SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGY:

1. SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGY: A Career That Makes a Difference © 2003 National Association of School Psychologists

2. If you want to … • Help children reach their potential • Promote children’s mental health • Work collaboratively with others • Develop interpersonal and communication skills • Have a variety of career options then …

3. School Psychology could be the career for you!

4. What is a School Psychologist?

5. School Psychologistsunderstand 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

6. School Psychologistslink 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

7. Why Children Need School Psychologists • Learning difficulties • Behavior concerns • Fears about war, violence, terrorism • Problems at home or with peers • Depression and other mental health issues • Attention problems • Poverty • Diverse populations with diverse needs

8. What Do School Psychologists Do? • Assessment • Consultation • Prevention • Intervention • Education • Research and program development • Mental health care • Advocacy

9. Assessment School psychologists work with children, parents and staff to help determine a child’s: • Academic skills • Learning aptitudes and styles • Personality and emotional development • Social skills and behavior issues • Learning environments, school climate • Special education eligibility

10. Consultation • Help teachers, parents, and administrators understand child development and learning • Provide positive alternatives for helping children with learning and behavior problems • Strengthen working relationships among educators, parents, and community services

11. Prevention • Implement programs to build positive connections between students and adults • Identify potential learning difficulties early • Design programs for children at risk • Help adults to address problem behavior(s) • Foster tolerance and appreciation of diversity • Create safe, supportive learning environments

12. Intervention • Work face-to-face with children and families • Develop individualized solutions for learning and adjustment • Plan and implement crisis response • Provide • Counseling • Social skills training • Behavior management solutions

13. EducationTrain teachers and parents in: • Teaching and learning strategies • Parenting techniques • Classroom management techniques • Working with exceptional students • Strategies to address substance abuse and risky behaviors • Crisis prevention and response

14. Research and Program Development • Recommend and implement evidence-based programs and strategies • Generate new knowledge of learning and behavior • Evaluate effectiveness of programs and interventions • Contribute to school-wide reform and restructuring

15. Mental Health Care • Deliver school-linked mental health services • Coordinate with community resources and health care providers • Partner with parents and teachers to create healthy school environments

16. Advocacy NASP and state professional associations are dedicated to advocacy School Psychologists Encourage/Sponsor • Appropriate education placements • Education reform • Legislative involvement • Community services and programs • Funding for adequate resources

17. 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

18. Who Are Today’s School Psychologists? • 70% are: • women • over 40 years of age • 45% work in suburban school districts • 30% work in urban school districts • 25% work in rural school districts (Curtis et al., 1999, 2002)

19. “When I review my career, what stands out most is helping parents of different cultures view the school as a helpful resource to successfully address the needs of their children.” --Robin Satchell, School Psychologist, Anne Arundel County, MD

20. Ethnicity of School Psychologists Source: 2003 NASP membership survey (69% response rate)

21. Ethnicity of the U.S. Population Source: 2000 U.S. Census

22. Ethnicity Comparison U.S. Population School Psychologists

23. Linguistic Diversity • 17.9% of the U.S. population over the age of five speaks a language other than English at home • Approximately 11% of the U.S. population is foreign born For example, more than 100 foreign languages are spoken by students in the Fairfax County Public Schools in VA. Source: 2000 U.S. Census

24. Demographic Variation • 26-61% of the population in Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, South Carolina, and D.C. is African American • 25-42% of the population in Arizona, California, New Mexico, and Texas is Hispanic • Only 5% of school psychologists are African American or Hispanic (Curtis et al., 2002) Source: 2000 U.S. Census

25. Career Opportunities • Wide gap between ethnicity of practicing school psychologists and students served • Serious need for more ethnic and linguistic diversity in the field • Pending retirements will lead to shortage of qualified practitioners • Current shortage of qualified university faculty in school psychology

26. Alabama Kentucky Mississippi Tennessee (Hosp & Reschly, 2002) Arkansas Louisiana Oklahoma Texas States With Most Serious Shortages

27. 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

28. Rise to the Challenge! • Children in difficult situations need solutions to difficult problems • Parents need ideas for managing children’s behavior and mental health • Teachers need help working with students’ varied educational needs and behaviors • Society needs mentally healthy, well-educated children

29. “Each day is different. Each situation is challenging and unique.”--Charles Deupree, School Psychologist, Ionia, MI

