a career that makes a difference

7/28/2019 A Career That Makes a Difference

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School Psychology

www.nasponline.org 2010, National Association of School Psychologists

A Career That Makes a Difference


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Being a school psychologist means

providing equitable education for all

students and supporting their social,

emotional, and academic needs.

Wendy Scott, EdS, NCSPSchool Psychologist, San Diego, CA


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If you want to Help children reach their potential

Promote childrens mental health

Work collaboratively with others Develop interpersonal and communication skills

Have a variety of career options

then


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School Psychology

could be the career for you!


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What is a School Psychologist?


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School Psychologists understand that all

children learn when given:

Adequate supports and resources

Recognition of their individual needs

Connection to and trust in adults Opportunities to achieve

Acceptance and encouragement

Cooperation between school and home


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School Psychologists link mental health to

learning and behavior to promote:

High academic achievement

Positive social skills and behavior

Healthy relationships and connectedness

Tolerance and respect for others

Competence, self-esteem, and resiliency


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When Do Children Need A School Psychologist?

Learning difficulties

Behavior concerns

Attention problems

Problems at home or with peers Fears about war, violence, terrorism

Depression and other mental health issues

Coping with crisis and trauma

Poverty, violence, or life changing events Advocacy of their learning and mental health

needs


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What Is the Role of a School Psychologist?

Assessment

Consultation for student and systems-level change

Prevention

Intervention Staff, parent, and student education

Research and program development

Mental health care

Advocacy


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Assessment

School psychologists work with children, parents and

staff to help determine a childs:

Academic skills and instructional level

Learning aptitudes, strengths, and weaknesses Personality and emotional development

Social skills and behavioral concerns

Learning environment and school climate Special education eligibility


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Consultation: Child-Centered

School psychologists:

Provide knowledge to help improve studentlearning and mental health outcomes

Implement and manage academic and behavioralinterventions

Help teachers, parents, and other professionalsunderstand a childs development and learning

Meet or communicate with others involved with achild to determine the best way of managing orimproving a particular concern


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Consultation: Consultee-Centered


Collaborate with teachers to help them identifyclassroom-based problems and implement data-based interventions

Support implementation of effective instruction andbehavior management at the classroom level

Assist parents to develop skills to help their childrensucceed at home and in school

Collaborate with the principal and other schoolpersonnel to identify systemic concerns and promotesystems-level change


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Prevention


Implement programs to build positive connectionsbetween students and adults

Support early identification of potential academicskill deficits and/or learning difficulties

Design and implement programs for at-riskchildren

Foster tolerance and appreciation of diversity Create safe, supportive learning environments


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Intervention


Work directly with children, teachers,administrators, and families

Develop individualized classroom, and school-wideinterventions for learning and adjustment

Design and implement crisis response plans

Provide counseling, social skills training,

academic, and behavioral interventions Develop strategies for modifying instruction to

optimize student progress


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Education

School psychologists provide teachers and parentstraining in:

Teaching and learning strategies and interventions

Parenting and disciplining techniques Classroom and behavior management techniques

Working with exceptional students

Strategies to address substance abuse, risky

behaviors, or mental illnesses that affect students Crisis prevention and response


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Research and Program Development


Recommend and implement evidence-basedprograms and strategies

Conduct school-based research to inform practice Evaluate effectiveness of programs and

interventions independently and as part of aschool-based consultation team

Contribute to school-wide reform andrestructuring


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Mental Health


Deliver school-based mental health services such

as group, individual and crisis counseling

Coordinate with community resources and healthcare providers to provide students with complete

seamless services

Partner with parents and teachers to create

healthy school environments

Promote mental health in the school setting


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Advocacy

NASP and state professional associations arededicated to advocacy. School psychologistsencourage and sponsor:

Appropriate education placements Education reform

Legislative involvement

Community services and programs

Funding for adequate resources Employment of highly qualified school personnel


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I enjoy building trusting and caring

relationships with students, which I

strongly believe promotes learning and

positive choices in their future.

Claudia Gomez, MSSchool Psychologist,

Huntington Beach, CA


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Where Do School Psychologists Work?

