-
Matrix 1
National Association of School Psychologists (NASP)
Sample Program Submission (Folio) I
NOTE: The following sample is relevant for paper folio
submissions for NASP approval, a process that was used previously.
However, please note that, beginning in 2007, all programs
submitting a full review for initial approval or re-approval will
submit their program materials ONLINE, using the procedures and
materials located at
http://www.nasponline.org/standards/approvedtraining/training_program.aspx
. Programs currently holding conditional approval or 3 year
approval should follow the instructions for their next submissions
found in the most recent decision letter sent to them by the NASP
Program Approval Board. If your most recent decision letter
instructs you to submit a PAPER folio for a conditional rejoinder
of three year review, you will find the following useful.
This sample includes the overview and program response sections
of a program submission (i.e., a folio) to NASP. It provides one
example of how a program might organize its responses to the NASP
standards. In this particular case, the program chose to organize
its responses to each NASP standard using narrative responses. The
“traditional” NCATE format for that section of the submission is a
table, or “Matrix,” in which each standard is listed in the left
column and the program’s response appears in the right hand column.
You have the option of using such a format, but are not required to
do so. You should select the approach most effective for depicting
your program. However, it is required that the NASP standards, and
the programs response to each, be included. Your response to each
standard should address policy and practice for standards I, III,
and IV, and show how the program addresses, assesses, and attains
each Domain in standard II. (You will see that assesses and attains
are combined in this particular sample). Please note that your
program must also respond to standard V if it is not in unit
accredited or undergoing review by NCATE. If that is the case,
please see specific instructions on how to respond to Standard V in
various NASP materials. This particular sample was adapted and
posted with the permission of the program. It was selected because
of the thorough and clear manner in which the program explained and
documented its policies and practices. That documentation, not the
“Matrix” statements per se, is the key to adequately addressing the
standards. Although the full appendices are not included in the
sample, the specific types of documentation can be gleamed from the
table of contents and the references to appendices in program
statements. The purpose of the sample is to show how a submission
might be organized, and not how a program should provide training,
or how it should address the NASP standards. To this end, we hope
it is helpful. If you have questions, please refer to companion
materials on NASP program review and approval, or contact the chair
of the Program Approval Board.
http://www.nasponline.org/standards/approvedtraining/training_program.aspx
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Matrix 2
COVER SHEET
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS Submitted by:
National State University Address: Department of Psychology and
Education Whereabouts Hall Anywhere Street Any Where, Any State
999999 Date: May 19, 2003 Chief compiler: Dr. MMMM Title: Director,
School Psychology Program
Phone: 999-999-9999 Fax: 999-999-9999 Email
[email protected] Program web site: www.nsu.edu
Degree/program level(s): ___X____ Specialist _______ Doctoral
(note: separate matrix responses must be provided for each program
submitted for review Checklist of materials to be enclosed with
this program report: __X_ Background information on the program,
including program philosophy, goals and objectives for candidate
proficiencies and relevant policies and practices (include in
appendix program handbook or comparable program/university
documents that address the above items) __X_ Number and demographic
characteristics of students enrolled in program at each level (1st
year, 2nd year, etc.) and number and demographic characteristics of
graduates for past two years __X_ Brief description of faculty
qualifications that assure confidence in the preparation and
judgments of candidate proficiencies (include as appendix brief
summaries of program faculty, degree specializations, teaching
load/assignments, rank and tenure status, and qualifications
relevant to NASP standards) __X_ Description of the program’s
required curriculum and field experiences that demonstrate
opportunities for candidates to learn and attain the standards __X_
Description of the program’s assessment system and its use for
making judgments about candidate proficiencies (include in appendix
program handbook or comparable document that addresses this item)
__X_ Aggregated and summarized performance evidence from multiple
sources, organized by standards. Include relevant rubrics or
criteria and describe program
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Matrix 3
interpretations of data and response or actions taken to
strengthen programs. The following sources are required: internship
performance appraisals; state licensure exam scores or NTE Praxis
II exam in school psychology; program-embedded, comprehensive,
culminating performance assessment of candidates; other sources of
assessment as relevant to the program __X_ Brief statement of the
program’s self-evaluation of perceived strengths and deviations
from national standards (include results of unit/institution
accreditation evaluations, if relevant) __NA_ Special state
requirements or circumstances, if any, that may be important to the
program review
__X__ Program response to each standard (e.g., in “matrix” or
comparable format that lists each standard, gives the program’s
response, and references evidence) __X__ Appendices (with tabs) to
document compliance with standards, including: a) blinded
transcripts/academic records of three recent program graduates;
program handbook or comparable documents; documentation of
curriculum/field work (e.g., syllabi, handbooks); and performance
evidence. Please include tabs with appendices. NOTE: Please refer
to relevant professional association standards and related
materials for further guidance on program submission materials.
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Matrix 4
Table of Contents Overview……………………………………………………………….. Overview
1-8
Matrix
Standard I: Program Context/Structure………………….………. Matrix 1 -
6
Standard II: Domains of Training and Practice…………….……. Matrix 6
- 27
Standard III: Field Experiences/Internship……………………….. Matrix 27
- 30
Standard IV: Assessment…………………………………………. Matrix 30 - 33
Appendices
A Student Handbook
B Graduate Bulletin
C Mission Statements/Conceptual Framework University Mission
Statement College of Social and Natural Sciences Mission Statement
Department and Program Mission Statements Education Unit Conceptual
Framework
D Syllabi
E Student Transcripts, Course Plans & Graduation
Applications Transcripts for Students A, B, C, D
Student A: M. S. and Specialist Course Plans and Graduation
Applications
Student B: M. S. and Specialist Course Plans and Graduation
Applications Student D: M. S. and Specialist Course Plans and
Graduation Applications
F Faculty Information Course and Load Assignments Seniority
Roster Vitae for Core School Psychology Program Faculty
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Matrix 5
G Domain Grids Domain Numbers and Names Grid 1: Program
Objectives and Objectives by Domain Course Numbers and Names Grid
2: Courses by Domain Grid 3: Evaluation Procedures by Domain Grid
4: Student Portfolio (Appendix N) Pages by Domain
H Assessment Plan and Reports; Program Review Guidelines School
Psychology Program Assessment Plan 1998-2000 Assessment Report
2000-2002 Assessment Report Graduate Program Review Guidelines
Sample School Psychology Coordinating Committee Minutes
I Summative Evaluation Materials M.S. Comprehensive Exam—Summary
Data Specialist Portfolio Ratings—Summary Data NTE Praxis II
Specialty Area Test—Summary Report
Internship Field Supervisor and Self-Ratings—Summary Report
Internship Supervisor Ratings—Item Data 2002 Alumni Survey—Item
Data and Comments
J Formative Evaluation Materials Admission Recommendation Form
Annual Review Memo, Form, and Feedback Letter Inter- &
Intra-Personal Skills Form Practicum/Internship Evaluation Form
K Practicum Materials and Logs Practicum Site and Supervisor
List
Hours Sheets, Logs, Supervisor Evaluations, Self-Evaluations
Student A: PSY 641, 642, 744 Student B: PSY 641, 642, 744
Student E: PSY 641, 642, 744
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Matrix 6
L Internship Materials Internship Sites and Supervisors
University/Student Agreement Re: Internship and Certification:
Student A Internship Site Approval: Students A, B, D Agency
Agreement for Internship Enrollment: Students A, B, D Supervision
Agreement: Students A, B, D Internet Course Approval: Students A, D
Sample Internship Goals and Goals Results: Students A, B, F 1st
Semester Site Visit Reports, Supervisor Evals and Student Self
Evals 2nd Semester Site Visit Reports, Supervisor Evals and Student
Self Evals
M Internship Logs Internship Hours/Category Summary Sheet &
Hours Log: Students A, B, F
Student A Log (complete) Student B Log (partial:
August-November, February, April)
N Specialist Reflective Portfolio Grid 4: Portfolio Page Numbers
by Domain Portfolio Orals Rating Sheet Portfolio Text; Appendices D
and E
O Miscellaneous Master’s Theses 1997-2002 Continuing Education
Activities Research Seminar Notices Newsletter Item on Conference
Attendance Web Site: Home Page and Admissions Page School
Psychology Program Brochure
P External Evaluator’s Report
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Matrix 7
Matrix I. PROGRAM CONTEXT/STRUCTURE 1.1 The program provides to
all candidates a clearly articulated training
philosophy/mission, goals, and objectives. An integrated and
sequential program of study and supervised practice clearly
identified as being in school psychology and consistent with the
program’s philosophy/mission, goals, and objectives are provided to
all candidates.
