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A school psychologist is a certified practitioner who applies principles of Clinical Psychology and Counseling to the diagnosis and treatment of students' behavioral problems. School psychologists are educated in Child And Adolescent Development , Learning theories, psychoeducational Assessment , Personality Theories , therapeutic interventions, identification of Learning Disability ; and the ethical, legal and administrative codes of their profession. HISTORICAL HIGHLIGHTS School psychology began mainly through the testing movement, in the late 1800 ’s, especially from people like Alfred Binet . Binet’s work resembled school psychology of today, because he developed the first IQ Test to screen children who would not benefit from regular education. Binet’s test was brought to the U.S. in the early 1900’s, and was standardized in 1916 by Lewis Terman of Stanford . Today it is known has the Stanford-Binet test. In 1975 , The U.S. Public Law 94-142 (Education of All Handicapped Children’s Act) mandates the free and appropriate education of all individuals from 3-21 years of age. This act, also known as the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires that all children should attend school, including children who often would not receive any advantages of public education in the past due to their disability. Hence, in the U.S. the profession of school psychology flourished as these children needed additional support to be included in the regular school setting. This combined with years of lawsuits and litigations allowed the profession to flourish (Graduate School of Education, 2003). THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK AND SERVICES According to Division 16 (Division of School Psychology), of the American Psychological Association (APA) school psychologists operate according to a scientific framework. They work to promote effectiveness and efficiency in the field. School psychologist conduct psychological assessments, provide brief interventions, and develop or help develop prevention programs. Additionally, they evaluate services with special focus on developmental processes of children within the school system, and other systems, such as families. School psychologists consult with Teachers , parents, and school personnel about learning and behavioral problems. They may teach lessons on parenting skills (like school counselors), learning strategies, and other skills related to school Health . In addition, they often have to explain test results to parents and students. They also may do some counseling (State Board of Education 2003; National Clearinghouse for Professions in Special Education, n.d.). EDUCATION AND CERTIFICATION The APA only accredits Doctoral programs in school psychology. Its standards describe how the program should be structured, but not specific courses to be offered (Committee on Accreditation, 2002). Likewise, the U.S. National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) describes how the program should be developed and implemented. In the U.S., most school psychologists hold a Master's degree and a CAS, or Certificate of Advanced Study. Two states, Maine and Hawaii require a doctorate degree to practice school psychology. New Jersey and Pennsylvania only require a bachelor's degree plus the Internship . NASP provides a national credential for those who have the equivalent of a master’s degree plus 30 graduate semester hours, a 1200-hour supervised internship, and have a passing score on the National School Psychology Examination (National Clearinghouse for Professions in Special Education, n.d.). Tennessee requires a minimum of a Specialist In Education (Ed.S) degree. Accredited programs require courses in the history and foundation of school psychology, assessment, consultation, research, and a psycho-educational core. School psychology students must take one course on group processes and a course on approaches to family intervention and counseling. Masters, EdS, (educational specialist) and PhD training programs mainly diverge in terms of the amount of required research, as all require an internship to obtain the CAS. PhD programs require students to complete and defend a dissertation and generally involve students in more advanced research endeavors within the department. Some schools allow graduate students to collaborate with other departments and specialize in areas related to school psychology. Since school psychologists are so influential within the school system and frequently consulted to solve problems, practitioners should be able to collaborate with other members of the educational community and confidently make decisions based on empirical research. REFERENCES National Clearinghouse for Professions in Special Education. (n.d.) School psychologist. Retrieved on November 25, 2003, from http://www.special-ed-careers.org/career_choices/profiles/school_psych/SchPsy.pdf Committee on Accreditation (March 1, 2002). Guidelines and principles for accreditation of programs in professional psychology. Version . Washington D.C.: APA. Retrieved on November 25, 2003 from, http://www.apa.org/ed/G&P2. SEE ALSO EXTERNAL LINKS
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