Table of Contents
Sampling of on-line videos:
School Psychologists — What is a School Psychologist? This positively reviewed 23 minute presentation describes the role of the school psychologist in the elementary, middle and high schools as members of the individual schools Student Support Teams. It also describes the process that is followed in evaluating and determining eligibility for special education services in the Millcreek Township School District, Erie, Pennsylvania. A well prepared presentation; viewers are cautioned again that the activities described may or not reflect what a school psychologist would be asked to do in another school system.
What is a School Psychologist? A NASP 37 slide presentation that may be adapted for use with teachers in training. The annoying audio on this presentation is supposed to be replaced with narrative by the actual presenter.
Sources for Information on Graduate School Programs for School Psychologists
Note: these links will take you to pages that may or may not be up to date. Contact the college in which you are interested for current information about a specific program and whether or not it is currently recognized by NASP.
One key aspect in choosing a school psychology graduate program is making sure that it focuses on an area appropriate to your goals. For example, one student might be interested in performing psychology and education research. In that case, they might look for a program that’s more theoretical.
Another student might be interested primarily in working directly with students. In that case, one that is practitioner-oriented might be a better fit
Sample Job Description/Posting for School Psychologists (Source: NASP)
GENERAL PURPOSE:
School Psychologists support students’ learning, social development, and mental and behavioral health using problem solving, assessment, data-based decision-making, and the delivery of evidenced-based interventions. School psychologists collaborate and consult with educators, families, and other professionals to help create safe, healthy, and supportive learning environments for all students.
GENERAL RESPONSIBILITIES:
School psychologists provide a comprehensive range of services as described in the current standards from the National Association of School Psychologists. The school psychologist functions as part of the district’s Student Support Services Team. This team collaboratively provides a multi-tiered system of supports through implementation and monitoring of evidence-based behavioral and academic interventions for all students in need. The services provided should reflect the specific needs of the students, families, and schools served and address the following non-exhaustive list of duties, responsibilities, and expectations:
[Option 1] School psychologists apply their knowledge of both psychology and education through consultation and collaboration with teachers, school administrators, parents, and community providers. They participate in effective data-based decision-making using a foundation of assessment and data collection. School psychologists engage in specific services for students, such as direct and indirect interventions that focus on academic skills, learning, socialization, and mental health. School psychologists provide services to schools and families that enhance the competence and well-being of children, including promotion of effective and safe learning environments, prevention and remediation of academic and behavior problems, response to crises, and improvement of family–school collaboration.
[Option 2]
Data-Based Decision Making and Accountability
School psychologists utilize varied models and methods of assessment and data collection for identifying strengths and needs of individual students and the broader school community, developing effective services and programs, and measuring progress and outcomes.
Consultation and Collaboration
School psychologists consult and collaborate with colleagues, students, families and other stakeholders to promote effective implementation of services.
Interventions and Instructional Support to Develop Academic Skills
School psychologists, in collaboration with others, use assessment and data collection methods and to implement and evaluate services that support cognitive and academic skills.
Interventions and Mental Health Services to Develop Social and Life Skills
School psychologists, in collaboration with others, use assessment and data-collection methods to implement and evaluate services that support socialization, learning, and mental and behavioral health, including but not limited to behavioral supports, individual and group counseling, and social skills training.
School-Wide Practices to Promote Learning
School psychologists develop and implement practices and strategies to create and maintain effective and supportive learning environments for children and others (e.g., positive behavior interventions and supports).
Preventive and Responsive Services
School psychologists promote services that enhance learning, mental and behavioral health, safety, and physical well-being through protective and adaptive factors and to implement effective crisis preparation, response, and recovery.
Family–School Collaboration Services
School psychologists implement and evaluate services that respond to culture and context and facilitate family and school partnerships and interactions with community agencies for enhancement of academic and social–behavioral outcomes for children.
Diversity in Development and Learning
School psychologists provide effective professional services that promote effective functioning for individuals, families, and schools with diverse characteristics, cultures, and backgrounds and across multiple contexts, with recognition that an understanding and respect for diversity in development and learning and advocacy for social justice are foundations for all aspects of service delivery.
