1. School psychologists have a degree from
a university providing . an organized, sequential school psychology program in a
department of psychology or educational psychology, in a school of education, or an
administrative unit in a professional school.
2. In countries that have professional
associations of psychology or school psychology, the level of the degree (i.e.,
undergraduate, master's, doctoral degrees) and the nature of their preparation and work
qualify persons for membership within the association.
3. The school psychology program will be
accredited in those countries where accreditation is possible. Efforts should be made to
develop accreditation procedure when none exists.
4. School psychology programs embody the
following characteristics.
4.1 Programs offer an integrated,
organized sequence of study, one that places primary emphasis on psychology and provides a
strong emphasis on education.
4.2 The program has an identifiable
program faculty who have primary responsibility for the selection and evaluation of its
students, and the nature of the program.
4.3 A professional suitably qualified in
school psychology is administratively responsible for the program.
4.4 The program has an identifiable body
of students who have been accepted into the program, having met acceptable entrance
guidelines.
4.5 Patterns of academic and professional
preparation in school psychology are consistent with current research and literature,
current and emerging roles to be performed, and services to be provided. In addition,
preparation will prepare practitioners for work with the ages, developmental
characteristics, populations, problems, and issues found prominently in the schools and
other settings in which school psychologists are employed.
4.6 The program of study includes a core
curriculum that contains academic content in basic areas of psychology and education,
professional content important to the practice of school psychology, and information
relevant to work in culturally diverse settings.
4.7 Professional content provides
preparation, including supervised field experiences in assessment, intervention,
consultation, organizational and program development, supervision, and research.
4.8 Students acquire knowledge and
experiences working in various settings in which school psychological services may be
delivered. These may include schools, homes, clinics, agencies, hospitals, and other
institutions. Practices may include individual, group, and organizational work in public
and privately supported settings.
4.9 Students acquire knowledge of various
assessment models and methods including psychological, behavioral (including task
analysis), social systems, medical, and ecological models. Individual and group assessment
methods focus on persons as well as contextual and environmental features that may
influence their behaviors. Assessment methods typically view behavior as a result of
interactions between persons and their environments.
5. Assessment refers to educational,
social, psychological, neuropsychological, language, and vocational assessment,
evaluation, and diagnosis of infants, children, youth, and adults.
5.1 Assessments may occur within various
contexts including schools, families, social service agencies, hospitals, detention and
rehabilitation settings.
5.2 Procedures include but are not limited
to reviewing existing records, observing, screening, interviewing, and testing.
5.3 A primary goal of assessment is to
accurately describe intellectual, academic, affective, social, personality, temperament,
adaptive, language, psychomotor, vocational, and neuropsychological development and status
as well as values. Other important goals of assessment are to assist in determining the
etiology of disorders, in planning and evaluating interventions, and in preventing the
onset of disabling conditions.
6. School psychologists are involved in
various forms of interventions in order to help promote development, to acquire and best
utilize personal, school, family, and community resources, and to minimize difficulties
and disorders.
6.1 Interventions involving infants,
children, youth, and adults may be designed to facilitate their development in one or more
of the following areas: intellectual, academic, affective, social, personality,
temperament, adaptive, language, psychomotor, vocational, and neuropsychological
development and status as well as values.
6.2 Interventions often involve school
psychologists working directly with individuals, groups, or systems, or indirectly (e.g.,
through consultation) with teachers, principals, and other educational personnel, parents
and other family members, as well as other professionals and paraprofessionals. In
addition, school psychologists serve as liaison between school and other community,
regional, and national agencies.
6.3 Interventions may be directed toward
promoting well being and preventing the onset of problems (i.e., primary prevention),
minimizing difficulties once they occur (i.e., secondary prevention), and stabilizing
disabilities and working to ensure basic and needed services are provided to those who can
be expected to manifest one or more disabling conditions over some years (i.e., tertiary
prevention).
6.4 Direct services include but are not
limited to counseling and other forms of therapeutic services, teaching, tutoring, and
other interventions in which a school psychologist personally works with one or more
individuals in need of services. Indirect services include but are not restricted to
assessment and program planning, providing pre-service and inservice professional
preparation, supervision, consultation, collaboration, research and evaluation, and other
methods by which needed services are delivered by others with the assistance of school
psychologists.
7. Consultation generally refers to the
provision of school psychological services using indirect methods to deliver services.
7.1 Consultation services typically
recognize and emphasize the importance of using cooperative and collaborative methods to
address problems. Consultation services may be offered to teachers and other educational
personnel, other professionals, religious and other community leaders, parents, and
government officials at the local, regional, national, and international levels.
Consultation often involves school psychologists participating with other professionals,
parents, students, and others as members of a team.
7.2 Consultation services encourage
participation in ways to promote knowledge of psychology and education and their proper
applications to enhance growth and development. Consultation services may include
providing assistance in planning and evaluating programs to better utilize or advance
cognitive, affective, social, emotional, adaptive, language, psychomotor,
neuropsychological, and vocational abilities and well-being. Consultation services also
may be directed toward enhancing the understanding and ability of teachers,
administrators, and parents to promote development. Consultation services strive to create
positive climates within which to live, work, and learn.
8. Organizational and program development
services are provided to schools, school districts, agencies, as well as other
organizations and administrative units at local, regional, national, and international
levels. Services may include assessment and evaluation, interventions, coordination,
program planning, curriculum and instructional development and evaluation, and
consultation. Typical goals include promoting and strengthening the coordination,
administration, planning, and evaluation of services within one unit or between two or
more units responsible for serving infants, children, youth, or adults. Organizational and
program development services provided by school psychologists typically focus on
educational, psychological, and social issues.
9. Supervision refers to professional
services provided by those with advanced preparation and experience who are able to assume
responsibility and accountability for the provision of school psychological services.
9.1 The level and extent of supervision
depend on the nature of the services being delivered, the professional expertise and
personal qualities manifested by other staff members, together with other job and
administrative duties and responsibilities.
9.2 The administrative unit responsible
for providing school psychological services is directed by a school psychologist who also
is responsible for supervising the activities of school psychologists working within this
unit.
10. School psychologists along with those
responsible for financial, administrative, and programmatic influence on school
psychological services are accountable for the delivery of school psychological services
in an effective and efficient manner. Accountability involves self-evaluations together
with evaluations at the programmatic and institutional levels. Evaluations involve both
the providers and consumers of services, including professional, paraprofessional, and
clerical staff, students, parents, and persons within the community. A primary goal of the
accountability process is to help ensure the effective and efficient delivery of school
psychological services.
11. School psychologists are committed to
a service delivery model in which research and theory form a primary basis for practice.
They can be expected to be knowledgeable of research relevant to practice and guide their
services accordingly. In addition, school psychologists are expected to contribute to
research and theory by actively engaging in research, evaluation, professional writing,
and other scholarly activities intended to advance knowledge and its applications relevant
to school psychology.
12. School psychologists are knowledgeable
of legislation, public policies, and administrative rulings that guide the delivery of
psychological and educational services. They provide their services in ways consistent
with these provisions. In addition, they work to insure suitable laws that promote school
psychology services are enacted and enforced.
13. School psychologists are knowledgeable
of professional codes of ethics that guide their profession, provide services in ways
consistent with these ethics, and work to insure their continued relevancy.
14. School psychologists continue their
professional development in ways that help insure their practices are consistent with
current knowledge, legislation, and codes of professional practice and conduct.