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SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGY:
A Career That
Makes a Difference
© 2007 National Association of School Psychologists
“I enjoy building trusting and caring
relationships with students, which I
strongly believe promotes learning and
positive choices in their future.”
--Claudia Rodriquez, School Psychologist,
Huntington Beach, CA
If you want to …
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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 …
School Psychology
could be the career for you!
What is a School Psychologist?
School Psychologists understand that
all children learn when given:
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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
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
When Do Children Need A School
Psychologist?
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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
What Is the Role of a School Psychologist?
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Assessment
Consultation for student and systems-level change
Prevention
Intervention
Staff, parent, and student education
Research and program development
Mental health care
Advocacy
Assessment
School psychologists work with children, parents
and staff to help determine a child’s:
•Academic skills
•Instructional level
•Learning aptitudes, strengths, and weaknesses
•Personality and emotional development
•Social skills and behavioral concerns
•Learning environment
•School climate
•Special education eligibility
Consultation: Child-Centered
School psychologists:
• Provide knowledge to help improve student learning
and mental health outcomes
• Implement and manage academic and behavioral
interventions
• Help teachers, parents, and other professionals
understand a child’s development and learning
• Meet or communicate with others involved with a
child to determine the best way of managing or
improving a particular concern
Consultation: Consultee-Centered
School psychologists:
• Collaborate with teachers to help them identify
classroom-based problems and implement databased interventions
• Support implementation of effective instruction and
behavior management at the classroom level
• Assist parents to develop skills to help their children
succeed at home and in school
• Collaborate with the principal and other school
personnel to identify systemic concerns and promote
systems-level change
Prevention
School psychologists:
• Implement programs to build positive connections
between students and adults
• Support early identification of potential academic
skill deficits and/or learning difficulties
• Design and implement programs for at-risk
children
• Foster tolerance and appreciation of diversity
• Create safe, supportive learning environments
Intervention
School psychologists:
• Work directly with children, teachers,
administrators, and families
• Develop individualized classroom, and school-wide
interventions 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
Education
School psychologists provide teachers and parents
training 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
Research and Program Development
School psychologists:
• Recommend and implement evidence-based
programs and strategies
• Conduct school-based research to inform
practice
• Evaluate effectiveness of programs and
interventions independently and as part of a
school-based consultation team
• Contribute to school-wide reform and
restructuring
Mental Health Care
School psychologists:
• Deliver school-based mental health services such
as group, individual and crisis counseling
• Coordinate with community resources and health
care 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
Advocacy
NASP and state professional associations are
dedicated to advocacy. School psychologists
encourage and sponsor:
• Appropriate education placements
• Education reform
• Legislative involvement
• Community services and programs
• Funding for adequate resources
• Employment of highly qualified school personnel
Where Do School Psychologists Work?
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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
Who Are Today’s School Psychologists?
• 74% are women
• 47.5% are over 50 years of age
• Employed:
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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)
“As a Diné (Navajo) school psychologist,
I am working back in my ancestral
homeland with 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, EdS,
School Psychologist, Chinle, AZ
Ethnicity of School Psychologists
Ethnicity
White/Caucasian
Hispanic/Latino
Black/African-American
Asian-American/Pacific Islander
American Indian/Alaskan Native
Other
Source: 2004-2005 NASP membership survey
%
92.6
3.0
1.9
0.9
0.8
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Ethnicity of the U.S. Population
Ethnicity
%
White/Caucasian
70.7
Hispanic/Latino
12.5
Black/African-American
12.3
Asian-American/Pacific Islander
3.6
American Indian/Alaskan Native
0.9
Source: 2000 U.S. Census
Ethnicity Comparison
Caucasian
Hispanic/
Latino
African
American
Asian
American
American
Indian
U.S. Population
School Psychologists
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
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., 2006)
Source: 2000 U.S. Census
“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, School Psychologist,
Dartmouth, MA
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
States With Most Serious Shortages
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Alabama
Kentucky
Mississippi
Tennessee
(Hosp & Reschly, 2002)
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Arkansas
Louisiana
Oklahoma
Texas
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
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, welleducated children
So how do I become a School
Psychologist?
