Sec. 13a.05.05.04. School Psychology Program

A. The School Psychology Program is a comprehensive and integrated continuum of services and activities regarding the delivery of school psychological services.The goal of the program is to provide direct educational, behavioral, and mental health services for children and youth, as well as work with families, school administrators, educators, and other professionals to create supportive learning and social environments for all students.

B. To meet a student’s needs, the School Psychology Program shall provide services and interventions across the following domains of practice:

(1) Data-based decision making and accountability that use varied models and methods of assessment and data collection to:

(a) Identify strengths and needs;

(b) Develop effective services and programs; and

(c) Measure progress and outcomes;

(2) Consultation and collaboration that use varied models and strategies of consultation and communication applicable to individuals, families, groups, and systems, and methods to promote effective implementation of services;

(3) To develop cognitive and academic strengths, interventions and instructional support that apply knowledge of biological, cultural, and social influences to:

(a) Academic skills;

(b) Human learning;

(c) Cognitive and developmental processes; and

(d) Evidence-based curricula and instructional strategies;

(4) To develop social and life skills, interventions and mental health services that use:

(a) Knowledge of biological, cultural, developmental, and social influences on behavior and mental health;

(b) Behavioral and emotional impacts on learning and life skills; and

(c) Evidence-based strategies to promote social/emotional functioning and mental health;

(5) Schoolwide practices to promote learning and mental health that use:

(a) School and school system structure, organization, and theory;

(b) General and special education;

(c) Technology resources; and

(d) Evidence-based school practices that promote learning and mental health;

(6) Preventive and responsive services that use:

(a) Principles and research related to resilience and risk factors in learning and mental health;

(b) Services in schools and communities to support multi-tiered prevention; and

(c) Evidence-based strategies for effective crisis response;

(7) Family-school collaboration services that use:

(a) Principles and research related to family systems, strengths, needs, and culture;

(b) Evidence-based strategies to support family influences on children’s learning and mental health; and

(c) Strategies to develop collaboration between families and schools;

(8) Development and learning to enhance services and address potential influences related to diversity by using:

(a) Individual differences, abilities, disabilities, and other diverse student characteristics;

(b) Principles and research related to diversity factors for children, families, and schools, including factors related to culture, context, and individual and role differences; and

(c) Evidence-based strategies;

(9) Research and program evaluation that use research design, statistics, measurement, and varied data collection and analysis techniques and program evaluation sufficient for understanding research and interpreting data in applied settings; and

(10) Legal, ethical, and professional practice that use:

(a) History and foundations of school psychology;

(b) Multiple service models and methods;

(c) Ethical, legal, and professional standards; and

(d) Other factors related to professional identity and effective practice of school psychology.

C. The School Psychology Program shall encompass the following goals to meet a student’s needs:

(1) Improve academic engagement and achievement by working with educators and families to:

(a) Identify and mitigate barriers to learning, such as disabilities, mental or physical health problems, or social, cultural, language, or family issues;

(b) Implement appropriate academic interventions by monitoring the effectiveness of academic interventions, developing student organizational skills, and promoting the use of learning strategies; and

(c) Implement appropriate social/emotional and behavioral strategies such as those that are designed to improve attention, strengthen motivation, and promote student problem solving;

(2) Facilitate effective instruction that meets the individual needs of diverse learners by consulting with educators to:

(a) Individualize instructions;

(b) Manage classroom behavior;

(c) Monitor student progress; and

(d) Evaluate classroom data;

(3) Support positive behavior and socially successful students by providing services that promote a student’s:

(a) Communication skills;

(b) Social skills;

(c) Problem-solving skills;

(d) Anger management skills;

(e) Conflict resolution skills;

(f) Self-regulation;

(g) Self-determination;

(h) Resilience; and

(i) Optimism;

(4) Support positive behavior and socially successful students by consulting with teachers and administrators on:

(a) Classroom strategies;

(b) Programs promoting positive peer relationships and social problem solving;

(c) Schoolwide positive behavior interventions and supports;

(d) Use of effective discipline policies and practices; and

(e) Programs to promote student wellness and reduce risk-taking;

(5) Support diverse learners by working with teachers and other school staff to:

(a) Assess learning and behavior needs and distinguish between issues related to family, culture, or language and a learning style or disability;

(b) Plan appropriate individualized education programs for students with disabilities;

(c) Modify and adapt curricula and instruction;

(d) Adjust classroom facilities and routines to promote greater student engagement;

(e) Promote positive relationships among all students;

(f) Monitor and effectively communicate with parents about student progress; and

(g) Coordinate links to community services;

(6) Create safe, positive school climates by providing expertise to school leadership in:

(a) Data collection and analysis;

(b) Social/emotional learning;

(c) Child development and behavior;

(d) Violence prevention;

(e) Crisis and trauma prevention and response; and

(f) School-family-community collaboration;

(7) Strengthen school-family-community partnerships by:

(a) Working with teachers and other school staff to enhance their understanding and acceptance of diverse cultures and backgrounds and to promote culturally responsive schools; and

(b) Providing specific support to help families:

(i) Understand and support their child’s learning and mental health needs;

(ii) Navigate the special education process;

(iii) Connect with community service providers when necessary;

(iv) Engage effectively with teachers and other school staff; and

(v) Reinforce the school-family-community partnership; and

(8) Improve assessment and accountability by helping school leaders and teachers to:

(a) Generate and interpret student outcome data; and

(b) Make decisions regarding programs and interventions in the district, building, classroom, and individual student levels.