I'm currently working at a private school where, in a months' time, two staff members have been arrested for crimes of a sexual nature. I'm trying to figure out where I can find some resources to help our community move forward - staff, students and parents. I'm less removed from the situation because I'm a newer staff member. However, a lot of staff are really struggling with it because the last former arrested staff person had been a member of the community for almost 30 years and was "well liked." Any potential places I can look for resources or support?

I will be finishing up my internship in a few months and am contemplating where to move with Philadelphia as my top choice at the moment. Philly school psychs— what has your experience been working there? Would you suggest it? TIA!

I am an LSSP in Texas and I need PD hours in cultural diversity or competency, and ethics. Does anyone know of online asynchronous courses that I can take for these?

Newbie (3 years) here…beating myself up for mistakes. Starting to think I’m too sensitive and hard on myself for this career. What’s the worst mistake you’ve made? Please help me feel better :(

Hi! I currently work in Southern California and love my job. My husband has gotten a job offer in Florida (greater Jacksonville area) that will be hard to pass up, however. Can anyone share what it’s like to work there? Whether you like it? What are your daily duties like? How much work do you take home? Thanks!

Hello /r/schoolpsychology! Please use this thread to post all questions and discussions related to training, credentialing, licensure, and graduate school - including graduate school in general, questions about practica/internship, requests to interview practitioners, questions about certification/licensure, graduate training programs, admissions, applications, etc.

We also have a FAQ!

I am current masters student seeking a LSSP or school psych in the houston area to shadow for class requirements next semester. I’ve emailed a bunch of School Psych’s off of many ISD website’s in my area and no luck. Please dm if you’d be willing to let me shadow you next semester.

Considering relocating from within state. What’s the scoop out there? In my current district I do 60-70 evals a year on average, usually <10 counseling cases, the occasional BIP and FBA, and various admin type tasks, collaboration meetings, SSTs, etc. Is it similar over there?

Just curious to see what it’s like working in your district?

I work in a somewhat affluent school, and I run into this issue somewhat often. I get requests to evaluate students that will have a documented disability (typically HF ASD or ADHD), but the students have a history of being at or above grade level. On the easier cases, this is the only thing to consider, as the student is functioning pretty much on par with their peers. In other cases, the student's might have some difficulty with emotional regulation or social skills, but it's not to the point that it's impacting them daily or even weekly. They tend to have some areas of difficulty, but not to the point they need SpEd services. Parents often find this unsatisfactory, as they see their child struggling with X behavior or Y concept, but it's not impacting their educational progress significantly, they have friends and engage with others well at school, and they are given accommodations to help with any areas of difficulty.

How do you try to explain to parents that while they're child is having some difficulty, we're looking at more significant deficits when determining a need for SpEd services. Especially when they are already convinced 504 Plans don't do anything for their kiddo? Just looking to see if someone has better language or a better way of explaining this than I do.

I know this might sound terrible. I’m in CA in case it makes a difference. But in my experience, foster/adoptive families or guardians seem the most eager beaver to have kids assessed for the maximum possible disability categories. Something about it feels, less than altruistic and…off to me. Like it makes me wonder if they get an extra monthly payout or something if their child qualifies for an IEP. I sometimes see poor kids who have gone thru the eval process multiple times while in the system and it breaks my heart a little. Does anyone have information that I don’t? Is it REALLY that these foster/adoptive parents and/or guardians just care that much?

Does anyone know NASP's position on using uniform descriptors for standard scores versus the descriptors in the test manufacturer's manual? I'm pretty sure I saw a position piece on it but I'm no longer paying for my NASP membership so I can't go check. I used to prefer using the manual descriptors because that seems more official but the longer I'm in this career the less I want to do it.

You guys we have till the 24th of this month to petition and ensure our school psychologist title doesn't change I recommend submitting your petition link below fellow psychs. Also I know this happens every few years but I believe in petitioning every year can't let them think we forget. Absolutely not.

https://www.nasponline.org/research-and-policy/advocacy/protect-use-of-the-title-school-psychologist

Hi all, Ive been seeing this come up in schools more and more: does this student NEED special education or do they need supports outside the school system, therapy, hospitalization etc. I would love to hear points of view since it can be such a high tension point in meetings.

Hello, Assessment is a critical part of the work of school psychologists. You are invited to participate in a survey on the topic of preschool assessment. All practicing school psychologists are invited to participate regardless of involvement in preschool assessment. The survey is being conducted by Emily Crawford, a school psychology doctoral candidate at the University of Southern Maine. Specifically, the survey seeks to collect information to understand the current state of training and overall preparedness of school psychologists to evaluate preschool aged students.

This survey will take approximately 8-10 minutes to complete. Upon completion of the survey, you can choose to be entered to win one of five available $20 Amazon gift cards. Information entered into this raffle will not be connected to any survey responses to maintain confidentiality. Please click on the following link to access the survey: https://usouthmaine.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_8bQt5DW09zhWUCO

Thank you for your time and consideration, Emily Crawford, University of Southern Maine Doctoral Candidate

Hi folks, I hope you are all doing well! I was curious to see where some of you do your research and keep up to date with evidence based practices and procedures? If you could provide perhaps databases or sources that are Free and accessible, that would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

In my program we have access to databases through the University's Library, but I won't be a student forever, and I would like to have an idea of places to browse and keep up to date with the latest research and evidence based practices. I am aware of NASP's website, however I am hesitant to pay for the membership as I am not fully sure how useful that may be, perhaps some of you may be able to provide some clarity as to the benefits of the membership and if you find it useful! Thanks!