Research and Program Evaluation
School psychologists evaluate and apply research as a foundation for service delivery and, in collaboration with others, use various techniques and technology resources for data collection, measurement, and analysis to support effective practices at the individual, group, and/or systems levels.
Legal, Ethical, and Professional Practice
School psychologists provide services consistent with ethical, legal, and professional standards; engage in responsive ethical and professional decision-making; collaborate with other professionals; and apply professional work characteristics needed for effective practice as school psychologists, including respect for human diversity and social justice, communication skills, effective interpersonal skills, responsibility, adaptability, initiative, dependability, and technology skills.
So what’s it all about, Alphie?
So, what’s it all about? Once employed, it is not the Job Description that would determine a school psychologist’s priorities. It would be the evaluation rubric used by a school system. In North Carolina, the state provides an Evaluation Rubric for School Psychologists. It is highly unlikely that any school psychologist will perform all of the duties described in that or any comprehensive evaluation rubric. Therefore it is important for a school psychologist to agree with a supervisor before the year begins on which duties would automatically be rated “Not Assigned.” (Just the NC rating form itself runs 17 pages.)
One of the many duties addressed in any Job Description and evaluation rubric will be in the area of assessment. A question that often arises is “How many evaluations should a school psychologist do in a year?” If it is the only question being asked, a school psychologist should be seeking employment in another school system where a school psychologist’s multiplicity of skills are better appreciated.
A better question, but still of limited relevance in a school system where a school psychologist’s assigned responsibilities aren’t “average” would be “What is the average school psychologist to student ratio?” That answer varies by state and there are a number of online references that address the question. One based on a NASP Survey from about ten years ago showed that the number of students to SP ranged from a low of 600:1 (Connecticut) to a high of 3000:1 (New Mexico) Even if the figures are accurate, they do not necessarily reflect what would be found in a particular school district, however. (When this psychologist was hired by a semi rural school district in NC, the ratio was closer to 10,000 to 1. When seeking employment, SPs are encouraged to do their own homework.)
Regardless, the answer will vary based both on the priorities assigned by a supervisor, the areas in which a school psychologist can anticipate being professionally evaluated, and even the specific assessment responsibilities assigned. For example: Is the school psychologist responsible for obtaining social histories and/or behavioral rating scales, or is that data collected by a Tier III MTSS prior to referral? Is the school psychologist responsible for attending or leading Tier III MTSS meetings? How (and by whom) is progress monitoring implemented with respect to Tier III interventions? Is the school psychologist responsible for administering educational assessments, doing functional behavioral analyses, and/or counseling students — or are some or all of those duties assigned to other staff members? Who is responsible for evaluating LEP children? Does the district permit school psychologists to use a RIAS II (less than half an hour administration time) or require the administration of a much longer cognitive assessment? Is the caseload primarily made of SLD evaluations or are most of the referrals based on a suspicion that the child might be eligible as ED or AU?
There are only so many hours in a work week, and a school psychologist should not (unless he or she had slept half the week away) have to come in on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays to keep up with the paperwork, at least not on a regular basis. So what does a school psychologist need to do in order to keep his or her head above water and to meet state timelines while also meeting other administrative expectations, such as chairing Tier III MTSS meetings)? There is a three step formula.
- As suggested above, clarify the administrator’s priorities early in the year.
- Keep daily records of major activities performed. (These records do not have to be extensive, although this writer has known some SPs who volunteered to keep hourly logs detailing their time spent on every activity during the day, except time spent on the toilet)
- When it becomes clear that there is insufficient time in the work week to ensure compliance with the state timelines alluded to above, give a supervisor fair notice that timelines cannot be met. Be prepared to explain (see step 2.)
That way the supervisor will have ample time to contract with a private psychologist to pick up the overload, relieve the school psychologist of conflicting responsibilities, or have an explanation ready when angry parents complain that it is taking so long to evaluate their child.
So . . . who we are depends on many factors, and while our skill sets determine our capability, in the final analysis it is the school system’s needs, which will vary from town to town and year to year, which will determine how our roles and our jobs are defined.
Updated November 20, 2018