The Blueprint I revisited: Training and practice in school psychology

In 1984, the National School Psychology Inservice Training Network (NSPITN) published School psychology: A blueprint for training and practice (Blueprint I), which recognized that America's public schools were troubled and focused on how school psychology could help with a transformation; the role of school psychologists was divided into 16 practice domains. In 1997, the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) published a successor, School psychology: A blueprint for training and practice II (Blueprint II), which credits the first edition with having “driven much of the progress in school psychology.” To better understand the impact of the Blueprint I, this study analyzes responses from Nebraska and Iowa school psychologists about it, finding that doctoral-level respondents believed that they were more competently trained than subdoctoral school psychologists in the research domain; quality of training was rated higher by respondents receiving degrees after 1984 in class management, classroom organization and social structures, interpersonal communication and consultation, legal/ethical and professional issues, multicultural concerns, parental involvement, research, and systems development and planning. Analyses revealed numerous areas of congruence and dissonance between training and practice. Respondents reported a preference to decrease the amount of time spent in assessment and increase the time spent in all other domains (except basic academic skills). The relevance to the Blueprint II and the implications for school psychology training and practices are discussed. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

The school psychologist as a behavior therapist: Past and future

Using a published review of 1965 as a comparison point, this article presents an opinion on the evolution of the school psychologist as a behavior therapist (encompassing the period of 1965–1975). Over the past ten years, it was noted that the role of being an individual therapist has been replaced by the role of being a consultant to the schools and the community, that assessment of change due to behavioral interventions (while some progress has been made) is still a major problem, and that the use of behavioral methods in the educational context is screened on an individual technique basis. In terms of the future, it is posited that there will be increasing support for the use of behavior modification activities, and specific areas of preparation for the schools and colleges are suggested. Special emphasis is placed on the relationship between professionalism and public policy, particularly as relevant to the ethics inherent in the use of behavior modification.     

A renewed focus on strengths‐based assessment in schools

School‐based practitioners are often called upon to provide assessment and recommendations for struggling students. These assessments often open doors to specialised services or interventions and provide opportunities for students to build competencies in areas of need. However, these assessments often fail to highlight the abilities of these students and instead focus on areas in need of remediation. The use of a more positive, or strengths‐based, approach to working with students is needed. Although strengths‐based assessment (SBA) is not a new concept, it is not routinely incorporated into school‐based assessment services. This article provides an overview of SBA and its benefits, along with empirically‐driven models that support the implementation of SBA in schools, and calls for a renewed focus on understanding students from a strengths‐based model. Examples of SBA measures and techniques are included, along with implications for practice for both students and psychologists.     

The Findings of the 9‐13 Middle School Survey: a local authority view

This paper presents an illustration of how the regression‐discontinuity design can be used to obtain an unbiased estimate of the causal effect of participating in a university remedial English program on first‐year grade point average. First‐year grade point averages were collected for 197 first‐time, full‐time university students, along with the scores they received on an English placement examination, and a measure of remedial program assignment. Regression discontinuities indicate that first‐year grade point averages were approximately 0.392 points higher for students who participated in a remedial English program as compared to equivalent students who did not participate in the remedial program. We also present various threats to validity and limitations of the regression‐discontinuity design.