The philosophy and objectives of the Program are stated in the
student Handbook (Appendix A, pp. 1-4, 20, 29). Core skills and
field experience courses (Psy 620, 621, 622, 641, 642, 723, 724,
744, 701, 728, 760, and CNSA 520) are highly sequenced with
official course descriptions clearly stating required
pre-requisites. Course descriptions are consistent with Program
objectives. Sequenced courses, such as the Assessment/Intervention
I-IV series (PSY 621, 622, 723, 724) are designed to build on
skills learned in previous courses. All students take the sequenced
courses in the required order; the order of supporting
psychological foundations and special education course will vary
from year to year due to the fact that some of these courses are
taught on an every-other-year basis because of resource
limitations. Students submit Course Plans (Form 1; see Appendix E)
separately for the Master’s degree and for the Specialist degree.
Courses submitted for each degree at the time of graduation (Form
4; Appendix E) must match the course plan. Coordination of required
courses taught through the Special Education Department with
courses taught in the Psychology Department is aided by the
inclusion of a representative of the Special Education Department
faculty on the School Psychology Coordinating Committee. Also, our
policy on grading states that students must earn a minimum of a "B"
in school psychology core courses and if a "C" is earned in a core
course that is a pre-requisite for another course, the course must
be re-taken and an "A" or "B" earned before the student may
continue in the sequence. A course schedule for students
illustrating the standard course sequence appears on page 77 of the
Handbook (Appendix A). Course syllabi are designed to be consistent
with official course descriptions and with the stated philosophy
and objectives of the program. Students completing the required
Reflective Portfolio for the Specialist degree document how they
have met each of the program objectives. Feedback from our Alumni
Survey of 2002 indicates that our graduates believe the program
curriculum prepared them well in the areas covered by the program
objectives. Policy: Handbook, pp. 1-4, 12-14, 20-26, 29-40, 37-40,
73-77 (Appendix A) Bulletin, pp. 31-32 (Appendix B) Practice:
Student Transcripts, Course Plans, and Graduation Forms (Appendix
E) Syllabi (Appendix D) Specialist Portfolio Ratings Summary
(Appendix I) Alumni Survey (Appendix I) Reflective Portfolio
requirements and evaluation criteria (Appendix N)
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Matrix 8
1.2 A commitment to understanding and responding to human
diversity is articulated in
the program’s philosophy/mission, goals, and objectives and
practiced throughout all aspects of the program, including
admissions, faculty, coursework, practica, and internship
experiences. Human diversity is recognized as a strength that is
valued and respected.
As noted on page 1 of the Graduate Bulletin, the university
mission statement includes the statement, "The University strives
to provide an educational environment that supports intellectual
development, that welcomes diversity and that develops the skills
and talents of women and men so that they have the capacity to live
usefully, act responsibly and be learners all their lives."
Furthermore, the Psychology Department mission statement and goals
support a respect for diversity, the development of the individual,
and the application of psychological knowledge for the betterment
of the individual and society. The university and the program abide
by Title IX provisions in the admission of students, the hiring of
faculty, and in general campus life and activities. Since our
applicant pool is generally made up of college graduates from this
region (a rather homogenous group), we tend not to have much racial
or ethnic diversity in our students, although we have been
relatively successful in recruiting and enrolling students of
American Indian ancestry (see Overview) We also attempt to enroll
students with a diversity of ages, backgrounds, and life
experiences, and vigorously follow up leads of minority people
potentially interested in our program. The university as a whole
has an initiative to enroll more students from minority groups,
potentially broadening our applicant pool (see university pamphlet
in Appendix ____.) For all applicants, we consider interpersonal
skills as they relate to being able to work effectively with
diverse children and families. Our Recommendation form (see
Appendix J) specifically asks reference writers to provide feedback
on the applicant’s ability to work with multicultural groups.
Inclusion of this item is intended to not only solicit information
about the applicant, but to let applicants know that we consider
this an important issue. Our faculty are committed to diversity
issues. Dr. XXX has been the lead investigator in a number of
research projects looking at educational issues for American Indian
students in school districts in the region. (see faculty vitae in
Appendix F). Faculty also model continuing development in diversity
issues. For example, Dr. PPP has been member of the campus S.E.E.D.
(Seeking Educational Equity and Diversity) group, which is a branch
of a national organization of K-12 educators seeking ways to make
educational practices and settings more equitable for all students.
Dr. YYY has been involved in a project to provide support to Gay
and Lesbian students (see faculty vita in Appendix F). Faculty not
only encourage students to attend diversity activities (see Event
Alerts in Appendix H), but attend the many of the events
themselves, and participate in training/inservice opportunities on
campus, at conferences, and in the public schools. For example, all
faculty and students attended a two-day workshop by Dr. Hector
Ochoa on “The Psychoeducational Assessment of Children from
Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Backgrounds” in January.
Attendance for students at this workshop was supported by funds
from the program’s School Psychology Discretionary Fund (see
announcement of workshop and notice on the availability of funding
for students in Appendix ___). .
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Matrix 9
The research projects conducted by Drs. XXX and YYY have created
numerous opportunities for our graduate students to be involved in
research activities with American Indian students. All students in
the last four years have had contact with American Indian students
through these projects and, since 1998, 10 students have completed
Master’s theses on educational issues impacting American Indian
students. Another two students have examined issues relating to
Spanish language speakers. (See Appendix O for a list of theses.)
Program Objective #10 is "To make students aware of the needs of
culturally diverse populations and to teach students non-biased
assessment techniques." We have taken an integrated approach to
addressing this goal by incorporating diversity issues throughout
our basic core courses through lectures, readings and assignments.
