What Does a School Psych Do?

 School psychologists provide direct support and interventions to students, consult with teachers, families, and other school-employed mental health professionals (i.e., school counselors, school social workers) to improve support strategies, work with school administrators to improve school-wide practices and policies, and collaborate with community providers to coordinate needed services. 

Here is just an abbreviated list of things a school psychologist does:

Improve Academic Achievement

• Promote student motivation and engagement

• Conduct psychological and academic assessments

• Individualize instruction and interventions

• Manage student and classroom behavior

• Monitor student progress

• Collect and interpret student and classroom data

• Reduce inappropriate referrals to special education.
  
  

Promote Positive Behavior and Mental Health

• Improve students communication and social skills

• Assess student emotional and behavioral needs

• Provide individual and group counseling

• Promote problem solving, anger management and conflict resolution

• Reinforce positive coping skills and resilience

• Promote positive peer relationships and social problem solving

• Make referrals to and help coordinate community services provided in schools
  
  

Support Diverse Learners

• Assess diverse learning needs

• Provide culturally responsive services to students and families from diverse backgrounds

• Plan appropriate Individualized Education Programs for students with disabilities

• Modify and adapt curricula and instruction

• Adjust classroom facilities and routines to improve student engagement and learning

• Monitor and effectively communicate with parents about student progress
  
  

Create Safe, Positive School Climates

• Prevent bullying and other forms of violence

• Support social-emotional learning

• Assess school climate and improve school connectedness

• Implement and promote positive discipline and restorative justice

• Implement school-wide positive behavioral supports

• Identify at risk students and school vulnerabilities

• Provide crisis prevention and intervention services
  
  

Strengthen Family-School Partnerships

• Help families understand their child's learning and mental health needs

• Assist in navigating special education processes

• Connect families with community service providers when necessary

• Help effectively engage families with teachers and other school staff

• Enhance staff understanding and responsiveness to diverse cultures and backgrounds

• Help students transition between school and community learning environments, such as residential treatment or juvenile justice programs
  
  

Improve School-Wide Assessment and Accountability Monitor individual student progress in academics and behavior

• Generate and interpret useful student and school outcome data

• Collect and analyze data on risk and protective factors related to student outcomes

• Plan services at the district, building, classroom, and individual levels

Adapted from NASP, 2023.