Practice Overview:
School psychologists help children and youth succeed academically, socially, and emotionally. They collaborate with educators, parents, and other professionals to create safe, healthy, and supportive learning environments for all students that strengthen connections between home and school.
School psychologists work to find the best solution for each student and situation; they use different strategies to address student needs and to improve school and district-wide support systems. School psychologists work with students individually and in groups. They also develop programs to train teachers and parents about effective teaching and learning strategies, techniques to manage behavior at home and in the classroom, working with students with disabilities or with special talents, addressing abuse of drugs and other substances, and preventing and managing crises.
Professional Practices That Permeate All Aspects of Service Delivery
Data-based decision making and accountability - Knowledge of varied models and methods of assessment and data collection for identifying strengths and needs, developing effective services and programs, and measuring progress and outcomes.
Consultation and collaboration - Knowledge of varied models and strategies for consultation, collaboration, and communication applicable to individuals, families, groups, and systems, and methods to promote effective implementation of services.
Direct and Indirect Services for Children, Families and Schools
Interventions and instructional support to develop academic skills - Knowledge of biological, cultural, and social influences on academic skills; learning, cognitive, and developmental processes; and evidence-based curricula and instructional strategies.
Interventions and mental health services to develop social and life skills - Knowledge of biological, cultural, and social influences on behavior and mental health; behavioral and emotional impacts on learning and life skills; and evidence-based strategies to promote social-emotional functioning and mental health.
School-wide practices to promote learning - Knowledge of school and systems structure, organization, and theory; general and special education; technology resources; and evidence-based school practices that promotes learning and mental health.
Preventive and responsive services - Knowledge of principles and research related to resilience and risk factors in learning and mental health; services in schools and communities to support multi-tiered prevention, and evidence-based strategies for effective crisis response.
Family-school collaboration services - Knowledge of principles and research related to family systems, strengths, needs, and culture; evidence-based strategies to support family influences on children’s learning and mental health; and strategies to develop collaboration between families and schools.
Foundations of School Psychological Service Delivery
Diversity in development and learning - Knowledge of individual differences, abilities, disabilities, and other diverse characteristics; principles and research related to diversity factors for children, families, and schools, including factors related to culture, context, and individual and role differences; and evidence-based strategies to enhance services and address potential influences related to diversity.
Research and program evaluation - Knowledge of research design, statistics, measurement, varied data collection and analysis techniques, and program evaluation sufficient for understanding research and interpreting data in applied settings.
Legal, ethical, and professional practice - Knowledge of the history and foundations of school psychology; multiple service models and methods; ethical, legal, and professional standards; and other factors related to professional identity and effective practice as school psychologists.
School psychologists help children and youth succeed academically, socially, and emotionally. They collaborate with educators, parents, and other professionals to create safe, healthy, and supportive learning environments for all students that strengthen connections between home and school.
School psychologists work to find the best solution for each student and situation; they use different strategies to address student needs and to improve school and district-wide support systems. School psychologists work with students individually and in groups. They also develop programs to train teachers and parents about effective teaching and learning strategies, techniques to manage behavior at home and in the classroom, working with students with disabilities or with special talents, addressing abuse of drugs and other substances, and preventing and managing crises.
Professional Practices That Permeate All Aspects of Service Delivery
Data-based decision making and accountability - Knowledge of varied models and methods of assessment and data collection for identifying strengths and needs, developing effective services and programs, and measuring progress and outcomes.
Consultation and collaboration - Knowledge of varied models and strategies for consultation, collaboration, and communication applicable to individuals, families, groups, and systems, and methods to promote effective implementation of services.
Direct and Indirect Services for Children, Families and Schools
Interventions and instructional support to develop academic skills - Knowledge of biological, cultural, and social influences on academic skills; learning, cognitive, and developmental processes; and evidence-based curricula and instructional strategies.
Interventions and mental health services to develop social and life skills - Knowledge of biological, cultural, and social influences on behavior and mental health; behavioral and emotional impacts on learning and life skills; and evidence-based strategies to promote social-emotional functioning and mental health.
School-wide practices to promote learning - Knowledge of school and systems structure, organization, and theory; general and special education; technology resources; and evidence-based school practices that promotes learning and mental health.
Preventive and responsive services - Knowledge of principles and research related to resilience and risk factors in learning and mental health; services in schools and communities to support multi-tiered prevention, and evidence-based strategies for effective crisis response.
Family-school collaboration services - Knowledge of principles and research related to family systems, strengths, needs, and culture; evidence-based strategies to support family influences on children’s learning and mental health; and strategies to develop collaboration between families and schools.
Foundations of School Psychological Service Delivery
Diversity in development and learning - Knowledge of individual differences, abilities, disabilities, and other diverse characteristics; principles and research related to diversity factors for children, families, and schools, including factors related to culture, context, and individual and role differences; and evidence-based strategies to enhance services and address potential influences related to diversity.
Research and program evaluation - Knowledge of research design, statistics, measurement, varied data collection and analysis techniques, and program evaluation sufficient for understanding research and interpreting data in applied settings.
Legal, ethical, and professional practice - Knowledge of the history and foundations of school psychology; multiple service models and methods; ethical, legal, and professional standards; and other factors related to professional identity and effective practice as school psychologists.