For example, all students must participate in a cultural diversity
activity on campus or in the community each semester during their
first two years (see syllabi for Psy 601, 622, 723, 724 in Appendix
D) and must complete a diversity project as part of their
internship (see Psy 701 syllabus). Our goal is to increase
students’ self-awareness of their own culture and beliefs, their
knowledge of other cultural groups, and their skills in dealing
with culturally and linguistically diverse people. In terms of
course content, in Psy 601 Foundations of School Psychology an
appreciation of the uniqueness of individuals is fostered through
readings and discussions of multicultural issues in education
today. Students not only are introduced to some of the basic issues
related to cultural diversity, but are asked to examine their own
experiences and biases. Non-biased assessment principles and
standards are covered in Psy 620 Measurement Theory and throughout
the Assessment/Intervention sequence (Psy 621, 622, 723, 724).
Assessment/Intervention I focuses on principles of non-test based
assessment and cultural issues related to behavioral targeting and
definitions. Cultural issues and the use of cognitive standardized
tests are addressed in Assessment/Intervention II along with
continuing emphasis on multi-method evaluation procedures and
cultural considerations in special education decisions. Students
must interview their practicum field supervisors about practices
and policies related to serving cultural and linguistically diverse
student in their school placements. These assessment and
intervention issues are addressed again within the context of early
childhood assessment and intervention (Psy 723) and in the context
of assessment and intervention related to psychosocial issues (Psy
724). Students are required to participate in a multicultural
assessment in Psy 724 as part of their practicum experience (Psy
744) and to design and participate in a multicultural experience.
During their first semester of internship, students are required to
do an assessment with a student who uses English as a second
language, and they must design a cultural experience that builds on
their previous multicultural experiences and extends their personal
exploration of multi-cultural awareness. Cultural and diversity
issues are also addressed in other required courses, such as Psy
615 Developmental Psychology, Psy 619 Social Psychology and in
Special Education courses (cf., SpEd 513, SpEd 573, SpEd 620, SpEd
664). Ability to work with diverse students, staff and families is
addressed in practicum and internship evaluations, and students are
required to document their ability to work effectively with diverse
populations in their Reflective Portfolio submitted for the
Specialist degree.
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Matrix 10
Departmental faculty with whom students have contact also
include Dr. D, a native of Jamaica, and Dr. C, a native of
Greece.
Policy: Handbook, p. 4 (Appendix A) Bulletin pp. 60-62 (Appendix
B)
Practice: Syllabi for Psy 601, 615, 619, 620, 621, 622, 723,
724, 728 and SpEd 513, 573, 620, 664 (Appendix D)
Faculty vita (Appendix F) Sample Portfolio (Appendix N, pp.
18-22, 28-32) 1.3 Candidates have opportunities to develop an
affiliation with colleagues, faculty, and
the profession through a continuous full-time residency or
alternative planned experiences.
Students are required to be full-time students and to be
continuously enrolled for three years. Students have consistently
been enrolled full-time for their first two years and during the
internship. The students take classes together as a cohort group
and are involved as a group in non-credit activities such as the
Research Seminar, periodic social events, and attendance at the
state school psychology conference. Some students also have
attended national professional conferences and other state/regional
conferences with faculty.
Policy: Handbook, p. 15 --Continuous Residency Policy (Appendix
A) Practice: Student transcripts (Appendix E) Research Seminar
notices (Appendix O)
1.4 The program possesses at least three full-time equivalent
faculty. At least two faculty
members (including the program administrator) shall hold the
doctorate with specialization in school psychology and be actively
engaged in school psychology as a profession (e.g., by possessing
state and/or national credentials, having experience as a school
psychologist, participating in professional school psychology
associations, and/or contributing to research, scholarly
publications, and presentations in the field). Other program
faculty possess the doctoral degree in psychology, education, or a
closely related discipline with a specialization supportive of
their training responsibilities in the school psychology
program.
Our Faculty Allocation Policy mirrors the NASP standard. Out of
a current total of 11 full-time faculty positions in the Psychology
Department, 3 FTE positions have been designated for the School
Psychology Program. Three current faculty are placed on a separate
seniority roster for the Program within the Psychology Department.
School psychology faculty teach the core school psych courses, but
also teach some undergraduate classes; other faculty in the
department provide support through teaching the psychological
foundations and advanced research methods courses.
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Matrix 11
All three of the core school psychology faculty—Dr. M. PPP,
Director; Dr. O MMM; and Dr. L YYY—have earned doctorates in School
Psychology and have experience as school psychologists in the
public schools. They maintain state and national certification,
attend state and national school psychology conferences and
contribute to the field through publications and presentations. Dr.
MMM is currently a member of the Board of the State School
Psychologists Association.
Policy: Handbook, p. 19 Practice: Course Assignments, Department
Roster, and Faculty Vitae (Appendix F)
1.5 The program provides, collaborates in, or contributes to
continuing professional
development opportunities for practicing school psychologists
based on the needs of practitioners.
In part because other institutions in the area provide a
considerable amount of continuing education courses for educators,
most of our continuing education efforts are in the form of
inservices, presentations, and workshops requested by specific
districts or groups. A list of the continuing education courses,
inservices, presentations and workshops presented by the Program
faculty over the past five years is included in Appendix O. This
list does not include professional conference presentations; those
are listed on faculty vitae.
Policy: Handbook, p. 18-19
Practice: Faculty vitae (Appendix F) List of Continuing
Education Activities (Appendix O) 1.6 Specialist-level programs
consist of a minimum of three years of full-time study or the
equivalent at the graduate level. The program shall include at
least 60 graduate semester hours or the equivalent, at least 54
hours of which are exclusive of credit for the supervised
internship experience. Institutional documentation of program
completion shall be provided.
We require three years of full-time study and the completion of
61 semester credits of graduate courses--6 credits of which is
assigned to the internship. Students earn a Specialist degree upon
completion of the 61 credits plus the remaining portfolio and orals
requirements. Students completing the Specialist degree have that
so noted on their transcript. Policy: Handbook, pp. 5-6, 15
(Appendix A) Bulletin, p. 32 (Appendix B) Practice: Student
Transcripts and Course Plans (Appendix E) 1.7 Specialist-level
programs include a minimum of one academic year of supervised
internship experience, consisting of a minimum of 1200 clock
hours.
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Matrix 12
Our requirement is identical to the standard. Policy: Handbook,
p. 34 (Appendix A) Bulletin, p. 61 course description for Psy 760
(Appendix B) Practice: Internship Site/Supervisor List (Appendix L)
Internship Log summary sheets and Logs (Appendix M) Psy 760
Syllabus (Appendix D) Transcripts (Appendix E) II. DOMAINS OF
SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGY TRAINING AND PRACTICE Introduction to Section II
A grid cross-referencing Program Objectives to Domains appears in
Appendix G (Grid 1). The Program Objectives are listed with Grid 1
in Appendix G as well as on pp. 3-4 of the Handbook (see Appendix
A). Also in Appendix G are grids cross-referencing Courses to
Domains (Grid 2), Evaluation Procedures to Domains (Grid 3), and
page numbers for the Sample Student Portfolio (Appendix N) to
Domains (Grid 4). The text below highlights key aspects of how each
domain is addressed through coursework and field requirements. Not
everything included in our training relevant to a particular Domain
is necessarily mentioned in detail below. To increase efficiency in
the use of time and space, the most relevant examples were chosen.
