EdS Competencies – School Psychology

Ed.S.
Competencies

 

The School Psychology Program (SPP) prepares students for the profession of school psychology through the following.

  • Coordinated sequence of coursework
  • Practical experience in applied settings in the context of practica and internship
  • Opportunities to generate new knowledge through research and other forms of scholarship

Personal and Professional Development

This is achieved through interacting closely with professors, other SPP students, field supervisors, and former program graduates. The student will demonstrate competency in professional practice, assessment, direct interventions, indirect interventions, and research.

 

 

A. Professional Practice Competencies

B. Assessment Competencies

C.  Direct Intervention Competencies

D. Indirect Intervention Competencies

E. Research Competencies

A. Professional Practice Competencies

  1. Demonstrates understanding of the major professional issues that influence the profession and practice of psychology, including school psychology.
  2. Displays behaviors and attitudes consistent with state and federal laws, rules, and policies that impact the profession and practice of psychology.
  3. Displays behaviors and attitudes consistent with the Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct.
  4. Demonstrates effective communication and interpersonal skills when interacting with children, families, educators, colleagues, and other professionals.
  5. Responds to supervisory feedback to promote personal and professional development.
  6. Demonstrates understanding of the organization and operation of schools, including systems variables that promote positive learning and behavior in students.

B. Assessment Competencies

  1. Demonstrates applications of fundamental measurement concepts and psychometric issues related to the use and interpretation of assessment results with individuals of varying abilities and from diverse racial/ethnic and linguistic backgrounds.
  2. Demonstrates knowledge of major classification systems and criteria used to diagnose and identify psychological and educational problems.
  3. Demonstrates proficiency in administering, scoring, and interpreting a broad range of methods for assessing cognitive, academic, and social-emotional functioning and adaptive behavior and skills.
  4. Demonstrates proficiency in conceptualizing and conducting comprehensive assessments that address referral questions and are consistent with state and local policy and with legal and ethical guidelines.
  5. Demonstrates proficiency in communicating the results of assessments in written and oral fashion.
  6. Demonstrates proficiency in using assessment results to generate academic and behavioral interventions in school, family, and community settings.

C.  Direct Intervention Competencies

  1. Demonstrates proficiency in interviewing children, parents, and teachers for the purposes of information gathering, problem identification and analysis, and problem-solving.
  2. Demonstrates understanding of the reciprocal relationship between child characteristics and environmental variables and their influence on assessment and direct intervention.
  3. Demonstrates proficiency in observing and recording behavior in classrooms and other settings using a variety of observational methods.
  4. Demonstrates proficiency in using assessment results to generate, implement, and evaluate direct interventions in ways that demonstrate awareness and sensitivity to individual differences and diverse backgrounds.
  5. Demonstrates proficiency in applying various direct interventions, including cognitive-behavioral, counseling, and applied behavioral methods.
  6. Applies a well-grounded theory and scholarship to justify the planning, implementation, and evaluation of direct interventions.

D. Indirect Intervention Competencies

  1. Demonstrates understanding of theory and application of prevention models for the promotion of psychological wellness and educational development.
  2. Demonstrates understanding of organizational and system variables that promote positive educational and psychological outcomes for all students.
  3. Demonstrates understanding of responses to crises as well as consultation models for system-level crisis preparation and response.
  4. Demonstrates proficiency in developing and implementing a program for parents or professionals that addresses the needs of children, youth, and/or their families.
  5. Demonstrates understanding of prominent consultation theories and approaches.
  6. Demonstrates effective consultation skills when working with parents, families, teachers, and other professionals.
  7. Demonstrates proficiency in evaluating the outcomes of indirect interventions.

D. Indirect Intervention Competencies

  1. Demonstrates understanding of theory and application of prevention models for the promotion of psychological wellness and educational development.
  2. Demonstrates understanding of organizational and system variables that promote positive educational and psychological outcomes for all students.
  3. Demonstrates understanding of responses to crises as well as consultation models for system-level crisis preparation and response.
  4. Demonstrates proficiency in developing and implementing a program for parents or professionals that addresses the needs of children, youth, and/or their families.
  5. Demonstrates understanding of prominent consultation theories and approaches.
  6. Demonstrates effective consultation skills when working with parents, families, teachers, and other professionals.
  7. Demonstrates proficiency in evaluating the outcomes of indirect interventions.

E. Research Competencies

  1. Demonstrates understanding of fundamental principles of statistics and research methodology used in basic and applied research.
  2. Demonstrates understanding of statistical methods for detecting bias in the assessment of groups from diverse racial/ethnic and linguistic backgrounds.
  3. Demonstrates proficiency in evaluating basic and applied research in school psychology and related areas.
  4. Demonstrates the ability to design and conduct research.