SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGY:
A Career That
Makes a Difference
© 2003 National Association of School Psychologists
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
Why Children Need School Psychologists
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Learning difficulties
Behavior concerns
Fears about war, violence, terrorism
Problems at home or with peers
Depression and other mental health issues
Attention problems
Poverty
Diverse populations with diverse needs
What Do School Psychologists Do?
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Assessment
Consultation
Prevention
Intervention
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
•Learning aptitudes and styles
•Personality and emotional development
•Social skills and behavior issues
•Learning environments, school climate
•Special education eligibility
Consultation
• Help teachers, parents, and administrators
understand child development and learning
• Provide positive alternatives for helping
children with learning and behavior problems
• Strengthen working relationships among
educators, parents, and community services
Prevention
• Implement programs to build positive
connections between students and adults
• Identify potential learning difficulties early
• Design programs for children at risk
• Help adults to address problem behavior(s)
• Foster tolerance and appreciation of diversity
• Create safe, supportive learning
environments
Intervention
• Work face-to-face with children and families
• Develop individualized solutions for learning
and adjustment
• Plan and implement crisis response
• Provide
– Counseling
– Social skills training
– Behavior management solutions
Education
Train teachers and parents in:
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Teaching and learning strategies
Parenting techniques
Classroom management techniques
Working with exceptional students
Strategies to address substance abuse and
risky behaviors
• Crisis prevention and response
Research and Program Development
• Recommend and implement evidence-based
programs and strategies
• Generate new knowledge of learning and
behavior
• Evaluate effectiveness of programs and
interventions
• Contribute to school-wide reform and
restructuring
Mental Health Care
• Deliver school-linked mental health services
• Coordinate with community resources and
health care providers
• Partner with parents and teachers to create
healthy school environments
Advocacy
NASP and state professional associations are
dedicated to advocacy
School Psychologists Encourage/Sponsor
• Appropriate education placements
• Education reform
• Legislative involvement
• Community services and programs
• Funding for adequate resources
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?
• 70% are:
– women
– over 40 years of age
• 45% work in suburban school districts
• 30% work in urban school districts
• 25% work in rural school districts
(Curtis et al., 1999, 2002)
“When I review my career, what
stands out most is helping parents of
different cultures view the school as a
helpful resource to successfully
address the needs of their children.”
--Robin Satchell, School Psychologist,
Anne Arundel County, MD
Ethnicity of School Psychologists
Ethnicity
%
White/Caucasian
Hispanic/Latino
Chicano/Mexican-American
Puerto Rican
91.0
1.7
0.9
0.8
Black/African-American
Asian-American/Pacific Islander
2.4
1.1
American Indian/Alaskan Native
Other
0.6
3.2
Source: 2003 NASP membership survey (69% response rate)
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., 2002)
Source: 2000 U.S. Census
Career Opportunities
• Wide gap between ethnicity of practicing
school psychologists and students served
• Serious need for more ethnic and linguistic
diversity in the field
• Pending retirements will lead to shortage of
qualified practitioners
• Current shortage of qualified university
faculty in school psychology
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
“Each day is different. Each
situation is challenging and
unique.”
--Charles Deupree, School
Psychologist, Ionia, MI
So how do I become a School
Psychologist?
Undergraduate Training
• Must complete a Bachelor’s degree
• Consider an education or psychology major
• 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
In most states, certification as a school psychologist
requires training beyond the Master’s degree.
• Specialist or Educational Specialist (EdS)
• Certificate of Advanced Graduate Standing (CAGS)
• Advanced Graduate Studies Certificate (AGS)
- or -
• Doctorate (PhD, PsyD or EdD)
Graduate Training
Program Length
• Specialist/CAGS/AGS: 3 years (60 hours)
of full-time training
• Doctorate: 5 years or more, plus dissertation
• One-year, full-time internship embedded in
training programs at both levels. At least
half of the internship (600) hours 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
Consultation skills
Diversity or multiculturalism
Choosing a Graduate Program
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Specialist vs. Doctoral degree
NASP and/or APA approval
Size and location
Department of Education or Psychology
Theoretical orientation
Specialties (e.g., early childhood, deaf/blind)
Research opportunities
Financial support (assistantships/fellowships)
Applying to a Graduate Program
• GRE: Graduate Record Exam
• Some programs may require
GRE—Psychology
• Undergraduate transcripts
• Letters of recommendation
• Personal statement(s)
• Research interests
NASP-ERT Minority Scholarship
Program
• To foster diversity among professional
school psychologists, NASP offers an
annual $5,000 scholarship to minority
students pursuing careers in school
psychology
• Only students newly entering graduate
training in school psychology are
considered for the scholarship
• For more information or an application, see
www.nasponline.org/about_nasp/minority.html
“School psychology seemed the
perfect career to positively impact
children’s learning and
psychological health, and to reach
those who might otherwise be
missed by the mental health system.”
--Sonya Lanier, Graduate Student, University
of Maryland, College Park
“School Psychology is like growing a
garden, because you have to do a lot of
ground work before you can see the
rewards and see growth … with the
children, staff, and community, but the
results are definitely worth it!”
--Sarah D’Elia, EdS, School Psychologist,
Braintree, MA
“Working within the school setting
creates the possibility [of] having a
positive impact not only by working
directly with students but also by
consulting with teachers and
administrators.”
--Lorrie Wizda, School Psychologist,
Baltimore City, MD
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 “hot professions” for 2002 by US
News and World Report
http://www.usnews.com/usnews/work/articles/020218/18tracks.htm#school
What types of salaries do School
Psychologists receive?
• National average annual salary: $50,000
• Doctoral level school psychologists on
average earn about $5,000 more annually
than Specialist level school psychologists
• Salaries for school psychologists vary
according to state and regional differences
Results from 1999 NASP membership survey (Thomas, 2000)
FAQ: How does a School Psychologist differ
from a school counselor?
School Counselor
School Psychologist
Usually 1 yr grad school
At least 3 yrs grad school
Trained in ed./teaching
Trained in ed./psychology
Teaching degree
sometimes required
Usually work in one
school (specialized age
group)
Course selection, career
prep, district testing
Teaching degree not
required
Often responsible for
several schools (K-12) and
can work in other settings
Assessment, consultation,
interventions, severe cases
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 and
education
– 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
Recommended Resources
Curtis, M. J., Hunley, S.A., Walker, K. J., & Baker,
A. C. (1999). Demographic characteristics and
professional practices in school psychology. School
Psychology Review, 28, 104-116.
Curtis, M.J., Chesno Grier, J.E., Walker Abshier, D.,
Sutton, N.T., & Hunley, S. (2002). School
psychology: Turning the corner into the twentyfirst century. Communique, 30, 1.
Fagan, T. K., & Wise, P. S. (2000). School
psychology: Past, present, and future. Bethesda:
NASP.
Recommended Resources (cont’d)
Hosp, J. L., & Reschly, D. J. (2002). Regional
differences in school psychology practice. School
Psychology Review, 31, 11-29.
Thomas, A. (2000). School Psychology 2000:
Average salary data. Communique, 28, 28.
Thomas, A. & Grimes, J. (2002). Best practices in
school psychology IV. Bethesda: NASP.
For more information, contact:
National Association of School Psychologists
(301) 657-0270
www.nasponline.org
NASP Staff Contributors
Kathy Cowan
Meaghan Curran
Ted Feinberg
Mary Beth Klotz
Linda Morgan
Libby Nealis
Summer 2003
© 2003 National Association of School Psychologists,
4340 East West Highway, Suite 402, Bethesda, MD 20814 – 301-657-0270