Education Specialist Programs

The School Psychology Ed.S. program understands a training program prepares its students for the complex challenges of today's schools and youth, as well as stimulate the intellectual curiosity and professional enthusiasm of students to meet the demands of the future.  To achieve its mission and purposes, the objectives of the School Psychology Program include the following:

• Prepare students to view human development from a bioecological model and consider this model in all aspects of service delivery and advocacy;
• Emphasize the important role of cultural factors such as race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, religion, sexual orientation, and gender identity on development, mental/behavioral health, and learning;
• Train students in all areas of service delivery including assessment, direct and indirect intervention, consultation, prevention, crisis intervention and advocacy;
• Encourage students to view issues from multiple perspectives in order to engage in high quality collaboration and consultation practices;
• Train students to consistently apply the scientific problem-solving model in school-based settings;
• Guide students toward implementing ethical and responsible culturally competent practice;
• Teach in a way that inspires students to remain open, curious and active in the learning process;
• Promote in students a respect for continuing professional development and a desire for life-long learning; and
• Recruit and retain students from underrepresented backgrounds and geographically isolated areas into the field of school psychology.

The goal of the program is to develop competencies in its graduates so they can function as effective school psychologists in any environment. In order to reach this goal, the program has designed its curriculum, practicum and internship experiences to be consistent with the NASP Standards for Graduate Preparation of School Psychologists as described below.

Learning Outcomes of the School Psychology Program

Conceptualization
Conceptualizes the strengths and needs of diverse student populations by integrating research and best practices with philosophical, cultural, historical, and legal foundations.
NASP Domains: 8. Equitable Practices for Diverse Student Populations / 9. Research and Evidence-based Practice / 10. Legal, Ethical, and Professional Practice

Analysis
Synthesizes data from a variety of non-biased assessment tools to inform programs and interventions for diverse student populations.
NASP Domains: 1. Data-based Decision Making / 3. Academic Interventions and Instructional Supports / 4. Mental and Behavioral Health Services and Interventions / 8. Equitable Practices for Diverse Student Populations

Coordination
Consults and collaborates effectively with multiple and diverse audiences across the school to create learning environments that foster cultural understanding, safety and emotional well-being, positive social interactions, and active engagement of the school community.
NASP Domains: 2. Consultation and Collaboration / 5. School-wide Practices to Promote Learning / 6. Services to Promote Safe and Supportive Schools / 7. Family, School, and Community Collaboration / 8. Equitable Practices for Diverse Student Populations

Communication
Effectively communicates with the school community and takes into account the style, language, and preferred modality of the audience.
NASP Domains: 2. Consultation and Collaboration / 8. Equitable Practices for Diverse Student Populations / 10. Legal, Ethical, and Professional Practice

Inclusive Interaction
Demonstrates the ability to implement effective academic, behavior, and social-emotional interventions to multiple and diverse audiences with an ongoing commitment to foster relationships with family members, students, peers, and the community.
NASP Domains: 3. Academic Interventions and Instructional Supports / 4. Mental and Behavioral Health Services and Interventions / 7. Family, School, and Community Collaboration / 8. Equitable Practices for Diverse Student Populations

NASP Domains of School Psychology Practice (2020)

The Alverno College School Psychology Program adheres to the ten NASP Standards for Training in School Psychology. 

Professional Practices: Practices That Permeate All Aspects of Service Delivery

Domain 1: Data-Based Decision Making / School psychologists understand and utilize assessment methods for identifying strengths and needs; for developing effective interventions, services, and programs; and for measuring progress and outcomes within a multitiered system of supports. School psychologists use a problem-solving framework as the basis for all professional activities. School psychologists systematically collect data from multiple sources as a foundation for decision making at the individual, group, and systems levels, and consider ecological factors (e.g., classroom, family, and community characteristics) as a context for assessment and intervention.

Domain 2: Consultation and Collaboration / School psychologists understand varied models and strategies of consultation and collaboration applicable to individuals, families, groups, and systems, as well as methods to promote effective implementation of services. As part of a systematic and comprehensive process of effective decision making and problem solving that permeates all aspects of service delivery, school psychologists demonstrate skills to consult, collaborate, and communicate effectively with others.

Direct and Indirect Services for Students, Families, and Schools: Student-Level Services

Domain 3: Academic Interventions and Instructional Supports / School psychologists understand the biological, cultural, and social influences on academic skills; human learning, cognitive, and developmental processes; and evidence-based curricula and instructional strategies. School psychologists, in collaboration with others, use assessment and data collection methods to implement and evaluate services that support academic skill development in children.

