District of Columbia Initial School Counselor Certification
AKA: DC Initial SSP Credential
What's Here? - Table of Contents
Unlocking the gateway to your professional growth, the Initial School Service Provider (SSP) certification is your key to making a lasting impact in a specific student service provider area. This exclusive certification, granted once and not subject to renewal, empowers you to offer your expertise for two years, paving the way for a fulfilling career in education. Achieving this certification requires the successful completion of all relevant prerequisites, starting with an Identity History Summary Check (IHSC) issued by the FBI or an accredited channeler agency.
You will need to furnish official transcripts validating the completion of your bachelor’s degree. Alternatively, you can provide a copy of an active full credential from another state or submit a duly completed D.C. LEA Request Form.
To qualify for the Initial SSP Certification as a School Counselor, individuals must meet the following education requirements:
Specific coursework includes philosophy and principles of guidance, counseling theory and practice, educational measurement, career development theory, understanding the individual, group counseling, and research/evaluation.
The experience requirements for an Initial SSP Certification as a School Counselor include:
It is imperative that you successfully undertake the mandated school counselor content examination in the District of Columbia.
Neglecting to include your score results as an integral part of your licensure application packet will lead to a denial of your licensure application.
A background check is required to certify educator credentials issued by the District of Columbia’s Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE). The purpose is to ensure the safety and suitability of individuals seeking certification to work in educational settings.
To meet the background check requirements, applicants must obtain an Identity History Summary Check (IHSC) report, which includes a personal FBI criminal background check. The IHSC report must be issued within the previous 12 months from the date of application submission.
There are two methods to obtain the IHSC report:
Associated fees: Fees may vary by agency, and applicants should check with the chosen channeler agency for specific costs.
Associated fees: $18.00 for the IHSC report when submitting a request directly to the FBI.
Applicants who are current D.C. Public Schools (DCPS) employees and have been recently fingerprinted may not need to submit an IHSC report unless there is a reported criminal incident in their background. In such cases, an FBI IHSC and related court documents must be presented during the application submission.
For comprehensive details and additional information, consider exploring the FBI’s official website dedicated to Identity History Summary checks.
If you require assistance from the Office of the State Superintendent of Education, their attentive team is readily available during regular office hours from Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. You can conveniently connect with them at 1050 First Street, NE, Washington, D.C. 20002. Feel free to reach out via phone at 202-727-6436, utilize the TTY service at 711, or drop them an email at osse@dc.gov.
The application process for obtaining the credential involves several steps through the Educator Credentialing Information System (ECIS) V2.0. Here’s a summary:
Preparation
Create an ECIS Account
Create an Application
Upload Documents
Submitting Payment
Check Application Status
To access support from the Educator Credentialing Information System (ECIS V2.0) for applying for an OSSE educator credential, individuals need to submit an ECIS Support Ticket. A support representative will provide step-by-step instructions or schedule virtual sessions. Additional user instructions can be found at this link.