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THE
CERTIFIED SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGIST: PROFESSIONAL
EDUCATION AND FUNCTIONS FOR CAREER PRACTICE WHITE
PAPER DEVELOPER: TASK
FORCE ON EDUCATION, TRAINING, AND CONTEMPORARY PRACTICE CONNECTICUT
ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS
The Certified
School Psychologist faces many critical challenges in the public schools.
Changes in family structure impacting home-school relationships,
increasing rates of drug and alcohol abuse by children and youth,
school-based violence, rising rates of suicide, depression, and aggression
by youth, growing complexities in the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment
of psychological and educational disorders, and refinements in our
understanding of school-based interventions reflect a growing list of
issues facing practitioners. Fortunately, graduate education and training
programs, as well as national and regional associations have worked
proactively to continuously develop education and practice standards with
the goal of enhancing services for children and families. However, because
of the complexity of issues confronting the schools, many school
educators, as well as citizens, remain uninformed about contemporary
education and training standards, and about roles and responsibilities
able to be conducted by school psychologist practitioners. The intention
of this paper is provide clarification regarding the training,
credentialing, and scope of practice of school psychologists and to
promote the quality and excellence of school psychological services. Education
and Training in the State Of Connecticut As a
profession, school psychology programs may hold multiple programmatic
approvals. In addition to State Department of Education approval, this
includes NASP Approval (National
Association of School Psychologists – Doctoral and Specialist Level) and
APA Approval (American Psychological Association - Doctoral Level). Given
that the majority of the nation’s practitioners are trained at the
specialist level, NASP Approval is especially noteworthy as it provides a
benchmark for curricular training standards which allows practitioners
from all other states to demonstrate comparable levels of training.
Specialist level training is considered nationally as the appropriate
entry level for professional practice as a school psychologist. The State of
Connecticut is fortunate to have a complementary group of four training
programs authorized by the Connecticut State Department of Education to
educate, train, and grant graduate degrees to students who complete a
planned program in school psychology. Three of the programs are fully
approved at the Specialist Level by the National Association of School
Psychologists while one program offering the doctorate is accredited by
the American Psychological Association. From north to south these programs
include: The
University of Connecticut at Storrs The
University of Hartford Southern
Connecticut State University Fairfield
University From a
curricular perspective, the State of Connecticut requires a minimum of a
master’s degree and, in addition, completion of a planned program of
study in school psychology. While national standards require a minimum of
60 graduate credits, Connecticut state credentialing standards require 45
graduate credits beyond the Masters degree, program endorsement of the
school psychologist, as well as a full-time school-based internship, with
concurrent clinical supervision. Credentialing
Of Practitioners School Psychologists
who work in the public schools are appropriately required to hold state
certification from the Connecticut State Department of Education. This
includes an Initial Certificate, Provisional Certificate, and ultimately
the Professional Certificate. As credentialing of practitioners represents
an important safeguard intended to protect the public, State Department of
Education certification is a highly valued credential. Just as a
practitioner of medicine requires appropriate education, training, and
state credentials, so the school psychologist must hold State Department
of Education credentialing as a Certified School Psychologist within the
public schools. While not
required for professional practice in the public schools, many
practitioners also are eligible for and seek additional credentials. Most
notably at the Specialist level these can include the Nationally Certified
School Psychologist (N.C.S.P.) credential offered by the National
Association of School Psychologists. Other credentials are also available,
such as the Licensed Professional Counselor (L.P.C.) and National
Certified Counselor (N.C.C.). At the doctoral level, those with
appropriate training and the requisite post-doctoral residency can become
a Licensed Psychologist through the Connecticut Department of Health
Services and, ultimately, board certified by the American Board of
Professional Psychology. To reemphasize, all practitioners are required to
hold credentialing as a Certified School Psychologist from the State
Department of Education. Roles
and Responsibilities While
the practice and profession of school psychology continues to evolve to
meet the changing needs of families and schools, the profession remains
largely invested in three major functions: 1) Assessment and Diagnosis, 2)
Counseling and Psychotherapy, and 3) Consultation and Collaboration.
Fortunately, leaders in the profession of school psychology have authored
numerous authoritative references in these areas to guide practitioners
and ethical standards continue to ensure that practitioners work only
within areas of competence and confidence. Assessment
and Diagnosis Counseling
and Psychotherapy Consultation
and Collaboration Curiously,
while the tripartite roles involving assessment and diagnosis, counseling
and psychotherapy, and consultation and collaboration remain the
traditional cornerstones of school psychologists’ professional practice,
questions arise from time to time regarding these roles. This is
understandable as school psychologists work with diverse issues ranging
from Birth-To-Three to Adolescent Psychology and Home-School Transitions,
and for this reason not all practitioners are expert or confident in all
areas. By necessity, schools must employ school psychologists with diverse
competencies to meet the needs of a Pre-K through grade 12 population. At
the same time, it is important to note that as a profession school
psychologists are deemed eligible to work in all these areas. Specifically,
school psychologists in contemporary practice often work in eleven major
domains outlined by the National Association of School Psychologists as
reflected in the Connecticut State Department of Education Guidelines for the Practice of School Psychology: Contemporary
school psychology is encountering multiple challenges. With specialized
training in psychology and education, practitioners encounter a multitude
of professional, legal, and ethical demands in their daily practice. It is
clear that as society struggles with rising challenges, from adolescent
pregnancy to innovations in the neuropsychology and diagnosis of learning
disabilities and equally challenging educational and psychological
disorders, the challenges facing the Certified School Psychologist will
not diminish. As advances in assessment methodology continue to be made,
for example, assessment expertise requires continuing education for both
practitioners and stakeholders in the schools. The late Jack Bardon, Ph.D.
characterized the challenge eloquently: “School psychology differs from
other psychological specialties in that it brings psychological knowledge,
skills, and techniques to bear on the problems presented by the school as
a total, unique place in which people live and work and on the problems of
the people living in the school.” (Bardon And Bennett, 1974) At the same
time, the reader can feel encouraged that the State of Connecticut has
four training programs dedicated to training high quality practitioners,
and a large cadre of practitioners striving daily to meet the needs of the
children and families of the State of Connecticut. Task
Force Membership Dr.
Tony D. Crespi, Chair Dr.
Cherie Tyler Balkcom Dr.
John E. Desrochers Dr.
Barbara A. Fischetti Task Force
membership represents practicing school psychologists, a university
trainer, and state and national school psychology association
representatives. Further, all hold credentialing as Certified School
Psychologists, with additional credentials including Nationally Certified
School Psychologist, Board Certified School Psychologist, Licensed
Psychologist, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Certified School
Counselor, Certified Intermediate Administrator, and Registered Play
Therapist. As such, the Task Force brings a diverse body of professional
training and depth of experience to this white paper.
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