I am in CT and just got an offer for a full time position. When they told me the offer i was confused and let the HR person know that I have my 6th year certificate so isn’t step 1 (I’m a new grad) more (according to their pay schedule)? They let me know that they currently can’t offer salary pay schedule more than a master’s degree. I got them to match my current salary which ends up being at step 3 & I have only verbally accepted the offer, but I’m confused as to how the step process will work and if eventually they’ll move me to the 6th year pay scale? Could this be due to district budget issues? Or that I am coming in mid school year? Has anyone experienced this?

I don’t know about you guys, but my reading interventionists in particular CONSTANTLY say “it’s a processing issue” or “it’s a language issue” when they’re discussing students.

I’ve found that they often use this to try to trigger an evaluation - or to pass students off to the SLPs. I try to get them to explain further and they rarely have any actual data or evidence to support this “theory.” I have run out of things to say and will probably lose my mind on the next person who tells me a kiddo has a processing issue. Any guidance is so appreciated!!

Hi all, I’m asking this question on behalf of my husband who’s a current school psych in northwest arkansas. We are looking to move to the west coast, hopefully California in the next couple years to be closer to friends.

We know how big of a jump that is—pay, housing, all of it. We have been planning this for a few years already, but we want to be sure of what we’re getting ourselves into. Currently, his contract starts every year in July (which I’ve heard is common) but he doesn’t get his first paycheck til end of September. Is this normal in other states? Or do you tend to get paid closer to the start of the contract? We both want to know how much of a cushion we would need to make for ourselves, thanks!

Hi, I recently started my PLLC to do contract work with local school districts in my area in Texas. I am wondering if anyone here has experience working as an independent school psychologist and if they can help me understand what type of insurance I need. Do I need both professional liability and general liability insurance, or would professional liability be enough? Feel free to ask any questions for additional context. :)

I don’t know if how long I can continue business as usual knowing what’s coming. Everyone keeps saying Trump can’t actually abolish the DOE but truly I don’t know what he’s capable of. When public education, special education, starts getting federally defunded, how do I serve my students? How do I triage when I’m already getting so many referrals all the time and getting pushback for trying to make the pre-referral process work better. How do I prepare myself for the worst that’s yet to come? Do I change my strategy entirely? Do I leave the field when I’ve only just started? What do we do now? The long game has to remain what it always has been, I think - ensure equitable, inclusive education for all. But how do I change my strategy when the federal government wants to do the exact opposite and threatens to punish anyone who disagrees? What’s our plan now?

Update: I’ve come to my senses. Thanks for your reassurance :) The work continues.

Hi team- I know that there is currently a shortage of schools psychs in Canada, particularly on the east coast-

do schools ever sponsor work visas for psychs from abroad?

Has anyone heard the claim that fidget use can “impact performance 1-2 standard deviations” on cognitive/processing assessments?

During an assessment, I allowed a student to use fidgets during untimed listening portions of an assessment, due to the student’s high levels of motor activity (also noted by teacher and observed in multiple settings). The student regularly uses fidgets in his classroom during instruction activities. I documented this in my report since it does deviate from typical assessment protocols. It was stated during the assessment review that the results are now 1-2 standard deviations away from what scores would be without allowing the student to use a fidget.

Does anyone know of research that supports this claim? I have looked and have not found anything.

I am still in a masters program, but just wondering if there are private agencies that are set as non-profits? Because I am swimming in my student loans I would need to end up in a governmental/public/non-profit sector. Just looking at other options besides working directly with school districts.

How helpful or unhelpful do you found peer-reviewed school psychology research, like articles published in the School Psychology Review or the Journal of School Psychology etc. to be for your practice as a school psychologist? Asking about both older, more seminal papers that have shaped the field as well as the steady stream of academic publishing in general?

Do you regularly consume research? If so, by reading it directly? Through conferences? Professional development?

Does it inform changes in your practice?

I feel somewhat ill equipped to work with my autism students. I have lessons about social stories, learning to compliment etc. but often feel as though I just can't really help these kids. Just wanted to see what tips people have/ specific lessons or topics they think are effective. Thanks!

NOT DECLARING ANY STANCE JUST CURIOUS. I am currently in graduate school for my degree in school psychology. I am now thinking about Project 2025, specifically the plan to defund the department of education. Will my degree, that I have acquired crippling debt for, be completely useless if the DOE is dismantled? I know he himself hasn’t backed Project 2025 but many of those surrounding him have endorsed it.

What are the main duties in CO at the elementary level?

In Florida, it’s mostly psychoed evals.

Do you like it as a school psych in CO?

Thank you

Hi all,

First year practitioner and recovering people pleaser here. I need tips on self-regulating during tough meetings. Unfortunately, I wasn’t exposed to any really tough meetings during my internship, so I don’t have much experience in that area. I had my first really rough meeting this morning, and thank God the parent was participating via phone. She yelled at the whole team and was extremely aggressive.

How do you all self-regulate during tough meetings, especially when you’re the chair?

How do you get yourself to stop thinking about what you could have possibly done wrong, differently, etc. after the meeting has been over (for multiple hours 😅) ?

What are your go-to ways of relaxing and decompressing after particularly stressful days? Or just in general?

Thank you all in advance.

I had a student I'm currently working with come into the office today with another student that I'm not testing. The student I'm currently working for asked if they could have a snack and if I had any more tests for them. I told them they could have a snack once they got their parents to send the Vineland in with them to school. The other student that I have not worked with asked what it is I do, and what kind of testing I do. I told them I was a psychologist and tested all kinds of students, but didn't say anything about what kind of testing we do.

I've never learned or really thought about this ethically, and telling a student I'm testing another student is obviously a no-go, but what are the ethical considerations of telling a student what my job is?