NASP Communiqué, Vol. 38, #3
November 2009
President's Message
What Do School Psychologists
Do? Promoting Our Value and
Ensuring Our Essential Roles
By Patti L. Harrison
School psychologists engage in numerous activities that
enhance children’s learning and mental health. However,
many school administrators, teachers, parents,
and students have a limited understanding of school
psychology and few direct experiences with school
psychologists. Do our stakeholders know who we are, what we
do, and why we are important resources for them? In an age of
state education budget cuts, reductions in school district staff and
programs, school accountability demands, family financial crises,
three-tiered service delivery, expanded provision of school mental
health services, and numerous other impacts, it is important
that school psychologists promote that we are essential and valued
personnel within schools.
A priority initiative for NASP in 2009–2010 is to support school psychologists’
efforts with regard to changing roles and services within schools.
NASP activities for 2009–2010 reflect the importance of maintaining
effective services for children, proactively defining our roles, preserving
school psychologists’ positions and practices, and responding to
threats that could influence our field at state and local levels. NASP’s
coordinated activities are critical at the national level as well, given a
new U.S. Department of Education, the upcoming Elementary and
Secondary Education Act reauthorization, and related bills.
During 2009–2010, NASP will continue a comprehensive public awareness campaign at local, state,
and national levels to promote and protect the roles of school psychologists. In 2008, our research
with key stakeholder groups found that administrators, principals, and school board members, who
set budget and service priorities during these tough economic times, often have limited knowledge
and differing perceptions about school psychologists’ areas of expertise. Thus, they were targeted
as the recipients of key messages about school psychologists’ unique and essential contributions, as
illustrated in the document, “What You Need to Know About School Psychologists” (NASP, 2009a).
During 2009–2010, national partnerships with principals and administrators will continue to connect
the work of school psychologists with school improvement efforts. For example, during summer
2009, NASP’s education policy platform, “Ready to Learn, Empowered to Teach” was aligned with
the National Association of Secondary School Principals’ document, “Breaking Ranks II: Strategies
for Leading High School Reform” (NASP, 2009b). Plans are underway for the next phase of the public
awareness campaign, which includes collaborating with school administrators to develop topic briefs
that showcase school psychologists’ areas of expertise and preparing additional tools and resources
for use by school psychologists at the local level.
Each individual school psychologist plays an important role in communicating his or her professional
identity and promoting the contributions of school psychology services, school by school. NASP
has numerous resources to assist your individual efforts in increasing your visibility with stakeholders
and advocating for the value of your work. For example, materials developed for School Psychology
Awareness Week, November 9–13, 2009 (NASP, 2009c) include a sample resolution that may be submitted
for adoption by local policy makers and suggestions for other activities in schools that recognize
our profession. Certificates for NASP Possibilities in Action Partners acknowledge adults, such
as teachers and parents, who make extraordinary contributions to the lives of children, and NASP
Student POWER Awards applaud children who work hard to make progress. The certificates may be
presented by NASP members during School Psychology Week and throughout the year.
I believe that school psychologists are indispensible school professionals who are uniquely qualified
to assist with solutions for many issues related to children’s learning and mental health. However,
stakeholders may not know what we can do for them unless we tell them. I am reminded of an experienced
high school principal who acknowledged that she had few interactions with and seldom requested
assistance from the school psychologist until the school psychologist made direct efforts to talk with her
and describe school psychologists as resources to help solve problems. The principal emphasized that
simply proactively communicating with administrators would be an effective first step for any school
psychologist to ensure a more influential role. Please tell others who we are and what we do and join
me in promoting school psychologists’ value as essential personnel in schools.
References
National Association of School Psychologists. (2009a).
What you need to know about school psychologists.
Retrieved September 22, 2009, from http://www
.nasponline.org/resources/economic/NASP_Core_
Messages_2009_FINAL.pdf
National Association of School Psychologists. (2009b).
Alignment of NASP’s “Ready to Learn, Empowered to
Teach” with the National Association of Secondary School
Principals’ document, “Breaking Ranks II.” Retrieved September
22, 2009, from http://www.nasponline.org/
advocacy/Ready_to_learn_Breaking_Ranks.pdf
National Association of School Psychologists. (2009c).
School psych awareness week resources. Retrieved September
22, 2009, from http://www.nasponline.org/
communications/spawareness/index.aspx
Patti L. Harrison, PhD, NCSP, is a faculty member in the University of Alabama’s school psychology program and an
Alabama certified school psychologist.