A critical shortage of bilingual school psychologists (BSPs) prepared to provide high quality services to Multilingual Learners (MLs) has driven the work of the California Consortium for Bilingual School Psychology (CCBSP). CCBSP members collaborated to develop the 13 bilingual school psychology competencies presented in this paper, which are organized into four major areas: (a) Foundations in school psychologists’ service delivery with MLs, (b) School-wide practices that promote learning with MLs, (c) Direct and indirect services for MLs, families, and schools; and (d) Specific skills, knowledge, and practices. Each competency is described herein, and the alignment with the NASP domains of practice and the School Psychology Performance Expectations in California are highlighted. Challenges to certification are discussed, along with a brief example illustrating the process undertaken by one consortium subgroup to prepare BSPs in accordance with competencies. Additionally, a vision for next steps in the journey to certify BSPs is articulated.
The development of the California Bilingual School Psychology Competencies is detailed in this 2023 article from the NASP Communiqué.
"School psychology faculty from universities across California reflect and report on the collaborative journey taken to identify and articulate bilingual school psychologist competencies. These competencies serve as the foundation toward a larger goal of establishing a bilingual school psychology certificate. Readers will gain insight into how a group of diverse faculty came together to create a consortium with a shared vision of equity for multilingual learners in the schools and shared professional goals." (Ortiz, et al., 2023)
To read the full Communiqué piece, please click here.