NASP 2020 Practice Model Organizational Principles

The NASP Practice Model is framed on six organizational principles that reflect and link to the broader organizational principles of effective schools. Each principle includes standards that describe necessary organizational practices that will support effective school psychological services. These standards are summarized below.

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Organizational Principle 1: Organization and Evaluation of Service Delivery
Comprehensive school psychological services are provided by appropriately licensed or credentialed school psychologists who have received graduate preparation consistent with NASP professional standards. 

School psychological services are provided in a coordinated, organized fashion and are delivered in a manner that ensures the provision of a seamless continuum of services. Services are delivered in accordance with a strategic planning process that considers the needs of all stakeholders and utilizes an evidence-based program evaluation model.

Organizational Principle 2: Climate
It is the responsibility of the school system to create a climate in which school psychological services can be delivered with mutual respect for all parties. Employees have the freedom to advocate for the services that are necessary to meet the needs of consumers and are free from artificial, administrative, or political constraints that might hinder or alter the provision of appropriate services.

Organizational Principle 3: Physical, Personnel, and Fiscal Support Systems
School systems ensure that (a) an adequate recruitment and retention plan for employees exists to ensure adequate personnel to meet the needs of the system; (b) all sources of funding, both public and private, are used and maximized to ensure the fiscal support necessary to provide adequate services; (c) all employees have adequate technology, resources, and work space; and (d) employees have adequate personnel benefits necessary to support their work, including discipline-specific professional development.

Organizational Principle 4: Professional Communication
School systems ensure that policies and practices exist that result in positive, proactive communication among employees at all administrative levels of the organization.

Organizational Principle 5: Supervision, Peer Consultation, and Mentoring
The school system ensures that all personnel have opportunities for supervision, peer consultation, and mentoring adequate to ensure the provision of effective and accountable services. Supervision and mentoring are provided through an ongoing, career-long, positive, systematic, collaborative process between the school psychologist and a school psychology supervisor or other school psychology colleagues. This process focuses on promoting professional growth and exemplary professional practice leading to improved performance among all participants, including the school psychologist, supervisor, students, and the entire school community.

Organizational Principle 6: Professional Development and Recognition Systems
Individual school psychologists and school systems develop professional development plans annually. The school system ensures that the continuing professional development of its personnel is both adequate for and relevant to the service delivery priorities of the school system. School systems recognize the need for a variety of discipline-specific professional development activities. These activities could include those provided by the school system, NASP-approved providers, other educational entities, or other activities such as online training, formal self-study, and professional learning communities.