Program Objectives most relevant to each Domain are identified in
Grid 1 in Appendix G, but the relevant elements of all objectives
may not be specifically addressed in the text for that Domain. For
example, while consultation skills are relevant to the Data-based
Decision Making and Accountability Domain, this element of our
training is not specifically addressed in the Domain 2.1 section
since other elements are more directly relevant and consultation
skills are addressed elsewhere. Syllabi for all courses mentioned
appear in Appendix D. Please refer to the syllabi for specific
information related to course content. The Assessed and Attained
components under each Domain are combined. see Grid 3 in Appendix G
for Assessment Procedures by Domain). While formative assessment
procedures are listed, the focus in the discussion of each Domain
below will be on summative evaluation outcomes. The Program’s
Assessment Plan and Reports are described in Section III with
documentation appearing in Appendix H. The evaluation materials
most commonly referred to below are: within-course evaluation
procedures, NTE Praxis II exam scores, summaries of evaluations
completed by internship field supervisors, student performance on
Master’s degree comprehensive exams, ratings of the Specialist
degree reflective portfolio oral by orals committee members, and
the summary data from the Alumni Survey of graduates from 1997-
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Matrix 13
2001. Except for the within-course evaluation procedures (e.g.,
assignments, exams) that are documented in the course syllabi in
Appendix D, all of the Summative evaluation source materials appear
in Appendix I, and the Formative evaluation materials are in
Appendix J. All students must submit a Reflective Portfolio to a
faculty committee and sit for an oral exam focused on the portfolio
materials as a degree requirement for the Specialist degree. In
this portfolio, students must describe and document how they have
met the Program’s training Objectives. The portfolio requirements
and evaluation criteria are included in Appendix N. The portfolio
is organized around the Program Objectives; however, a grid
referencing the most relevant pages to each of the School
Psychology Domains is included in Appendix G (see Grid 4). Since
the Portfolio documents both how Domains are Addressed and
Attained, reference to relevant portions of the Portfolio will
appear at the end of each “Addressed” section below. Thus, the
primary Appendices providing supporting information and
documentation throughout this section are: Appendix D: Course
syllabi Appendix G: Grids cross-referencing Domains, Objectives,
Courses, and Evaluation
Procedures Appendix H: Assessment Plan, Assessment Reports
Appendix I: Summative evaluation materials Appendix J: Formative
evaluation materials Appendix N: Sample Student Reflective
Portfolio text 2.1 Data-Based Decision-Making and Accountability:
School psychologists have knowledge
of varied models and methods of assessment that yield
information useful in identifying strengths and needs, in
understanding problems, and in measuring progress and
accomplishments. School psychologists use such models and methods
as part of a systematic process to collect data and other
information, translate assessment results into empirically based
decisions about service delivery, and evaluate the outcomes of
services. Data based decision-making permeates every aspect of
professional practice.
2.1 Addressed We emphasize data-based decision making throughout
the program. Program objectives most directly related to data-based
decision-making are Objectives 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, and 11 (see
Grid 1, Appendix G). For courses relevant to this Domain, see Grid
2 and the discussion below. Our emphasis on the linkage of
assessment and intervention is most clearly exemplified by the fact
that we have no stand-alone assessment courses. Students initially
learn the basics of standardized academic assessment in their PSY
620 Measurement Theory class as a means of illustrating the
measurement principles learned in class. Then, instead of
traditional intelligence testing, etc. courses, and separate
intervention classes, we have a series of four
Assessment/Intervention courses that form the core of our program.
These courses are organized around four broad areas: Basic
Processes (PSY 621), Special Populations (PSY 622), Early Childhood
(PSY 723), and Psychosocial Problems (PSY 724). Focusing the
courses on topic
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Matrix 14
areas rather than specific techniques facilitates a problem
solving approach. Also, the courses are sequenced in a manner that
facilitates application of skills developed in earlier courses to
the situations dealt with in later courses. For example, while
intelligence tests are the primary assessment instruments taught in
the Assessment/Intervention II course, the related cases that
students do on the associated practicum must include additional
supporting data collected using techniques such as structured
observations, curriculum-based measurement, ecological assessment,
behavior ratings, etc. that were learned in Assessment/Intervention
I. Students also must apply the assessment techniques they have
learned to their required intervention experiences. Students get
multiple experiences to link assessment with intervention starting
with their first semester in their SPED 571 Behavior Management
course, their PSY 621 Assessment/Intervention I course with PSY 641
Practicum I, and continuing through PSY 622 Assessment/Intervention
II with PSY 642 Practicum II, PSY 723 Assessment/ Intervention III,
and PSY 724 Assessment/Intervention IV with PSY 744 Practicum III.
This practice culminates in the internship (PSY 760) where they are
required to conduct a functional assessment (PSY 701) and a systems
intervention with an evaluation component (PSY 728) along with the
more traditional assessment experiences that are normally expected
and required by their internship sites. Thus, during the course of
their training, students are introduced to a wide variety of data
collection methods: record reviews, informal and formal observation
systems, curriculum based assessment, ecological assessment,
parent, teacher and student interviews, behavior rating scales (PSY
621Assessment/Intervention I); standardized academic tests (PSY 620
Measurement Theory), multiple standardized cognitive assessment
instruments, including non-verbal instruments (PSY 622
Assessment/Intervention II); adaptive behavior measures, family
needs assessment, standardized preschool cognitive instruments,
play-based assessment (PSY 723 Assessment/Intervention III); and
social/emotional instruments, including personality assessment
measures and structured clinical interviews (PSY 724
Assessment/Intervention IV). Furthermore, along with developing
technical skills with these instruments, the students also have
experience using assessment techniques for a variety of purposes,
i.e., diagnosis, eligibility, intervention monitoring, and program
evaluation. A data-based decision making/problem-solving model is
further supported through required readings in PSY 601 Foundations
of School Psychology and the required Behavior Management course
(SpEd 571), as well as in the two courses taken during the
internship year: PSY 701 Issues in School Psychology and PSY 728
Systems Intervention. Data based decision-making is also a
component of the required course in special education methods
(e.g., SpEd 513, 545, 573) The requirement of a data based thesis
is an additional format for determining appropriate data to address
a question, collecting data, and interpreting data; the courses
related to this are ED 603 Research Methods and PSY 632 Advanced
Psychological Methodology. Additionally, faculty model data-based
decision making through their own research (see faculty vitae).
