Practitioners and Training Programs Working Together to Impact the Community

1. Practitioners and Training Programs Working Together to Impact the Community Lisa Kelly-Vance, Brian McKevitt, Allison McCuddinPoss, Jessica Dempsey, Jessica Riley University of Nebraska Omaha

2. Introduction • Our program • Ed.S. level • Psychology department • Our community – Omaha • 390,000 • Numerous surrounding communities – • Public and parochial schools

3. Program Philosophy • Scientist-practitioner model • Data-based problem-solving

4. Program Philosophy • The program has a strong orientation towards utilizing community resources as partners in training, which allows for meaningful and diverse community service learning and field experiences that are integrated throughout most core school psychology courses. The diverse metropolitan community of schools serves as a training ground for students in each year of the program. • the program provides educational leadership and community development to its constituents.

5. Professional Connections • Nebraska School Psychology Association • Metro Area School Psychology Group • Professional Learning Communities • Classes • Research • Trainings • Student Group

6. Field Experience Philosophy • Applied field experiences are “a must” to ensure adequate skill development • We value our community resources and engage them at all levels of our training (through classes, research, and professional development opportunities) • There is a reciprocal benefit from field experiences: • Students apply knowledge, gain skills, and make professional connections • Schools and community partners receive needed services and stay connected to the university

7. A visual….

8. Applied Experiences: Year 1 • CBM Benchmarking • Volunteer reading program • Holy Name service learning project

9. Applied Experiences: Year 2 • Clinic-based practicum • Year-long, 150 hours • Behavioral consultation in an alternative setting • Academic case consultation with teacher education graduate students • Early Childhood: Head Start and Early Intervention Programs

10. Applied Experiences: Years 3 & 4 • School-based practicum • Year-long, 300+ hours • Internship – minimum of 1200 hours

11. Professional Development Survey • Purpose • Assessed needs and interests of area practitioners • Asked willingness to mentor • Results • Many wanted events that were NSCP approved hours • 86% wanted more professional development opportunities • 76% wanted the opportunity to exchange ideas with other school psychologists and discuss hot topics in the field • 83% offered to be a mentor for a UNO student

12. Professional Development Activities • Social/Networking Events • Wine Tasting • Cupcake Connections • Book Club • Centennial Celebration • Student Group Newsletter • Professional Development Event (NASP accredited events for area practitioners) • Response to Intervention (Andrea Boden)

13. Our Impact: Courses • Program Requirements: • Individuals Cases • Small Groups • Staff Trainings • Parent Trainings • Consultation

14. The Scale • 1 = Overall there is evidence that the student has regressed significantly from baseline. • 2 = Overall student fluctuated between regressing and staying the same, but did not progress. • 3 = Overall there is evidence the student’s performance has remained at approximately the same level as baseline. • 4 = Overall student fluctuated between staying the same and progressing. • 5 = Overall student performance improved significantly from baseline. • 6 = No data.

15. Individual Cases •   Summary of 3 years of Data • 273 individual cases • 59% were rated 5 • 15.02% were rated 4 • 14.65% were rated 3 • 3.67% were rated 2 • 2.20% were rated 1 • 5.13% were rated 6 (no data)

16. Other • Our goal is to report data for other intervention activities • Small groups • Classroom • Impact on local school remaining open.

17. Our Impact: Research • Dual Language Project • PBIS • Early Childhood Assessment/Intervention • Ed.S. Applied Research Projects – Intervention focus

18. Our Impact: Trainings • PBIS • Play Assessment and Intervention • Data-Based Decision-Making

19. Supervisor Comments • Melissa • Lachelle

20. Summer Reading Program • Participants • 13 parochial school students (second through seventh grade) • 65% of the school’s students qualify for the free or reduced lunch program • Program Characteristics • 3 weeks, 3 days a week, 3 hours a day • Evidence-based intervention strategies • Repeated reading, paired reading, error correction, pre-reading and post-reading comprehension strategies • Emphasis on enjoyment • Games, diverse reading materials, multicultural literature

21. Impact of Summer Reading Program Words Correct Per Minute for Participants and Non-Participants Percentile Rank Categories for Participants and Non-Participants

22. Community Benefits • Help for more students – practitioners can’t reach everyone • Up-to-date training • Professors and students share resources with practitioners

23. Connections Matter • Meet the needs of the community – ask what is needed • Research – let the school-based people ask the questions

24. Conclusions • Impact on students in the community is both direct and indirect. • We help more students by collaborating.