Undergraduate Training
• Must complete a Bachelor’s degree
• Consider an education, psychology or related field
• Take courses in
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Child development
General and child psychology
Statistics, measurement, and research
Philosophy and theory of education
Instruction and curriculum
Special education
Graduate Training
Degree Options
• Education Specialist
– In most states, certification as a school psychologist
requires training at the specialist level.
– Specialist-level training includes 60 graduate semester
credits in school psychology
– Specialist-level degrees can be identified by several
acronyms including; Educational Specialist (EdS), Masters
(MA, MS, MEd) and Certificate of Advanced Graduate
Studies (CAGS/CAS) etc.
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• Doctorate (PhD, PsyD or EdD)
Graduate Training
Program Length
• Specialist-level: 3-4 years (60+ semester credit
hours) of full-time training including a 1200-hour
internship*
• Doctorate: 5+ years or more (90+ semester credit
hours) of full-time training including a minimum
1500-hour internship*, and dissertation
– *At least (600) hours of the internship must be
completed in a school setting.
Graduate Coursework
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Normal and abnormal development
School organizational systems
Learning theory
Counseling theory and practice
Statistics and research
Applied behavior analysis
Psychological assessment and intervention
Consultation skills
Diversity and multiculturalism
Choosing a Graduate Program
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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)
Applying to a Graduate Program
• GRE: Graduate Record Exam
– Some programs may require the GRE—
Psychology
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Undergraduate transcripts
Letters of recommendation
Personal statement(s)
Practice or research interests
NASP-ERT Minority Scholarship
Program
• To foster diversity among professional
school psychologists, NASP offers annual
$5,000 scholarships to minority students
pursuing careers in school psychology
• Only students who are NASP members and
pursuing specialist-level graduate training
in school psychology are considered for the
award
• For more information or an application, see
www.nasponline.org/about_nasp/minority.aspx
“Being a school psychologist means
providing equitable education for all
students and supporting their social,
emotional, and academic needs.”
--Wendy Scott, EdS, NCSP
School Psychologist, Vista, CA
“School psychology is a career that
uniquely offers daily challenges and
rewards, all within a collaborative
setting.”
--Allison Nebbergall, Graduate Student
University of Maryland –College Park
QUESTIONS?
How is the job market for School
Psychologists?
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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 “best careers” for 2007 by US News and
World Report
www.usnews.com/usnews/biztech/articles/061218/18schoolpsych.summary.htm
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 the specialist
level is $287.00 and $350.00 at the doctoral level.
– However, many school systems do not make salary
distinctions between doctoral and non-doctoral
school psychologists.
• Salaries for school psychologists vary by state and
region.
(Curtis et al., 2007)
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
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
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, education
or child development
– 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
“In School Psychology I found a way to
indulge my interest in schools,
psychology, sociology, leadership, and
team work.”
--Ryan Estrellado, School Psychologist,
Chula Vista, CA
Recommended Resources
Curtis, M. J., Lopez, A.D., Batsche, G. M., & Smith,
J. C. (2006, March). School psychology 2005: A
national perspective. Paper presented at the annual
convention of the National Association of School
Psychologists, Anaheim, CA.
Curtis, M. J., Lopez, A. D., Batsche, G. M., Minch,
D., & Abshier, D. (2007, March). Status report on
school psychology: A national perspective. Paper
presented at the annual convention of the National
Association of School Psychologists, New York
City.
Recommended Resources (cont’d)
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.
For more information, contact:
National Association of School Psychologists
(301) 657-0270
www.nasponline.org
NASP Staff Contributors
Summer 2003
Kathy Cowan
Meaghan Curran
Ted Feinberg
Mary Beth Klotz
Linda Morgan
Libby Nealis
Winter 2006
Kathy Cowan
Ted Feinberg
Linda Morgan
Mary Beth Klotz
Myriah
Rosengarten
Arlene Silva
Summer 2007
Joan Bohmann
Jeff Charvat
Anna Peña