Student Reflective Portfolio (Appendix N) relevant pages: 11-15,
16-18, 18-24
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Matrix 15
2.1 Assessed and Attained Pre-admission assessment:
Recommendation Form (Appendix J), GPA, GREs, personal
statement (Handbook, pp. 20-21, 29-31) On-going, formative
assessment includes: Inter- & Intrapersonal skills evaluation,
Annual
Reviews, practicum supervisor evaluations, practicum
self-evaluations, internship mid-year evaluations, internship
university supervisor site visit reports (Appendix J & L)
Summative evidence of the proficiency of our graduates in
data-based decision making and
accountability includes the following (see Appendix I for
documentation unless otherwise noted):
All students passed the Assessment/Intervention sequence courses
with a minimum grade of “B”. Instructors in these courses require
mastery of all assessment components of the courses to earn the
required minimum grade of “B.” All but one student taking the M. S.
written comprehensive exam (N = 11) in the past 2 years passed the
Assessment Area question with a minimum rating of 3.0 (Good-Pass).
All students successfully completed a data-based thesis (see thesis
list in Appendix O). All students submitting NTE National Exam
results and submitting category scores (N = 14) from 1997-2001,
scored in either the Average range or the Above Average range in
the Assessment/Diagnosis or Fact Finding category. For students
completing their internships (N = 9) in the past 2 years, the
average field supervisor rating across items related to Assessment
was 4.44 on a 1-5 scale while the average student self-rating was
4.13 where a rating of 3 represents “Satisfactory,” 4 represents
“Competent” and 5 represents “Outstanding.” Based on the student’s
portfolio and oral responses in the Specialist degree oral exam,
oral exam committee members rated all students (N = 9) as either
Adequate (44%) or Strong (56%) in the area of Assessment Skills on
a 3 point scale of Inadequate, Adequate, or Strong. On the Alumni
Survey, the average rating of graduates on Question #4 (effective
observation skills) was 4.71, on Q #6 (assessment of learning
problems) it was 4.62, on Q # 7 (assessment for behavior problems)
it was 4.14 and on Q #14 (non-biased assessment techniques) it was
4.15. Alumni who identified strengths of the program frequently
mentioned assessment, e.g., “NSUM provided a strong foundation in
assessment and intervention.”
2.2 Consultation and Collaboration: School psychologists have
knowledge of behavioral,
mental health, collaborative, and/or other consultation models
and methods and of their application to particular situations.
School psychologists collaborate effectively with
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Matrix 16
others in planning and decision-making processes at the
individual, group, and system levels.
2.2 Addressed Our program objective most clearly relevant to
this domain is Objective 9 with Objectives 2, 3, 5, and 10 also
bearing some relevance (see Grid 1, Appendix G). For courses
relevant to this Domain, see Grid 2 and the discussion below.
Consultation and Collaboration theories and skills are addressed in
SpEd 664 Theory and Process of Consultation. These skills are also
addressed throughout the Assessment/Intervention sequence and
applied in the practica (PSY 621/641, 622/642, 723, 724/744)
through such activities as collaborating with teachers on effective
interventions, effective participation on educational teams,
participation in group counseling interventions, and collaboration
with parents. Interns develop goals related to collaboration and
carry out individual, group and systems level interventions
requiring collaboration. Furthermore, the PSY 728 Systems
Intervention course specifically addresses these skills at a
systems level. The PSY 601 Foundations of School Psychology course
also includes material related to working effectively and
collaboratively with parents and school staff. Also, students
develop micro-counseling skills in CNSA 520 Basic Counseling Skills
that are relevant in consultation and collaboration settings as
well as in counseling situations. Interpersonal skills and the
potential for effective collaborative practice have been long been
informally evaluated for program applicants through letters of
reference and candidate interviews. In 2001-2002, we formalized the
process by developing a reference form where referees are
specifically requested to address such skills (see Reference Form
in Appendix J). We also have modified the annual review process to
address skills in a manner consistent with the initial admissions
evaluation. The annual review information is an important part of
the Specialist degree admission process for students continuing in
our program (see Handbook, p. 29). Last year we also developed an
Inter/Intrapersonal Skills rating form that can be used by faculty
within individual classes to assess those non-academic skills.
Assessment of consultation and collaboration skills is a key
component of the practicum and internship evaluations. Knowledge in
this area is also addressed through written comprehensive exams
where individual questions often include a
collaboration/consultation component, through the NTE exam and
through the Specialist portfolio and oral exam process. Student
Reflective Portfolio (Appendix N) relevant pages: 21, 24-28 2.2
Assessed and Attained Pre-admission assessment: Recommendation Form
(Appendix J), GPA, GREs, personal
statement (Handbook, pp. 20-21, 29-31)
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Matrix 17
On-going, formative assessment includes: Inter- &
Intrapersonal skills evaluation, Annual Reviews, practicum
supervisor evaluations, practicum self-evaluations, internship
mid-year evaluations, internship university supervisor site visit
reports. (Appendix J & L)
Summative evidence of the proficiency of our graduates in
consultation and collaboration
includes the following (see Appendix I for documentation unless
otherwise noted): All graduates have taken and passed with a
minimum grade of “C” the SpEd 664 Theory and Process of
Consultation course. Rarely, if ever, has a student earned a “C” in
this course. Of the last two classes of students to take the class,
all earned a grade of “A.” All students have taken and passed with
a minimum grade of “B” the Psy 728 Systems Intervention course
which requires the implementation of a systems intervention
project. All students taking the NTE exam since 1997 and submitting
area scores, have scored within or above the average range in the
Prevention and Intervention area. For students completing their
internships (N = 9) in the past 2 years, the average field
supervisor rating across items related to Consultation was 4.24 on
a 1-5 scale while the average student self-rating was 4.04. On
items relating to Personal and Professional Characteristics the
average supervisor rating was 4.33 while the average self-rating
was 4.13 where a rating of 3 represents “Satisfactory,” 4
represents “Competent” and 5 represents “Outstanding.” For specific
item ratings see the Internship Evaluation summary in Appendix I.
Based on the student’s portfolio and oral responses in the
Specialist degree oral exam for the past 2 years (N = 9), oral exam
committee members rated 8 of 9 students as “Strong” with the
remaining student rated as “Adequate” in the area of Consultation
Skills on a 3 point scale of Inadequate, Adequate, or Strong. On
the Alumni Survey, the average rating of graduates on Question #11
(effective consultation skills) was 3.80, and on Q #12 (systems
intervention) was 3.85. On the Inter/Intra-Personal Skills form
completed by the university internship supervisor/Psy 728 course
instructor at the end of the internship year in Spring 2001, for
the 6 students enrolled, all received ratings of 2 (Adequate) on
all items except one student who received a rating of 1 and 1.5
(“Some Concern”) for 2 items out of the 17 rated. 2.3 Effective
Instruction and Development of Cognitive/Academic Skills:
School
psychologists have knowledge of human learning processes,
techniques to assess these processes, and direct and indirect
services applicable to the development of cognitive and academic
skills. School psychologists, in collaboration with others, develop
appropriate cognitive and academic goals for students with
different abilities, disabilities, strengths, and needs; implement
interventions to achieve those goals; and evaluate the
effectiveness of interventions. Such interventions include, but are
not limited to, instruction and consultation.
