37th Annual National Dropout Prevention Conference

Trauma Skilled Specialist Certification Program

If you plan on getting certification at our conference, please plan your travel accordingly. You MUST stay for the FULL CONFERENCE. There will also be an information session Sunday evening October 3rd, 2027.

Trama-Skilled Specialist Certification:

The National Dropout Prevention Center (NDPC) is pleased to offer the Trauma-Skilled Specialist (TSS) Certification Program for educators and at-risk youth workers. The certification verifies knowledge of the Trauma-Skilled Schools Model and expertise to share the model with others within the certificate holder’s place of employment. Trauma-Skilled Specialist Certification is founded on NDPC’s Trauma-Skilled Schools Model, a research-based guide for structuring school climate, modifying instructional practices, and imparting educator skills to improve achievement and graduation outcomes for trauma impacted and adversely stressed students.

Application And Program Requirements:

Trauma-Skilled™ Specialist participants must: 

• Complete and submit the TSS application electronically.
  • If planning on attending the national conference to receive professional learning requirements, we offer a discounted application fee of $375, and you can apply by Registering here
• Complete the program’s professional learning requirements.
• Complete and submit an acceptable instructional unit in a component of the TSS Model and verify delivery of that instructional unit.
• Pass an online examination to verify knowledge of the Trauma-Skilled™ Schools Model.
• Submit head shot and bio.

Application And Program Requirement:

Completing Professional Learning Requirements:

Participants must meet the professional learning requirement of Trauma-Skilled™ Schools Model training. This can be met through either: 

• Attendance at NDPC’s Annual National Conference:
• The TSS professional learning requirement can be met by attending the annual NDPC conference held every October and may self-select from identified event sessions offered that are sufficient to address 4 or more Trauma-Skilled™ Schools Model Training.
• A QR code is provided at the end of each session that participants must scan and submit after each session to receive transcript credits.
• Completing 4 credits of TSS online professional development courses:

 TSS online professional development courses  

• Online Courses: $99 per course (1 credit per course) 
• A certificate of completion is available to the participant after all activities in each course are completed. Certificates must be emailed to certification@dropoutprevention.org to verify completion. 

Trauma-Skilled Specialist Certification Assessment:

If you are already enrolled in the Trauma-Skilled Specialist Certification and are ready for the assessment, please send an email with your name in the subject line

Certification@DropoutPrevention.org

Program Eligibility:

TSS participants must either:

• Be employed or actively engaged in the field of education and/or.
• Work in the area of at-risk youth services or in a similar setting.

Certification Benefits:

TSS certificate holders will:

• Receive documentation of knowledge and expertise in NDPC’s Trauma-Skilled Schools Model that will enable them to support the implementation of the model in their employment setting.
• 10% discount for registration fee to NDPC’s Annual National Conference (once certified)
• Quarterly Zoom networking sessions facilitated by NDPC & TSS specialists.
• Be recognized on NDPC’s website, www.dropoutprevention.org, the nation’s leading resource for dropout prevention information, as having completed the TSS certification program.
• Become part of an interactive virtual community of Trauma-Skilled™ Specialists for sharing ideas and strategies relative to the implementation of the TSS Model.

Additional Information:

• Questions about the program? Contact us at certification@dropoutprevention.org
• The TSS professional learning requirement can be met by attending the annual NDPC conference held every October and may self-select sessions offered that are sufficient to address 4 or more Trauma-Skilled™ Schools Model training.
• Professional learning costs such as event registration, travel, and online professional development courses are the responsibility of the participant.
• Upon program admission, participants will receive detailed instructions for professional learning participation, unit plan, online exam, and program completion.

National Dropout Prevention Center