Plugging Into the ESSA, MTSS, and the NASP Practice Model Crosswalk:
A Planning Worksheet for State and Local Associations—EXAMPLE
The worksheet below is to be used with the NASP Crosswalk between ESSA, MTSS, essential school practices, and the broad role of school psychologists working
within the scope of services delineated in the NASP Practice Model. State and local school psychology associations can use the worksheet to begin to identify
opportunities, resources, needed capacities and next steps to shaping the role of school psychologists within ESSA implementation efforts in their state.
Essential School
Practices
1. Effective,
coordinated use
of data that
informs
instruction,
student and
school outcomes,
and school
accountability
Relevant State or Local
Laws and Programs
(Risks and Opportunities)
SL 151: State law requiring
schools to track and report
incidents of bullying and put in
place anti-bullying and
harassment strategies
Opportunity: law specifically
references mh services as a
prevention strategy. ESSA may
make more funding available
for this. DoE is establishing a
taskforce to make state-wide
recommendations
Risk: MFTs have been
identified as a potential source
for anti-bullying expertise
Examples of Relevant
School Psychological
Services
Skilled in needs assessment
and universal screening
appropriate to the learning
context
Able to recommend
appropriate strategies based
on the data
Contribution to developmental
prevention programs
Ongoing consultation with
school staff
Delivery of parent, teacher
inservices
Implementation of social-skills
and restorative justice efforts
to reduce bullying behavior
Objective of Advocacy
Efforts (Ask and Key
Messages)
A school psychologist is
appointed to the taskforce
Association Capacities, Action
Steps, Key Participants (Doers)
and Stakeholders
Capacities: Ongoing relationship
with members of school safety
subcommittee in state legislature
SP’s are specifically named as
key professionals to address
Local university has a bullying
bullying prevention/intervention prevention research center
(possibly partner??)
State legislature directs
additional funds from ESSA to
New school safety position
this effort
statement
For members: members
advocate at the local level to
ensure that appropriate funds
are directed toward schoolemployed professionals rather
than contracting agencies
Active social media platform to
engage members and get messages
out
Draft Key Message:
Past-president will reach out to
chair of SS subcommittee
School employed mh
professionals are a readily
accessible, sustainable resource
for bullying prevention who can
link such programming to
learning
Key stakeholders (school
counselors and principals)
Advocacy committee will develop
talking points for members to use
and a factsheet for the website
Essential School
Practices
Relevant State or Local
Laws and Programs
(Risks and Opportunities)
2.Comprehensive, State Policy: Adoption of
rigorous curricula Common Core Standards
provided to ALL
State Law: Requirement for all
students
schools to implement bullying
prevention program
Examples of Relevant
School Psychological
Services
School psychologists are
skilled in consultation and
collaboration to assist with
selecting, implementing, and
evaluating the efficacy of
academic, social, emotional,
and behavioral curricula
School psychologists
understand that diversity in
development and learning
greatly impacts educational
outcomes and can work with
administrators, teachers, and
other professionals to design
educational opportunities to
meet the needs of all students
Objective of Advocacy
Efforts (Ask and Key
Messages)
School psychologists are
involved in state level task
forces and planning teams
State legislature allocates
funding to facilitate the
implementation of researchbased curricula
School psychologists advocate
for the implementation of
rigorous curricula across a
variety of domains, including
advocating for the
implementation of traumainformed curriculum and
instructional practices
School psychologists are named
as key professionals to facilitate
the implementation of rigorous
curricula in a variety of
academic, social/emotional, and
behavioral domains
Association Capacities, Action
Steps, Key Participants (Doers)
and Stakeholders
State association develops position
statements and advocacy tools to
support members in advocating at
the state and local level
State association provide
professional development related
to the implementation of the
common core standards and
implications for practice
State association collaborates with
university researchers to develop
professional development
resources for school psychologists
related to trauma-informed service
delivery with an emphasis on
building capacity for school
psychologists to train teachers,
administrators, and other
professionals
Members utilize resources and key
messages developed by state
association leadership to advocate
at the local level for the role of the
school psychologist in the
implementation of bullying
prevention programs
Key Stakeholders: Administrators,
Parent groups, University
Essential School
Practices
3. Effective
coordination of
services across
systems and
within schools
4. Use of
evidence-based
comprehensive
learning supports
5. Integration of
comprehensive
school mental
and behavioral
health services
into learning
supports
Relevant State or Local
Laws and Programs
(Risks and Opportunities)
Examples of Relevant
School Psychological
Services
Objective of Advocacy
Efforts (Ask and Key
Messages)
Association Capacities, Action
Steps, Key Participants (Doers)
and Stakeholders
State Initiative: Grant to
support implementation of
MTSS with an emphasis on the
integration of academic and
social/emotional/behavioral
initiatives
School psychologists
understand the intersection
between mental and
behavioral health and the
impact on academic
achievement and learning and
have the skills necessary to
collaborate effectively with
teachers, administrators, and
other school staff at the
individual, group, and systemslevel
School psychologists are
identified as a required member
of the MTSS implementation
team in each building/district
State association provides
professional development and
resources to advance school
psychologists’ knowledge of their
role within the multi-tiered system
Risk: Some school
psychologists and other
stakeholders perceive the role
of the SP to be narrowly
focused on special education
evaluation and service delivery
rather than on universal,
systems-level initiatives
Opportunity: State initiatives
require that schools identify a
leadership team and on-site
facilitator to lead
implementation efforts
Risk: Some school
psychologists do perceive
themselves as providers of Tier
3 mental and behavioral health
School psychologists have
skills necessary to develop,
monitor and evaluate
universal academic and
social/emotional and
behavioral interventions
School psychologists are
trained in the development,
implementation and
evaluation of individualized
interventions and are able to
effectively consult and
School psychologists are
recognized as qualified
providers of mental and
behavioral health services
across tiers of service delivery
School psychologists and the
state association are
represented on the state’s MTSS
Stakeholder’s Council
Key Message: As schoolemployed mental health
professionals, school
psychologists have the skills
necessary to provide direct and
indirect services within a
comprehensive system.
State association develops position
statements and guidance
documents with specific examples
of how the skills school
psychologists fit within the multitiered system
School psychologists work with
state leaders to provide training to
school teams on the role of the
school-employed mental health
professional within the multi-tiered
system
State association provides
professional development to school
psychologists to increase their
capacity to provide research-based
mental and behavioral health
interventions
Essential School
Practices
Relevant State or Local
Laws and Programs
(Risks and Opportunities)
Examples of Relevant
School Psychological
Services
services and these services are
often contracted out to other
mental health professionals
who are not specifically trained
to provide services in schools
(i.e. LCSWs, LCPCs, etc.)
collaborate with other
educators to support students
with intensive academic
and/or mental and behavioral
health needs in a variety of
settings
Objective of Advocacy
Efforts (Ask and Key
Messages)
Association Capacities, Action
Steps, Key Participants (Doers)
and Stakeholders
Identified stakeholders: School
administrators and directors of
special education; School
counselors
Opportunity: State initiatives
clearly identify mental and
behavioral health interventions
at Tier 3 that can be provided
by school psychologists (i.e.
FBA and PBIP development,
group or individual counseling,
etc.)
6. Integration of
school climate
and safety efforts
into school
improvement
efforts
7. Provision of
high quality,
relevant
professional
development
8. Maintain a
Comprehensive
Accountability
System
Download the actual Crosswalk and the Crosswalk Worksheet at www.nasponline.org/practice-model/ESSA-MTSS-crosswalk