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Matrix 18
2.3 Addressed The most relevant program objectives are Objective
1, 2, 3, 6, 9 and 10 (see Grid 1, Appendix G). For courses relevant
to this Domain, see Grid 2 and the discussion below. All students
are required to take a graduate level course in human
learning/cognition (PSY 611), as well as addressing influences on
learning through the other psychological foundations courses in
Biopsychology (PSY 613), Developmental (PSY 615),
Personality/Psychopathology (PSY 617) and Social (PSY 619)
psychology. Learning processes are also addressed in other classes,
such as the intellectual theories and reading skills components of
PSY 622 Assessment/Intervention II and coverage of APA’s Learner
Centered Principles in PSY 601 Foundations of School Psychology.
SpEd 571 Behavior Management also addresses basic learning
principles. Development of appropriate cognitive and academic goals
for students is addressed throughout the Assessment/Intervention
sequence and practica (PSY 621/641, 622/642. 723, 724/644) as well
as through the required special education methods course. Skills in
single subject designs appropriate in evaluating interventions are
learned in PSY 621 Assessment/Intervention I as well as in SpEd 571
Behavior Management. Students are required to conduct and evaluate
interventions as part of their practica (PSY 641, 642, and 723) as
well as the internship (PSY 760). Students must document the
development and implementation of at least one data-based
intervention as part of their Specialist portfolio. Additionally, a
number of students have completed intervention-based theses (see
thesis list in Appendix O). Student Reflective Portfolio (Appendix
N) relevant pages: 6-10, 18-22, 52-57 2.3 Assessed and Attained
Pre-admission assessment: Recommendation Form (Appendix J), GPA,
GREs, personal
statement (Handbook, pp. 20-21, 29-31) On-going, formative
assessment includes: Inter- & Intrapersonal skills evaluation,
Annual
Reviews, practicum supervisor evaluations, practicum
self-evaluations, internship mid-year evaluations, internship
university supervisor site visit reports. (Appendix J & L)
Summative evidence of the proficiency of our graduates in
Effective Instruction and
Development of Cognitive/academic Skills includes the following
(see Appendix I for documentation unless otherwise noted):
All graduates have taken and passed with a minimum grade of “C”
the core psychology foundations courses including Psy 611 Human
Learning and Cognition as well as the other psychology foundations
courses all of which address influences on learning processes. All
graduates have successfully completed SpEd 571 Behavior Management
and an elective course in instructional methods in special
education. All students also have successfully completed the
instructional intervention components of the
Assessment/Intervention sequence, which included
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Matrix 19
conducting and evaluating an instructional intervention in Psy
621 and in Psy 622. Additionally, a curriculum evaluation
assignment is a component of PSY 621 Assessment/Intervention I. All
students taking M.S. comprehensive exams in the past 2 years have
passed the Psychological Foundations and the Education Foundations
area question. All students taking the NTE exam since 1997 and
submitting area scores have scored within or above the average
range on the Applied Psychological Foundations area and all but one
scored in the average or above average range in Applied Educational
Foundations. For students completing their internships (N = 9) in
the past 2 years, the average field supervisor rating across items
related to Intervention was 4.22 on a 1-5 scale while the average
student self-rating was 3.90 where a rating of 3 represents
“Satisfactory,” 4 represents “Competent” and 5 represents
“Outstanding.” For specific item ratings see the Internship
Evaluation summary in Appendix I. Based on the student’s portfolio
and oral responses in the Specialist degree oral exam for the past
2 years (N = 9), oral exam committee members rated 6 of 9 students
as “Strong” with the remaining students rated as “Adequate” in the
area of designing and implementing “effective intervention
strategies for a variety of learning and social emotional problems”
on a 3 point scale of Inadequate, Adequate, or Strong. Six students
were rated as Adequate and 3 as Strong in regard to their knowledge
base in education. Eight were rated as Strong and one as Adequate
in regard to consulting effectively with teacher, parents and other
professionals. On the Alumni Survey, the average rating of
graduates on Question #2c (working knowledge of educational
curricula) was 3.00, and on Q #3 mean ratings were 4.24 for
“Knowledge of handicapping conditions,” 3.81 for “Skills to plan
interventions for students with disabilities,” and 4.14 for
“Understanding needs of persons with disabilities.” 2.4
Socialization and Development of Life Skills: School psychologists
have knowledge of
human developmental processes, techniques to assess these
processes, and direct and indirect services applicable to the
development of behavioral, affective, adaptive, and social skills.
School psychologists, in collaboration with others, develop
appropriate behavioral, affective, adaptive, and social goals for
students of varying abilities, disabilities, strengths, and needs;
implement interventions to achieve those goals; and evaluate the
effectiveness of interventions. Such interventions include, but are
not limited to, consultation, behavioral assessment/intervention,
and counseling.
2.4 Addressed Relevant program objectives include Objective 1,
3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 (see Grid 1, Appendix G). For courses
relevant to this Domain, see Grid 2 and the discussion below. All
students are required to take a graduate level course in
Developmental psychology (PSY 615), as well as addressing
developmental influences through the other psychological
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Matrix 20
foundations courses in Biopsychology (PSY 613), Learning and
Cognition (PSY 611), Personality/Psychopathology (PSY 617) and
Social (PSY 619) psychology. Developmental processes are also
addressed in other classes, especially in the
Assessment/Intervention sequence (PSY 621/641, 622/642, 723,
724/744) where developmentally appropriate assessments are
addressed in the context of developmentally appropriate
interventions. To ensure that students have expertise with children
and youth of all ages, each student must document at least 100
hours of field experience (practicum and/or internship) at the
preschool level, elementary level, and secondary level (see hours
documentation form in Appendix M). Socialization is specifically
addressed in the required graduate level course in Social
psychology (PSY 619) as well as in Developmental psychology (PSY
615) and Personality/Psychopathology (PSY 617). Social/emotional
development along with assessment and intervention related to
social and emotional issues is the focus of PSY 724
Assessment/Intervention IV: Psychosocial Problems and the
associated practicum (PSY 744). PSY 723 Assessment/Intervention
III: Early Childhood addresses assessment and intervention issues
in these areas as specifically related to young children.
Assessment and intervention related to appropriate behavioral,
affective adaptive and social goals for a variety of students is
also addressed in PSY 621 Assessment/Intervention I: Basic
Processes and in PSY 622 Assessment/Intervention II: Special
Populations. Other courses addressing these issues include the
required Special Education methods class, SpEd 624 Theory and
Process of Consultation, SpEd 620: Policies and Practices in
Special Education, SpEd 571 Behavior Management, and CNSA 520 Basic
Counseling Skills. Knowledge and skills in the use of
developmentally appropriate assessments and in the linkage with
developmentally appropriate interventions including attention to
behavioral, affective, adaptive and social goals is evaluated
through class examinations and assignments as well as through
practicum and internship evaluations. Additionally, this material
is covered through M. S. comprehensive examinations. Student
Reflective Portfolio (Appendix N) relevant pages: 7-10, 18-22, 31
2.4 Assessed and Attained Pre-admission assessment: Recommendation
Form (Appendix J), GPA, GREs, personal
statement (Handbook, pp. 20-21, 29-31) On-going, formative
assessment includes: Inter- & Intrapersonal skills evaluation,
Annual
Reviews, practicum supervisor evaluations, practicum
self-evaluations, internship mid-year evaluations, internship
university supervisor site visit reports. (Appendix J & L)
Summative evidence of the proficiency of our graduates in
Socialization and Development of
Life Skills includes the following (see Appendix I for
documentation unless otherwise noted):
All graduates have taken and passed with a minimum grade of “C”
the core psychology foundations courses including Psy 615
Developmental Psychology, Psy 617 Personality/Psychopathology and
Psy 619 Social Psychology, as well as the other psychology
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Matrix 21
foundations courses all of which address influences on
developmental and adaptive processes. All graduates have
successfully completed SpEd 571 Behavior Management. All students
also have successfully completed CNSA 520 Counseling Skills and the
Assessment/Intervention sequence. All students taking M.S.
comprehensive exams in the past 2 years have passed the
Psychological Foundations and the Education Foundations area
question. All students taking the NTE exam since 1997 have scored
within or above the average range on the Prevention and
Intervention area and the Applied Psychological Foundations area.