Public and private schools

Private practice

Colleges and universities

Community mental health centers

Institutional/residential facilities

Pediatric clinics and hospitals

Criminal justice system Public agencies


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Who Are Todays School Psychologists?

74% are women

47.5% are over 50 years of age

Employed:

83.1% work in public schools

5.2% work in private schools

6.5% work in universities

4.1% work in independent practice

7.0% work in other

(Curtis et al., 2006)


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Ethnicity of School Psychologists

Ethnicity %

White/Caucasian 92.6

Hispanic/Latino 3.0

Black/African-American 1.9

Asian-American/Pacific Islander 0.9

American Indian/Alaskan Native 0.8

Other .8

Source: 2004-2005 NASP membership survey


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Ethnicity of the U.S. Population

Ethnicity %

White/Caucasian74.8

Hispanic/Latino 15.8

Black/African-American12.4

Asian-American4.5

American Indian/Alaskan Native0.8

Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander.15

Source: 2010 U.S. Census Bureau


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Linguistic Diversity

19.7% of the U.S. population over the age of five

speaks a language other than English at home

Approximately 12.5% of the U.S. population is

foreign born

For example, more than 90 foreign languages are

spoken by students in the Los Angeles Unified

School District in California.

Source: 2010 U.S. Census Bureau


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As a Din (Navajo) school psychologist, I

am working back in my ancestral homelandwith my people, using my cultural

knowledge and indigenous language to

provide a diverse service delivery. I am

making a difference by being accessible.

Elvina Charley, EdSSchool Psychologist, Chinle, AZ


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Career Opportunities

Pending retirements have lead to shortage of

qualified practitioners

Current shortage of qualified university faculty in

school psychology Wide gap between ethnicity of practicing school

psychologists and students served

Serious need for more ethnic and linguistic

diversity in the field


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A Great Career Choice

Work with children who need you

Help parents and educators

Enjoy a flexible school schedule

Have a variety of responsibilities

Receive training in useful skills

Choose from a variety of work settings

Have confidence in the stability of your position


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Rise to the Challenge!

Children in difficult situations need solutions to

difficult problems

Parents need ideas for managing childrens

behavior and mental health Teachers need help working with students varied

educational needs and behaviors

Society needs mentally healthy, well-educated

children


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I wanted a career that focused on youth

advocacy in the schools but would allow

me to integrate my passion for cultural

awareness, equity and diversity into the

school community.

Cristina Noel-Motta, MSSchool Psychologist, Dartmouth, MA


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So how do I become a

School Psychologist?


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Undergraduate Training

Must complete a Bachelors degree

Consider an education, psychology or related field

Take courses in

Child development General and child psychology

Statistics, measurement, and research

Philosophy and theory of education

Instruction and curriculum

Special education


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Graduate Training

Education Specialist

In most states, certification as a school psychologistrequires training at the specialist level.

Specialist-level degrees can be identified by several

acronyms including; Educational Specialist (EdS),Masters (MA, MS, MEd) and Certificate of AdvancedGraduate Studies (CAGS/CAS) etc.

Doctorate (PhD, PsyD or EdD)


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Graduate Training - Program Length

Specialist-level:

3-4 years (60+ semester credit hours) of full-timetraining including a 1200-hour internship*

Doctorate:

5+ years or more (90+ semester credit hours) of full-time training including a minimum 1500-hourinternship*, and dissertation

*At least (600) hours of the internship must be completed

in a school setting.


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Graduate Coursework

Learning theory

Psychological assessment and intervention

Consultation skills

Diversity and multiculturalism

Normal and abnormal development

School organizational systems

Counseling theory and practice

Statistics and research

Applied behavior analysis


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Choosing a Graduate Program

Specialist vs. Doctoral degree

NASP approval/alignment and/or APA accreditation

Size of cohort and location of program

Department of Education or Psychology

Theoretical orientation

Specialties (e.g., early childhood, low incidence,urban, rural, bilingual etc.)

