School Psychologist

Roles and Responsibilities

School psychologists provide direct support and interventions to students, families and other school professionals; work with school administrators to improve schoolwide practices and policies; and collaborate with community providers to coordinate needed services.

Information about School Psychologists

Ohio Department of Education licensure requirements include the following:

  1. a master’s or Education Specialist (Ed.S.) degree in school psychology;
  2. a 1200-hour internship; and
  3. passing the Praxis School Psychologist exam.

School Psychologists are Trained to:

  • Conduct psychological and academic assessments and collect and interpret student and classroom data;
  • Support teachers in providing individualized instruction and interventions and progress monitoring;
  • Promote positive student and classroom behavior while encouraging student motivation/engagement;
  • Improve students’ development, including communication, social skills and social-emotional learning;
  • Assess students' emotional and behavioral needs; provide individual/group counseling;
  • Promote problem-solving, anger management, resilience and conflict resolution;
  • Provide individual and group counseling; coordinate services with community-based providers;
  • Provide culturally responsive services to students and families from diverse backgrounds;
  • Assess diverse learning needs and modify or adapt curricula and instruction;
  • Plan appropriate individualized education programs for students with disabilities;
  • Monitor and effectively communicate with parents about student progress;
  • Implement schoolwide positive behavioral supports, positive discipline and restorative justice;
  • Assess school climate and improve school connectedness;
  • Identify at-risk students and school vulnerabilities; prevent bullying and other forms of violence;
  • Provide crisis prevention and intervention services;
  • Help families understand children’s learning and emotional needs;
  • Connect families with community service providers when necessary;
  • Enhance staff understanding of and responsiveness to diverse cultures and backgrounds;
  • Assist in navigating special education processes;
  • Generate, collect and interpret useful student and school outcomes data;
  • Collect and analyze data on risk and protective factors related to student outcomes;
  • Plan services at the district, building, classroom and individual levels.

Resource

Printable version of this webpage

Find Memorandum: 2019-1 - Addressing Shortage of School Psychologist  here.

Last Modified: 6/7/2021 7:15:46 AM