For students completing their internships (N = 9) in the past 2
years, the average field supervisor rating across items related to
Intervention was 4.22 on a 1-5 scale while the average student
self-rating was 3.90 where a rating of 3 represents “Satisfactory,”
4 represents “Competent” and 5 represents “Outstanding.” Also
related to effective service in this area are Consultation skills
rated at an average of 4.24, and Personal and Professional
Characteristics rated by supervisors at 4.33. Based on the
student’s portfolio and oral responses in the Specialist degree
oral exam for the past 2 years (N = 9), oral exam committee members
rated 6 of 9 students as “Strong” with the remaining students rated
as “Adequate” in the area of designing and implementing “effective
intervention strategies for a variety of learning and social
emotional problems” on a 3 point scale of Inadequate, Adequate, or
Strong. Eight were rated as Strong and one as Adequate in regard to
consulting effectively with teacher, parents and other
professionals. On the Alumni Survey, the average rating of
graduates on Question #3 was 4.24 for “Knowledge of handicapping
conditions,” 3.81 for “Skills to plan interventions for students
with disabilities,” and 4.14 for “Understanding needs of persons
with disabilities.” 2.5 Student Diversity in Development and
Learning: School psychologists have knowledge
of individual differences, abilities, and disabilities and of
the potential influence of biological, social, cultural, ethnic,
experiential, socioeconomic, gender-related, and linguistic factors
in development and learning. School psychologists demonstrate the
sensitivity and skills needed to work with individuals of diverse
characteristics and to implement strategies selected and/or adapted
based on individual characteristics, strengths, and needs.
2.5 Addressed Relevant program objectives include Objective 1,
2, 3, and 10 (see Grid 1, Appendix G). For relevant courses, see
Grid 2, Appendix G. For a description of how diversity issues are
addressed, please refer to the information provided in Standard
1.2.
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Matrix 22
Student Reflective Portfolio (Appendix N) relevant pages: 18-22,
28-32 2.5 Assessed and Attained Pre-admission assessment:
Recommendation Form (Appendix J), GPA, GREs, personal
statement (Handbook, pp. 20-21, 29-31) On-going, formative
assessment includes: Inter- & Intrapersonal skills evaluation,
Annual
Reviews, practicum supervisor evaluations, practicum
self-evaluations, internship mid-year evaluations, internship
university supervisor site visit reports. (Appendix J and L)
Summative evidence of the proficiency of our graduates in
Student Diversity in Development and
Learning includes the following (see Appendix I for
documentation unless otherwise noted): Students must adequately
complete diversity assignments to successfully complete the
Assessment/Intervention sequence (Psy 622, 723, 724), Psy 601
Foundations of School Psychology and Psy 701 Issues in School
Psychology. Diversity assignments include self-reflective
exercises, attendance at campus/community diversity events,
interviewing field supervisors about school practices in serving
culturally and linguistically diverse students, and assessments of
culturally and linguistically diverse students. For students
completing their internships (N = 9) in the past 2 years, field
supervisor rating on items related to this area included 4.33 for
“works constructively with others,” 4.44 for “demonstrates good
judgment and common sense,” 4.11 for “demonstrates tolerance for
others’ values and viewpoints,” 4.22 for “relates effectively to
parents,” 4.17 for “achieves comfortable interactions with minority
students,” 4.25 for “serves effectively as liaison for school and
parents.” Based on the student’s portfolio and oral responses in
the Specialist degree oral exam for the past 2 years (N = 9), oral
exam committee members rated 6 of 9 students as “Strong” with the
remaining students rated as “Adequate” in regard to “….understands
the needs of, and has worked effectively with [a] individuals with
disabilities [and b] individuals from different cultural groups” on
a 3 point scale of Inadequate, Adequate, or Strong. Eight were
rated as Strong and one as Adequate in regard to consulting
effectively with teacher, parents and other professionals. On the
Alumni Survey, the average rating of graduates the three parts of Q
#3 were 4.24 for “Knowledge of handicapping conditions,” 3.81 for
“Skills to plan interventions for students with disabilities,” and
4.14 for “Understanding needs of persons with disabilities.” The
average rating on Q #13 “I became more aware of the needs of
culturally diverse populations” was 4.45 and on Q #14 “I learned
non-biased assessment techniques” it was 4.15. On the comments
section of the survey, several alumni identified the program’s
focus on multicultural issues as a strength. 2.6 School and Systems
Organization, Policy Development, and Climate: School
psychologists have knowledge of general education, special
education, and other educational and related services. They
understand schools and other settings as systems.
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Matrix 23
School psychologists work with individuals and groups to
facilitate policies and practices that create and maintain safe,
supportive, and effective learning environments for children and
others.
2.6 Addressed Relevant program objectives include Objective 2,
3, 5, 9, and 10 (see Grid 1, Appendix G). For courses relevant to
this Domain, see Grid 2 and the discussion below. Components of PSY
619 Social Psychology deal with concepts such as power within
organizations, social influence, attributions, etc. which impact
effectiveness of dealing with systems. Knowledge of school and
systems organization, policy development and climate issues are
specifically addressed in PSY 601 Foundations of School Psychology
at the beginning of the student’s training and then again during
the internship year in PSY 728 Systems Intervention and PSY 701
Issues in School Psychology. These issues are also addressed in the
Assessment/Intervention sequence and the practica. Students have
practicum assignments to be completed in general education as well
as special education settings. We rotate students through different
settings for their three practica placements, so usually students
will complete their practica in three different school districts
and their internship in yet another district/cooperative. Because
we are on the border between states, most students get experience
in systems in at least two states. We generally have interns placed
in multiple states, as well. The differences in systems are
explicitly discussed in practicum lab meetings and in the
internship classes (PSY 701 and PSY 728). Participation in
professional organizations and activism in promoting effective
policies and practices is also encouraged throughout the program.
