School Psychology

Abstract

This chapter describes the historical development of the field of school psychology over two broad periods referred to as The Hybrid Years (1890–1969) and The Thoroughbred Years (1970‐present). Within each period, the field's development is subdivided into chronological periods and their associated development contributed by specific persons, events, and trends. The field's development is traced across the twentieth century, including descriptions of early practices and their relationship to later service delivery. Organizational development is described as evolving primarily from associations for applied psychologists and the reorganized American Psychological Association, and then the founding of the National Association of School Psychologists at the start of The Hybrid Years. Developments in training, accreditation, credentialing, and literature are also presented. A section discussing future possibilities for the specialty is provided and there is a section on resources for the study of the history of school psychology. An overview of the present status of the field is also presented at the beginning of the chapter.

The impact of COVID‐19 on school psychologists and evaluation

“…The National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) outlines assessment work and consultation as two primary functions of the school psychologist (National Association of School Psychologists [NASP], 2021). Fagan (2013) also reports school psychologists spend 50% of their time on assessment and 40% on consultation, much of which is to discuss assessment results and their impact on the development of individualized education programs (IEPs). To maintain compliance with the IDEA, schools are required to conduct valid, reliable, and comprehensive evaluations of students suspected of having a disability (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, 2017b; U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights, 2016).…”