Research opportunities

Financial support (assistantships/fellowships)


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Applying to a Graduate Program

GRE: Graduate Record Exam

Some programs may require the GREPsychology

Undergraduate transcripts

Letters of recommendation Personal statement(s)

Practice or research interests


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FAQ: How does a School Psychologist differ

from a school counselor?School Counselor School Psychologist

At least 2 yrs grad school At least 3 yrs grad school

Trained in ed./counseling Trained in ed./psychology

Individual and group counseling

addressing a variety of issues,

career planning, and course

scheduling

Assessment, consultation,

behavioral/academic intervention,

crisis prevention/intervention,

individual /group counseling, and

program evaluation

Employed in public schools and

university

advisement centers

Employed in public/private schools,

private practice, mental health

centers, and universities


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FAQ: How does a school psychologist differ

from a child psychologist?School psychologists focus on how social emotional issues,

family problems, neurological factors, and mental illness

affect learning

Child clinical psychologists: Usually work in a hospital, mental health center, private

clinic, or university setting

Are not typically trained in education, instruction, or

classroom management

Do not focus primarily on the multiple factors that affect

learning


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School psychology is a career that

uniquely offers daily challenges and

rewards, all within a collaborative

setting.

Allison Nebbergall, PhD, NCSPEducation Researcher, Fairfax, VA


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Questions?


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Job Outlook?

Excellent both at present and long-term!

Not enough graduates to meet demand

Retirement will soon open many positions

School Psychology was named one of the bestcareers for 2010 by US News and World Report

Source: US News: Money/Careers


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What types of salaries do School Psychologists

receive? Median salaries range from $47,880.00 to

$67,070.00, while top salaries can exceed$100,000.

Mean per diem salary for practitioners at thespecialist level is $287.00 and $350.00 at thedoctoral level.

However, many school systems do not make

salary distinctions between doctoral and non-doctoral school psychologists.

Salaries for school psychologists vary by state andregion.

(Curtis et al., 2007)


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References/Resources

Curtis, M. J., Lopez, A.D., Batsche, G. M., & Smith, J. C. (2006, March). School psychology2005: A national perspective. Paper presented at the annual convention of theNational Association of School Psychologists, Anaheim, CA.

Curtis, M. J., Lopez, A. D., Batsche, G. M., Minch, D., & Abshier, D. (2007, March). Statusreport on school psychology: A national perspective. Paper presented at the annualconvention of the National Association of School Psychologists, New York City.

Fagan, T. K., & Wise, P. S. (2007). School psychology: Past, present, and future 3rd

Ed.Bethesda: NASP.

Hosp, J. L., & Reschly, D. J. (2002). Regional differences in school psychology practice.School Psychology Review, 31, 11-29.

Thomas, A. & Grimes, J. (2008). Best practices in school psychology V. Bethesda: NASP.

U.S. Census Bureau (2010). Place of Birth of the Foreign-Born Population: 2009.Washington, DC: U.S. Census Bureau. www.census.gov/prod/2010pubs/acsbr09-15.pdf

U.S. Census Bureau (2010). Race and Hispanic Origin of the Foreign-Born Population in theUnited States: 2007. Washington, DC: U.S. Census Bureau.www.census.gov/prod/2010pubs/acs-11.pdf

Wolgemuth, L. (2009, Dec 28). Americas best careers 2010. U.S. News & World Report.Retrieved fromhttp://money.usnews.com/money/careers/articles/2009/12/28/school-psychologist-2.html
http://www.census.gov/prod/2010pubs/acsbr09-15.pdfhttp://www.census.gov/prod/2010pubs/acs-11.pdfhttp://www.census.gov/prod/2010pubs/acs-11.pdfhttp://www.census.gov/prod/2010pubs/acs-11.pdfhttp://www.census.gov/prod/2010pubs/acs-11.pdfhttp://www.census.gov/prod/2010pubs/acs-11.pdfhttp://www.census.gov/prod/2010pubs/acs-11.pdfhttp://www.census.gov/prod/2010pubs/acs-11.pdfhttp://www.census.gov/prod/2010pubs/acsbr09-15.pdfhttp://www.census.gov/prod/2010pubs/acsbr09-15.pdfhttp://www.census.gov/prod/2010pubs/acsbr09-15.pdf


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For more information, contact:National Association of School Psychologists

(301) 657-0270

www.nasponline.org
http://www.nasponline.org/http://www.nasponline.org/

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