Domain 4: Mental and Behavioral Health Services and Interventions / School psychologists understand the biological, cultural, developmental, and social influences on mental and behavioral health; behavioral and emotional impacts on learning; and evidence-based strategies to promote social–emotional functioning.

School psychologists, in collaboration with others, design, implement, and evaluate services that promote resilience and positive behavior, support socialization and adaptive skills, and enhance mental and behavioral health.

Domain 5: School-Wide Practices to Promote Learning / School psychologists understand systems’ structures, organization, and theory; general and special education programming; implementation science; and evidence-based school-wide practices that promote learning, positive behavior, and mental health. School psychologists, in collaboration with others, develop and implement practices and strategies to create and maintain safe, effective, and supportive learning environments for students and school staff.

Domain 6: Services to Promote Safe and Supportive Schools / School psychologists understand principles and research related to social–emotional well-being, resilience, and risk factors in learning, mental and behavioral health, services in schools and communities to support multitiered prevention and health promotion, and evidence-based strategies for creating safe and supportive schools. School psychologists, in collaboration with others, promote preventive and responsive services that enhance learning, mental and behavioral health, and psychological and physical safety and implement effective crisis prevention, protection, mitigation, response, and recovery.

Domain 7: Family, School, and Community Collaboration / School psychologists understand principles and research related to family systems, strengths, needs, and cultures; evidence-based strategies to support positive family influences on children’s learning and mental health; and strategies to develop collaboration between families and schools. School psychologists, in collaboration with others, design, implement, and evaluate services that respond to culture and context. They facilitate family and school partnerships and interactions with community agencies to enhance academic and social–behavioral outcomes for children.

Foundations of School Psychological Service Delivery

Domain 8: Equitable Practices for Diverse Student Populations / School psychologists have knowledge of, and inherent respect for, individual differences, abilities, disabilities, and other diverse characteristics and the effects they have on development and learning. They also understand principles and research related to diversity in children, families, schools, and communities, including factors related to child development, religion, culture and cultural identity, race, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, socioeconomic status, and other variables. School psychologists implement evidence-based strategies to enhance services in both general and special education and to address potential influences related to diversity. School psychologists demonstrate skills to provide professional services that promote effective functioning for individuals, families, and schools with diverse characteristics, cultures, and backgrounds through an ecological lens across multiple contexts. School psychologists recognize that equitable practices for diverse student populations, respect for diversity in development and learning, and advocacy for social justice are foundational to effective service delivery. While equality ensures that all children have the same access to general and special educational opportunities, equity ensures that each student receives what they need to benefit from these opportunities.

Domain 9: Research and Evidence-Based Practice / School psychologists have knowledge of research design, statistics, measurement, and varied data collection and analysis techniques sufficient for understanding research, interpreting data, and evaluating programs in applied settings. As scientist practitioners, school psychologists evaluate and apply research as a foundation for service delivery and, in collaboration with others, use various techniques and technology resources for data collection, measurement, and analysis to support effective practices at the individual, group, and/or systems levels.

Domain 10: Legal, Ethical, and Professional Practice / School psychologists have knowledge of the history and foundations of school psychology; multiple service models and methods; ethical, legal, and professional standards; and other factors related to professional identity and effective practice as school psychologists. School psychologists provide services consistent with ethical, legal, and professional standards; engage in responsive ethical and professional decision making; collaborate with other professionals; and apply professional work characteristics needed for effective practice as school psychologists, including effective interpersonal skills, responsibility, adaptability, initiative, dependability, technological competence, advocacy skills, respect for human diversity, and a commitment to social justice and equity.

See the section on Course Descriptions for a list of required courses in the specialist program and the NASP Domains that are addressed in each course.

Application & Admission

Prospective students apply to the graduate school of Alverno College. While students are admitted to the Ed.S. program, they must first complete a Master of Science (M.S.) in Educational Psychology before formal admission into the Ed.S. program of studies occurs. Other requirements for the application include an official transcript from all higher education institutions they have attended, three letters of recommendation, and a personal statement describing one’s professional goals in school psychology.

Prerequisite coursework requirements include successful completion of at least 12 credits in undergraduate or graduate courses in psychology, education, social sciences or the equivalent.  Students should have an undergraduate GPA of 3.0 or its equivalent. Applicants who do not meet this requirement may appeal for an exception based on factors such as relevant work experience, evidence of personal qualifications, or outstanding job performance.