The NASP Practice Model:
A Model for Comprehensive and Integrated School Psychological Services
Exhibit C
Assessing the Climate for NASP Practice Model Advocacy
Key Questions
Findings
I. Current Climate
A. Key Questions: Professional Status
¾ What is the current perception of the need and value of
school psychologists and school psychological
services?
¾ How are school psychologists generally regarded in the
district/state by different stakeholder groups (teachers,
principals, parents, central administrators)?
¾ What have school psychologists proactively done to
establish their value and worth as service providers for
all students in the school district/state?
¾ What current data reflecting the role and value of school
psychologists is being collected or already exists?
¾ How have school psychologists been involved in key
educational reform and accountability initiatives (e.g.
school improvement efforts, RTI, PBIS, progress
monitoring, etc.)?
¾ To what extent do school psychologists in your
state/district already follow the 2000 NASP standards for
professional practice?
A) Completely or nearly completely
b) Somewhat
c) Not at all
¾ What domains of the 2010 NASP Practice Model are
consistently practiced by school psychologists in your
state/district?
NASP Advocacy Roadmap/ NASP Practice Model/Exhibit C Assessing Adv Climate
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Key Questions
Findings
¾ What else could school psychologists be doing in the
district/state? (Think about domains/roles not yet
explored or embraced.)
¾ In what ways do school psychologists collaborate with
other school or community-employed professionals to
provide comprehensive and coordinated services for
children and families?
¾ What are the unique services and supports that school
psychologists provide that are not provided by other
school-employed professionals? How are these unique
services perceived by school administrators?
¾ What efforts to promote best practices in school
psychology and school psychological services have
practitioners engaged in over the years?
¾ What more can be done to promote the implementation
of the 2010 NASP Practice Model?
B. Key Questions: Threats & Risks
¾ What are the current threats or risks to the
implementation of the NASP Practice Model for school
psychologists? (e.g. finances/budget cuts, loss of
reputation, narrowing of role, school reform efforts, etc.)
¾ Are these threats real or perceived? Evidence?
¾ Are there any current efforts or initiatives going on to
prevent position cuts and/or/cuts to school psychological
services (e.g. material use reduction, travel freezes,
reduction in support for professional development, etc.)
¾ Are guild issues a current threat? If so, how are they
perceived by others?
¾ What other professionals in the district might assume
some of the roles of school psychologists if cuts do
occur?
¾ What other professionals outside of the district might
NASP Advocacy Roadmap/ NASP Practice Model/Exhibit C Assessing Adv Climate
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Key Questions
assume some of the roles of school psychologists if cuts
do occur? (e.g. school based health clinics, local mental
health agencies, privately employed clinical
psychologists, etc.)
C. Key Questions: Job Stability
¾ Are school psychologists at risk for losing their jobs?
YES or NO
¾ If so, are individuals and/or the profession targeted for
cuts?
o Whole Group (e.g. 40% of existing school psych
positions being cut)
o Individuals (e.g. All employees with only 1 year of
experience are being terminated.)
o Across the board cuts (e.g. Every department is
required to cut 2% of their staff.)
o Shifting to contractual services (e.g. contracting for
specific activities and services provided by
alternative providers vs. comprehensive services by
existing employees)
o Reduction in the qualifications required for school
psychologist (e.g. replacing SP with lower skilled
educational diagnosticians, paraprofessionals, etc.)
¾ What role changes are being experienced? Are these
changes narrowing or expanding the role? How are
school psychologists reacting to these changes?
¾ When a school psychologist retires, what typically
happens to their position?
¾ How have the organizational principles in the 2000
professional practice standards or the 2010 NASP
Practice Model been helpful in protecting establishing
policies and practices related to workload, supervision,
professional development and other workforce related
Findings
NASP Advocacy Roadmap/ NASP Practice Model/Exhibit C Assessing Adv Climate
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Key Questions
Findings
issues?
II. Agency Profile and Priorities
SYSTEM/AGENCY
A. Key Questions: System Priorities & School
Psychologists
¾ What are the priorities and current initiatives of the
school district/state and how do school psychologists
connect to these priorities? (e.g. school improvement
plan, commitments to PBIS, RTI, early intervening
services, special education, drop out prevention, crisis
prevention and intervention, etc.)
¾ How are school psychologists demonstrating leadership
in areas related to administrator priorities and initiatives?
¾ How are the advocacy efforts of school psychologists
being used to create awareness of the NASP Practice
Model? (e.g. presentations to the Board of Education,
district/state newsletter articles, community media
outlets, etc.)? How have these efforts been received?
B. Key Questions: Decision Making
¾ How are school psychologists included in decision
making at the district/state level?
¾ Is there an advocate who is part of the central
administration planning team that will speak on behalf of
school psychologists? (Such as Director of
Psychological Services, school psychology consultant,
pupil services or special education director)
o If yes, what communication and decision making is
currently occurring with that leader? What resources
or information does this leader need in order to best
represent school psychologists?
o If No, who, in a leadership position, can you build a
relationship with that you can ask for support from?
NASP Advocacy Roadmap/ NASP Practice Model/Exhibit C Assessing Adv Climate
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Key Questions
Why are school psychologists important to their
work? What resources, materials, or data do they
need to best advocate for your role and services?
C. Key Questions: Local School Board or State Board
¾ How familiar is the Board with the NASP Practice Model
and value of school psychologists?
¾ What presentations to the Board by school
psychologists have been made in the past, who
delivered them, and how were they received?
¾ How can school psychologists use the Practice Model to
demonstrate alignment with the current priorities of the
Board?
¾ What Board member can you build a relationship with
who might advocate for the practice model as a guide
for school psychologists’ value during tight budget
periods?
STUDENTS/FAMILIES
A. Key Questions: Key Stakeholders
¾ How can school psychologists use the NASP Practice
Model to highlight the role of school psychologists in
helping to remedy problems faced by
students/families/school personnel/district?
¾ How does the NASP Practice Model describe school
psychological services that benefit the whole school
population? Special or vulnerable populations?
Teachers and administrators?
¾ What students/parents/families can you ask to help
advocate for your services (e.g. share their story about
the value of your services and their fears if the services
are reduced or lost)
Findings
NASP Advocacy Roadmap/ NASP Practice Model/Exhibit C Assessing Adv Climate
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