Dakota which
provide school counselor education programs. School counselor education programs from other states
or private colleges which meet standards for program approval are listed in the manual on certification
and preparation of education personnel in the United States and Canada published by the national
association of state directors of teacher education and certification.
History: Effective May 16, 2000; amended effective November 1, 2002; January 1, 2010.
General Authority: NDCC 15.1-02-04, 15.1-02-11, 28-32-02
Law Implemented: NDCC 15.1-02-04, 15.1-02-11, 15.1-13-23

### § 67-11-05-04. Types of credentials.

1. Counselor designate credential CD16 will not be issued after June 30, 2010. Counselor
designate credentials must be renewed each time the individual's educator's professional
license is renewed. However, an individual who holds a lifetime North Dakota educator's
professional license must renew the credential every five years.
2. An individual with a school counselor credential (SC03) will serve prekindergarten through
grade twelve. Individuals holding previous school counselor credentials CG01, CG02, or
CG03 will be redesignated as school counselor serving prekindergarten, kindergarten,
elementary, and secondary students.
a. Each school counselor provisional credential (SCP3) is valid for one year, and is
renewable for one-year terms for a maximum of seven years. Individuals approved by the
education standards and practices board may be eligible for a school counselor
provisional credential.
b. Each school counselor credential is valid only while the individual holds a North Dakota
educator's professional license, or a professional school counseling restricted license. A
credential must be renewed each time the individual's educator's professional license is
renewed. However, an individual who holds a lifetime North Dakota educator's
professional license must renew the credential every five years.
3. Plan of study option to qualify for counselor qualification points to satisfy accreditation
requirements.
If a school is unable to employ a credentialed counselor, the school may employ a licensed
teacher to serve as the counselor on a plan of study approved by the department of public
instruction. A written plan of study, from a state-approved school counseling program,
including course names, numbers, and credit hours, to become a credentialed counselor must
be submitted to the department of public instruction and be approved. Upon written request,
the department may authorize a change of the courses selected for a particular year in the
written plan of study if the change will not result in fewer than five semester hours per year of
core counseling coursework. To be considered for approval, a licensed teacher must have
completed a minimum of three graduate classes that are part of the required curriculum for a
master's degree in school counseling or its equivalent from a state-approved counseling
program addressing the following content areas:
a. Counseling theory;
b. Counseling methods or techniques;
c. Program management; and
d. Ethics and law.
Once the written plan of study is approved, the licensed teacher must submit transcripts
documenting completion of a minimum of five semester hours of graduate core counseling
coursework, as listed in subsection 1 of section 67-11-05-05, each year until the teacher
obtains the required credential.
4. To synchronize credentials issued under this chapter with the licensure period of the
educator's professional license, any credential that will expire within twelve months of
issuance, because the educator's professional license will expire within twelve months of the
issuance of the new credential, will be issued for a period coinciding with the period of
licensure of the succeeding educator's professional license.

History: Effective February 1, 2000; amended effective May 16, 2000; November 1, 2002; January 1,
2010; April 1, 2010.
General Authority: NDCC 15.1-02-04, 15.1-02-11, 28-32-02
Law Implemented: NDCC 15-20.4-03, 15.1-02-04, 15.1-02-11, 15.1-13-23
### § 67-11-05-05. Credential standards.

1. School counselor credential standards for the SC03 credential. The counselor must have
a master's degree in counseling, education, or a related human service field and the following
graduate core counseling coursework content from a state-approved school counseling
program listed below:
a. Elementary school counseling;
b. Secondary school counseling;
c. Supervised school counseling internship consisting of a minimum of four hundred fifty
contact hours of which at least one hundred fifty contact hours are at both the elementary
and secondary level;
d. Counseling program management;
e. Counseling theories;
f. Assessment techniques;
g. Group counseling;
h. Career counseling and assessment;
i. Social and multicultural counseling;
j. Ethics and law; and
k. Counseling techniques.
2. Counselor designate credential standards CD16. The counselor designate must:
a. Hold an educator's professional license issued by the education standards and practices
board in accordance with North Dakota Century Code sections 15.1-13-08 and
b. Have completed a minimum of sixteen semester hours of graduate core counseling
courses from a state-approved school counseling program.
History: Effective February 1, 2000; amended effective May 16, 2000; November 1, 2002; January 1,
2010.
General Authority: NDCC 15.1-02-04, 15.1-02-11, 28-32-02
Law Implemented: NDCC 15.1-02-04, 15.1-02-11, 15.1-13-23
### § 67-11-05-06. Application process.

An initial applicant must submit the following:
1. A completed application form, SFN 51622, provided by the department of public instruction;
2. A copy of college transcripts; and

3. Documentation from a counselor educator verifying the school counseling internship that
details:
a. Grade levels and number of contact hours involved in the internship experience; and
b. The name and location of the school where the internship occurred.
History: Effective February 1, 2000; amended effective May 16, 2000; November 1, 2002; January 1,
2010.
General Authority: NDCC 15.1-02-04, 15.1-02-11, 28-32-02
Law Implemented: NDCC 15.1-02-04, 15.1-02-11, 15.1-13-23
### § 67-11-05-07. Renewal requirements.

1. All school counselor credentials are renewed by submitting a copy of college transcripts
documenting the completion of four semester hours of graduate coursework in education, of
which two semester hours must be in the area of counseling. These two semester hours of
required counseling coursework may be replaced by thirty clock-hours of continuing education
hours in counseling with a signed verification of attendance or participation by the conference
or workshop sponsor, the employer, or a school district business manager.
2. Renewals for the purpose of aligning the renewal dates of their credentials with their
educator's professional licenses may be granted upon request of applicants. The number of
semester hours needed for renewal will be calculated on a one semester hour per year basis.
History: Effective February 1, 2000; amended effective May 16, 2000; November 1, 2002; January 1,
2010.
General Authority: NDCC 15.1-02-04, 15.1-02-11, 28-32-02
Law Implemented: NDCC 15.1-02-04, 15.1-02-11, 15.1-13-23
### § 67-11-05-08. Reconsideration.

If issuance or renewal of the credential under this chapter is denied, the denial must be in writing
and must state all reasons for denial. The applicant must be notified of the opportunity for
reconsideration. If the credential under this chapter is denied, the applicant may request a
reconsideration of the decision. A written request for reconsideration must be received by the
superintendent of public instruction within three weeks of the date of mailing by the department of
public instruction. Late requests will not be considered. The reconsideration request must state the
following:
1. The facts, law, or rule the applicant believes was erroneously interpreted or applied; and
2. The applicant's arguments on how the facts, law, or rule should have been applied, giving
specific reasons and thorough analysis.
The superintendent of public instruction will issue a final written response on the reconsideration
request within three weeks after receiving a complete reconsideration request.
History: Effective February 1, 2000; amended effective May 16, 2000.
General Authority: NDCC 15.1-02-04, 15.1-02-11, 28-32-02
Law Implemented: NDCC 15-20.4-03, 15.1-02-04, 15.1-02-11, 15.1-13-23
