PRINTER'S NO. 2313
No. 1893 Session of 1993
INTRODUCED BY CURRY, COWELL, ROEBUCK, KREBS, VEON, RICHARDSON,
ROBINSON, JAMES, D. W. SNYDER, LAWLESS, TRELLO, LEDERER,
GODSHALL, CARONE, NYCE, OLASZ, CLARK, NICKOL, SAURMAN, LEH,
ROHRER, GORDNER, YEWCIC, ROONEY, LaGROTTA, TANGRETTI,
LAUGHLIN, MELIO, SANTONI, WILLIAMS, DeLUCA, DALEY,
CALTAGIRONE, TRICH, GEORGE, RUDY AND CORRIGAN, JUNE 23, 1993
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, JUNE 23, 1993
AN ACT
1 Amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), entitled "An
2 act relating to the public school system, including certain
3 provisions applicable as well to private and parochial
4 schools; amending, revising, consolidating and changing the
5 laws relating thereto," regulating psychological practice in
6 schools; and providing a penalty.
7 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
8 hereby enacts as follows:
9 Section 1. The act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known
10 as the Public School Code of 1949, is amended by adding a
11 section to read:
12 Section 108.1. Psychological Practice.--(a) It shall not be
13 permissible for anyone except a licensed professional
14 psychologist or certified school psychologist to practice
15 measuring and testing and psychological methods as defined by
16 the act of March 23, 1972 (P.L.136, No.52), known as the
17 "Professional Psychologists Practice Act," except in the context
18 of simple acts of persuasion or crisis intervention as used in
1 the "Professional Psychologists Practice Act." Any practice of
2 measuring and testing and psychological methods shall be
3 permissible only with prior, written informed parental consent
4 for each individual practice that may be contemplated and must
5 be appropriately screened by a licensed professional
6 psychologist or certified school psychologist.
7 (b) The Secretary of Education shall withhold an amount
8 equal to fifteen (15) per centum of the payment of all money due
9 any school district out of any appropriation made by the
10 Commonwealth for any purpose for one year if a school district
11 fails to comply with this section for preserving the health or
12 safety of pupils enrolled in the public schools.
13 (c) As used in this section, the following words shall have
14 the following meanings:
15 "Measuring and testing" means the psychological assessment
16 and evaluation of abilities, attitudes, aptitudes, achievements,
17 adjustments, motives, personality dynamics and/or other
18 psychological attributes of individuals or groups of individuals
19 by means of standardized measurements or other methods,
20 techniques or procedures recognized by the science and
21 profession of psychology.
22 "Psychological methods" means the application of principles
23 of learning and motivation in an interpersonal situation with
24 the objectives of modification of perception and adjustment and
25 requiring highly developed skills in the disciplines, techniques
26 and methods of altering through learning processes, attitudes,
27 feelings, values, self concept, personal goals and adaptive
28 patterns.
29 Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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