🟩Relating to a school psychologist licensed under the Occupations Code.

HB 2598

✅ HB 2598: Renaming School Psychologists for Clarity

What it says it does:
Updates Texas law to change the title “Licensed Specialist in School Psychology” (LSSP) to “School Psychologist.” The bill’s goal is to make the role easier for parents, educators, and the public to recognize and understand.

What it actually changes:
Replaces the term “LSSP” with “school psychologist” across the Education, Government, and Occupations Codes. No licensing standards, qualifications, or duties change. It is strictly a terminology update that aligns state law with current professional usage.

Who is pushing for it:
The Texas Association of School Psychologists, Texas Council of Administrators of Special Education, Disability Rights Texas, NAMI Texas, and the Texas Association of School Boards supported the bill.

Who benefits:
School psychologists gain clearer public recognition of their role, and families can better understand who is working with their children. Educators benefit from less confusion when explaining school-based mental health services.

Who gets left out or exposed:
No groups are excluded, but some potential confusion could arise if the public assumes “school psychologists” hold the same licenses or scope of practice as clinical psychologists outside of schools.

Why this matters long term:
Language in law shapes public understanding. This bill helps normalize mental health support in schools by making roles easier to identify and trust. The change improves transparency and accessibility in student mental health services.

What to watch next:
State agencies and school districts will need to clearly explain the difference between school psychologists and clinical psychologists to maintain accuracy and public confidence.

Bottom line:
HB 2598 is a clean, bipartisan step toward better communication in education. It fixes confusion without shifting power, money, or oversight, a rare clarity win for Texas schools.

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