NASP Delegate Role and Function

Expected outcomes/activities appear in regular type — Suggested outcomes/activities appear in italics

Mission

As a NASP Delegate, you represent and support school psychology through leadership to enhance the mental health and educational competence of all children.

Advocacy

  • Advocate for appropriate research-based education and mental health services for all children and families as represented in the official policy: NASP Model for Comprehensive and Integrated School Psychological Services.
  • Maintain awareness of state issues regarding the profession and communicate with state, regional, and local school psychology associations, school psychology graduate education programs, and other pertinent groups (e.g., State Departments of Education, State Board of Psychology).
  • Utilize and model use of the NASP Advocacy Action Center (e.g., at state meetings and conferences) to contact and maintain communication with state and national legislators. Ensure that a response is provided to the GPR State Survey.
  • Read proposed Position Papers, solicit state association review, and provide feedback in a timely fashion.
  • Identify and support the GPR State Liaison and Multicultural Coordinator in your state, as well as the GPR Regional Coordinator for your state.
  • Provide information to school boards, superintendents, administrators, and supervisors to demonstrate the benefit to the district for your work with NASP.
  • Forward NASP In Brief to pertinent stakeholders within your respective state.

Member Support

  • Develop and/or implement a membership recruitment and renewal plan in concert with the NASP Membership Committee.
  • Maintain a presence and visibility at a NASP table at state conventions. Promotional materials and publications orders forms are provided by the NASP Office.
  • Keep members up-to-date on NASP activities and the benefit of membership.
  • Regularly communicate with state leadership and participate in activities of NASP- affiliated state associations.
  • Ensure dissemination of NASP positions regarding representing professional and/or organizational matters to members within the state and other appropriate audiences, including the state school psychology association.
  • Communicate member concerns to appropriate NASP committees and facilitate resolution of questions/concerns.
  • Represent the issues and positions of your state constituents at the national level.
  • Communicate with members through e-mails and direct NASP monthly updates.
  • Write a NASP column(s) for your state association newsletter.
  • Promote the benefit and value of NASP membership to School Psychology graduate education programs in your state.
  • Identify, encourage, and mentor new leaders.
  • Provide networking opportunities for members from respective states at meetings or conventions.
  • Forward NASP In Brief to state association members.
  • Plan for and implement presentations at state conventions and trainings. Several PowerPoint presentations are available from NASP (e.g., NASP 101) and/or arrange for NASP leaders/staff to present at your state convention.

Professional Competency

  • Provide leadership, information about the profession, and endorsement of professional competency, including the acquisition and maintenance of the Nationally Certified School Psychologist (NCSP) credential.
  • Notify/liaise with state leadership regarding available leadership training at Convention, regional meetings, at the state level through NASP Speakers’ Bureau.

Diversity

  • Actively work toward addressing diversity in all aspects of NASP as well as in your state’s professional practice.
  • Seek representatives to provide information/presentations to minority groups concerning the profession of school psychology.
  • Provide information concerning programs or projects that address diversity within NASP to state leadership.
  • Identify programs within your respective states that can provide models or contact with individuals for addressing specific needs of diverse student populations, such as knowledge of the bilingual school psychologists within your state and specific contact information.
  • Promote cultural training opportunities at the state level to encourage culturally competent practice.

Operational Excellence

Governance

  • Represent your respective state in initiating, adopting, and amending NASP policy.
  • Become familiar with Mission, Strategic Plan, Operations Handbook, policies, procedures, and governance/committee structure of NASP.
  • Provide information concerning programs or projects that address diversity within NASP to state leadership.
  • Attend all Leadership Assembly meetings as scheduled in their entirety, representing your respective state’s issues, concerns, and consensus regarding NASP matters and the profession of school psychology.
  • Attend all NASP sponsored meetings in their entirety (e.g., regional leadership meeting, convention meeting) and provide assistance in planning the regional leadership meeting as appropriate.
  • Serve as a liaison to support and promote NASP’s public charities (e.g., Minority Scholarship Program and Education Research Trust).
  • Inform the respective Delegate Representative(s) prior to Board of Directors meetings of any issues, concerns, positions, or other items to be presented on behalf of your respective state. Regular communication between Delegates and Delegate Representative is encouraged.
  • Provide state leaders with the appropriate contacts in NASP when NASP leadership support is needed for a state issue.
  • Remind state association leadership of NASP activities such as Convention, Summer Conferences, Public Policy Institute, awards and scholarship deadlines.
  • Read and be familiar with the contents of the agenda book (and reports that may be available online) prior to Leadership Assembly.
  • Generate and maintain a pass-down log for use by your successor.
  • Complete annual leadership self-checks for personal accountability.
  • Serve on NASP committees or boards if feasible.
  • Strive to represent NASP to all school psychologists in respective state, not only those who are NASP and/or state association members.

Staff/Leadership

  • Provide up-to-date leadership information to NASP for inclusion in Leadership Directory. Include dates and theme of your state convention.
  • Ensure that information coming from NASP Office (e.g., Legislative Updates) is effectively disseminated to stat leaders (e.g., SPAN Coordinator) and members.

Technology

  • Utilize the online delegate system to send monthly messages to current and past members in your state.
  • Visit the NASP website regularly and share highlights as relevant to your state.
  • Post information about NASP events and activities on the state website and include highlights in state association e-communications.
  • Encourage member participation in the NASP Communities.
  • Ensure that the link to your state association posted on the NASP website is accurate.
  • Ensure that an accurate link to the NASP website is posted on your state association website.

Financial Resources

  • Participate in the NASP periodic budget update online meetings to become familiar with the NASP budget; provide direct feedback to the Delegate Representative(s) with questions, concerns, or suggestions.
  • Submit proposals for funding or other special requests for assistance from NASP. Such requests shall be developed in consultation with your regional Delegate Representative(s).
  • Submit expense reimbursement forms within 30 days of completion of approved travel.
  • Coordinate state association contributions to the Minority Scholarship Program and the Education and Research Trust (ERT).

External Relations and Communications

  • Promote the work of school psychologists and the recognition of NASP for its value and excellence to key stakeholders.