What do School Psychologists Actually DO?
_ School
psychologists are highly trained in both psychology and education, completing a
minimum of a specialist-level degree program (at least 60 graduate semester
hours) that includes a year-long supervised internship. This training
emphasizes preparation in mental health and educational interventions, child
development, learning, behavior, motivation, curriculum and instruction,
assessment, consultation, collaboration, school law, and systems. School
psychologists must be certified and/or licensed by the state in which they
work. They also may be nationally certified by the National School Psychology
Certification Board (NSPCB). The National Association of School Psychologists
sets ethical and training standards for practice and service delivery.
WHAT DO SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS DO?
School Psychologists Work With Students to:
School Psychologists Work With Students and Their Families to:
School Psychologists Work With Teachers to:
School Psychologists Work With Administrators to:
School Psychologists Work With Community Providers to:
WHERE SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS WORK
The majority of school psychologists work in schools. However, they can practice in a variety of settings including:
WHAT DO SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS DO?
School Psychologists Work With Students to:
- Provide counseling, instruction, and mentoring for those struggling with social, emotional, and behavioral problems
- Increase achievement by assessing barriers to learning and determining the best instructional strategies to improve learning
- Promote wellness and resilience by reinforcing communication and social skills, problem solving, anger management, self-regulation, self-determination, and optimism
- Enhance understanding and acceptance of diverse cultures and backgrounds
School Psychologists Work With Students and Their Families to:
- Identify and address learning and behavior problems that interfere with school success
- Evaluate eligibility for special education services (within a multidisciplinary team)
- Support students' social, emotional, and behavioral health
- Teach parenting skills and enhance home–school collaboration
- Make referrals and help coordinate community support services
School Psychologists Work With Teachers to:
- Identify and resolve academic barriers to learning
- Design and implement student progress monitoring systems
- Design and implement academic and behavioral interventions
- Support effective individualized instruction
- Create positive classroom environments
- Motivate all students to engage in learning
School Psychologists Work With Administrators to:
- Collect and analyze data related to school improvement, student outcomes, and accountability requirements
- Implement school-wide prevention programs that help maintain positive school climates conducive to learning
- Promote school policies and practices that ensure the safety of all students by reducing school violence, bullying, and harassment
- Respond to crises by providing leadership, direct services, and coordination with needed community services
- Design, implement, and garner support for comprehensive school mental health programming
School Psychologists Work With Community Providers to:
- Coordinate the delivery of services to students and their families in and outside of school
- Help students transition to and from school and community learning environments, such as residential treatment or juvenile justice programs
WHERE SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS WORK
The majority of school psychologists work in schools. However, they can practice in a variety of settings including:
- Public and private schools
- Universities
- School-based health and mental health centers
- Community-based day-treatment or residential clinics and hospitals
- Juvenile justice centers
- Private practice