30. So how do I become a School Psychologist?

31. Undergraduate Training • Must complete a Bachelor’s degree • Consider an education or psychology major • Take courses in • Child development • General and child psychology • Statistics, measurement, and research • Philosophy and theory of education • Instruction and curriculum • Special education

32. Graduate TrainingDegree Options In most states, certification as a school psychologist requires training beyond the Master’s degree. • Specialist or Educational Specialist (EdS) • Certificate of Advanced Graduate Standing (CAGS) • Advanced Graduate Studies Certificate (AGS) - or - • Doctorate (PhD, PsyD or EdD)

33. Graduate TrainingProgram Length • Specialist/CAGS/AGS: 3 years (60 hours) of full-time training • Doctorate: 5 years or more, plus dissertation • One-year, full-time internship embedded in training programs at both levels. At least half of the internship (600) hours must be completed in a school setting.

34. Graduate Coursework • Normal and abnormal development • School organizational systems • Learning theory • Counseling theory and practice • Statistics and research • Applied behavior analysis • Psychological assessment • Consultation skills • Diversity or multiculturalism

35. Choosing a Graduate Program • Specialist vs. Doctoral degree • NASP and/or APA approval • Size and location • Department of Education or Psychology • Theoretical orientation • Specialties (e.g., early childhood, deaf/blind) • Research opportunities • Financial support (assistantships/fellowships)

36. Applying to a Graduate Program • GRE: Graduate Record Exam • Some programs may require GRE—Psychology • Undergraduate transcripts • Letters of recommendation • Personal statement(s) • Research interests

37. NASP-ERT Minority Scholarship Program • To foster diversity among professional school psychologists, NASP offers an annual $5,000 scholarship to minority students pursuing careers in school psychology • Only students newly entering graduate training in school psychology are considered for the scholarship • For more information or an application, see www.nasponline.org/about_nasp/minority.html

38. “School psychology seemed the perfect career to positively impact children’s learning and psychological health, and to reach those who might otherwise be missed by the mental health system.”--Sonya Lanier, Graduate Student, University of Maryland, College Park

39. “School Psychology is like growing a garden, because you have to do a lot of ground work before you can see the rewards and see growth … with the children, staff, and community, but the results are definitely worth it!” --Sarah D’Elia, EdS, School Psychologist, Braintree, MA

40. “Working within the school setting creates the possibility [of] having a positive impact not only by working directly with students but also by consulting with teachers and administrators.”--Lorrie Wizda, School Psychologist, Baltimore City, MD

41. QUESTIONS?

42. How is the job market for School Psychologists? • 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 top ten “hot professions” for 2002 by US News and World Report http://www.usnews.com/usnews/work/articles/020218/18tracks.htm#school

43. What types of salaries do School Psychologists receive? • National average annual salary: $50,000 • Doctoral level school psychologists on average earn about $5,000 more annually than Specialist level school psychologists • Salaries for school psychologists vary according to state and regional differences Results from 1999 NASP membership survey(Thomas, 2000)

44. FAQ: How does a School Psychologist differ from a school counselor?

45. 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

46. FAQ: Can I get into a graduate program if my undergraduate degree is not in education or psychology? • It can be done! • Degree in ed/psych is not necessarily required, but you… • Should have basic background in psychology and education • May need to do some coursework before starting grad school (e.g., prerequisites) • Emphasize your skills—English majors are probably good writers, science majors may have a strong research background

47. Recommended Resources Curtis, M. J., Hunley, S.A., Walker, K. J., & Baker, A. C. (1999). Demographic characteristics and professional practices in school psychology. School Psychology Review, 28, 104-116. Curtis, M.J., Chesno Grier, J.E., Walker Abshier, D., Sutton, N.T., & Hunley, S. (2002). School psychology: Turning the corner into the twenty-first century. Communique, 30, 1. Fagan, T. K., & Wise, P. S. (2000). School psychology: Past, present, and future. Bethesda: NASP.

48. Recommended Resources (cont’d) Hosp, J. L., & Reschly, D. J. (2002). Regional differences in school psychology practice. School Psychology Review, 31, 11-29. Thomas, A. (2000). School Psychology 2000: Average salary data. Communique, 28, 28. Thomas, A. & Grimes, J. (2002). Best practices in school psychology IV. Bethesda: NASP.

49. For more information, contact: National Association of School Psychologists (301) 657-0270 www.nasponline.org

50. NASP Staff Contributors Summer 2003 © 2003 National Association of School Psychologists, 4340 East West Highway, Suite 402, Bethesda, MD 20814 – 301-657-0270