New Affiliate Organizations
The Executive Committee of ISPA at their midyear meeting in July, 2004, voted unanimously to accept the Russian Federation of Education Psychologists as a National Affilliate Association. There are 5600 members in this organization.
The
goals of the Association, as described in the Constitution and Bylaws:
1. Development of school psychology in Russia, consolidation of school psychologists'
efforts aimed at promoting humanistic values within Russian educational environment;
2. Effective implication of knowledge and experience of modern psychology to
the fulfillment of modern educational tasks;
Development of school psychology services as a systemic factor of Russian education'
modernization;
3. Contribution to improving the qualification and to enhancing self-fulfillment
and creative potential of Russian school psychologists;
4. Enhancing the professional status of school psychologists within the educational
system, protection of the psychologists' professional and social rights and
interests;
5. Contribution to improving psychological culture of the population.
ISPA is pleased to welcome the Russian
Federation of Educational
Psychologists
into our family of National Affiliate Organizations.
The New
Hampshire Association of School Psychologists (NHASP)
has become the first regional association to take advantage of the change in
the ISPA by-laws that now enables state, provincial, or regional school psychology
associations to become affiliate organizations.
NHASP was founded in 1982, and became the first association to bring together
school psychologists in the state. In the early years, the membership hovered
around 20. It now exceeds 160.
The Association organizes an annual fall conference, a winter workshop, and
a spring dinner, and it sponsors regional groups that meet informally frequently
throughout the school year to provide peer support and consultation.
NHASP's commitment to international school psychology is one of its unique features.
The entire NHASP leadership as well as many members who had never been involved
in state association activities worked hard to organize the 2000 ISPA colloquium
– a colloquium noteworthy for its hospitality as well as the fact that it was
held in conjunction with the governance meeting of the National Association
of School Psychologists. As a result of this colloquium, the bonds between NASP
and ISPA were strengthened. In addition, many NHASP members have maintained
their connection with ISPA, both by staying members of ISPA and volunteering
in ISPA activities. Peter Whelley, a co-planner of the 2000 Colloquium chairs
the Cal Catterall committee, and that committee membership also includes other
New Hampshire members of ISPA.
MassachusettsSchool Psychology Association has roughly 500 members and it has been incorporated since 1961, which makes it one of the older state school psychologist associations in the USA. The Association produces a newsletter and puts on annual conferences that are well attended. MSPA has a strong commitment to international school psychology. It has helped support the attendance of international representatives at ISPA colloquia and some of its members helped organize the 2000 ISPA colloquium in Durham, New Hampshire. In addition, Joan Walton, a former MSPA president who did volunteer work in El Salvador, persuaded the board to fund a school psychology position in that country for several years.
Wisconsin School Psychologists Association (WSPA).
The Illinois School Psychologists Association.
The Society for the Study of School Psychology has been accepted as an Affiliate Organization of ISPA.
The
Society for the Study of School Psychology (SSSP) is devoted to the promotion
of research on and about school psychology. This rather unique professional
society of about 100 members was established as the non-profit successor to
the privately-held Journal of School Psychology Corporation (JSP Inc.), founded
by a handful of pioneers in the early 1960s for the purpose of establishing
the first and then, only, scientific and professional journal in school psychology.
The Society uses income from the Journal of School Psychology to support several
programs designed to advance the school psychology profession through research.
Our intent in joining ISPA is to collaborate as a resource for school psychology
research internationally.
There are currently 81 members elected to SSSP, and they are connected to school
psychology either as researchers, academics, or practitioners.
The
purposes of SSSP are:
a) Advancement of basic and applied scientific research in all aspects of school
psychology; b) Dissemination of important research results to the general public,
scientists, academicians, and practitioners; and
c) Fostering communication about the profession of school psychology.
SSSP has supported the work of the Task Force on Evidence-Based Practice that
has developed a system of coding research on interventions. Further SSSP support
for evidence-based practice is anticipated, such as assisting graduate programs
to integrate evidence-based practice principles.
SSSP also has a small grant program to provide funds for research. SSSP sponsored
the 2003 School Psychology Research Collaboration Conference (SPRCC) held at
the NASP Annual Meeting. This conference brought together young scholars and
accomplished school psychology researcher-mentors for discussion and planning
of future scholarship. The conference provided an opportunity for dialogue about
research priorities and methods as well as support to early career researchers.
SSSP is planning a second young scholar's research collaboration conference
in August 2005 at the APA convention. For further information, please contact
Shane Jimerson at Jimerson@education.ucsb.edu.
For
further information about SSSP, the website address is:
http://www.sssponline.org
Journal
of School Psychology