For example, for the last three years we have had 90-100%
attendance of our students at the National School Psychologists
Mid-Winter Conference with registration fees subsidized by the
program. Additionally, students take courses with student from
other education disciplines (general ed, special ed). Particularly
relevant courses are SpEd 620 Policies and Perspectives in Special
Education and SpEd 664 Consultation and Collaboration. Student
Reflective Portfolio (Appendix N) relevant pages: 22-28 2.6
Assessed and Attained Pre-admission assessment: Recommendation Form
(Appendix J), GPA, GREs, personal
statement (Handbook, pp. 20-21, 29-31) On-going, formative
assessment includes: Inter- & Intrapersonal skills evaluation,
Annual
Reviews, practicum supervisor evaluations, practicum
self-evaluations, internship mid-year evaluations, internship
university supervisor site visit reports. (Appendix J & L)
-
Matrix 24
Summative evidence of the proficiency of our graduates in School
and Systems Organization, Policy Development and Climate includes
the following (see Appendix I for documentation unless otherwise
noted):
All graduates have taken and passed with a minimum grade of “B”
Psy 601 Foundations of School Psychology and Psy 728 Systems
Intervention both of which specifically address schools as
organizations, educational and special education policies, and
climate issues. All students successfully complete a systems
intervention project in Psy 728. All students have taken and passed
SpEd 620 Policies and Perspectives in Special Education and SpEd
664 Consultation and Collaboration. All students taking the NTE
exam since 1997 and submitting area scores have scored within or
above the average range on the Prevention and Intervention area and
the Applied Psychological Foundations area; all but one student
scored in the average or above average range on Applied Education
Foundations. The internship rating scale completed by supervisors
and students does not specifically address systems skills, but
related to effective service in this area are Consultation skills
rated at an average of 4.24, and Personal and Professional
Characteristics rated by supervisors at 4.33. Ratings for some of
the most relevant items are: 4.33 for “demonstrates sensitivity,
objectivity and flexibility,” 4.44 for “demonstrates initiative,
motivation, and follow-through,” 4.33 “works constructively with
others,” 4.44 “communicates and listens effectively,” 4.00 “assists
in evaluating the effectiveness of intervention techniques used,”
4.11 “relates effectively to teachers, administrators and other
school personnel,” and 4.22 for “maintains visibility and
accessibility within assigned school(s).” Based on the student’s
portfolio and oral responses in the Specialist degree oral exam for
the past 2 years (N = 9), oral exam committee members rated 6 of 9
students as “Strong” with the remaining students rated as
“Adequate” in the area of designing and implementing “effective
intervention strategies for a variety of learning and social
emotional problems” on a 3 point scale of Inadequate, Adequate, or
Strong. Eight were rated as Strong and one as Adequate in regard to
consulting effectively with teacher, parents and other
professionals. On the Alumni Survey, the average rating of
graduates on Question #2a (working knowledge of school systems) was
3.95, on #2b (working knowledge of educational issues) it was 4.05
and on Q #12 (I learned principles of systems intervention) the
mean rating was 3.85. 2.7 Prevention, Crisis Intervention, and
Mental Health: School psychologists have
knowledge of human development and psychopathology and of
associated biological, cultural, and social influences on human
behavior. School psychologists provide or contribute to prevention
and intervention programs that promote the mental health and
physical well being of students.
2.7 Addressed
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Matrix 25
The most relevant program objectives for this domain are
Objectives 1, 3, 6, 8, 9, and 10 (see Grid 1, Appendix G). For
courses relevant to this Domain, see Grid 2 and the discussion
below. All students are required to take a series of psychological
foundation courses including PSY 613 Biopsychology, PSY 615
Developmental Psychology, PSY 617 Personality & Psychopathology
and PSY 619 Social Psychology. CNSA 520 covers basic counseling
skills and is a pre-requisite for PSY 724 Assessment/Intervention
IV: Psychosocial Problems. PSY 724 not only expands on
developmental psychopathology issues addressed in PSY 617, but
introduces individual and group counseling theories and skills,
personality and mental health assessment, and mental health
promotion and intervention techniques. PSY 724 also covers crisis
intervention and addresses culture as a significant factor in
assessment and intervention related to psychosocial problems.
Issues related to prevention and mental health promotion also are
addressed in PSY 701 Issues in School Psychology, which includes
specific attention to school crisis plans. The impact of
biological, cultural, and social influences are also addressed
throughout the Assessment/Intervention sequence (PSY 621/641,
622/642, 723) courses. Student Reflective Portfolio (Appendix N)
relevant pages: 7-10, 22-26 2.7 Assessed and Attained Pre-admission
assessment: Recommendation Form (Appendix J), GPA, GREs,
personal
statement (Handbook, pp. 20-21, 29-31) On-going, formative
assessment includes: Inter- & Intrapersonal skills evaluation,
Annual
Reviews, practicum supervisor evaluations, practicum
self-evaluations, internship mid-year evaluations, internship
university supervisor site visit reports. (Appendix J & L)
Summative evidence of the proficiency of our graduates in
Prevention, Crisis Intervention, and
Mental Health includes the following (see Appendix I for
documentation unless otherwise noted):
All graduates have taken and passed with a minimum grade of “C”
the core psychology foundations courses including Psy 613
Biopsychology, Psy 615 Developmental Psychology, Psy 617
Personality/Psychopathology and Psy 619 Social Psychology. All
graduates have successfully completed SpEd 571 Behavior Management.
All students also have successfully completed CNSA 520 Counseling
Skills and the Assessment/Intervention sequence including Psy 724
which specifically addresses mental health issues and crisis
intervention and Psy 701 which includes examination of school
crisis plans. All students passed the Psychological Foundations
area of the M.S. comprehensive exam. All students taking the NTE
exam since 1997 have scored within or above the average range on
the Prevention and Intervention area and the Applied Psychological
Foundations area. For students completing their internships (N = 9)
in the past 2 years, the average field supervisor rating across
items related to Intervention was 4.22 on a 1-5 scale while the
average student self-
-
Matrix 26
rating was 3.90 where a rating of 3 represents “Satisfactory,” 4
represents “Competent” and 5 represents “Outstanding.” Also related
to effective service in this area are Consultation skills rated at
an average of 4.24, and Personal and Professional Characteristics
rated by supervisors at 4.33. Based on the student’s portfolio and
oral responses in the Specialist degree oral exam for the past 2
years (N = 9), oral exam committee members rated 6 of 9 students as
“Strong” with the remaining students rated as “Adequate” in the
area of designing and implementing “effective intervention
strategies for a variety of learning and social emotional problems”
on a 3 point scale of Inadequate, Adequate, or Strong. Eight were
rated as Strong and one as Adequate in regard to consulting
effectively with teacher, parents and other professionals. On the
Alumni Survey, the average rating of graduates on Question #2c
(working knowledge of educational curricula) was 3.00, and on Q #3
mean ratings were 4.24 for “Knowledge of handicapping conditions,”
3.81 for “Skills to plan interventions for students with
disabilities,” and 4.14 for “Understanding needs of persons with
disabilities.” 2.8 Home/School/Community Collaboration: School
psychologists have knowledge of
family systems, including family strengths and influences on
student development, learning, and behavior, and of methods to
involve families in education and service delivery. School
psychologists work effectively with families, educators, and others
in the community to promote and provide comprehensive services to
children and families.
2.8 Addressed The most relevant program objectives for this
domain are Objectives 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9, and 10 (see Grid 1,
Appendix G). For courses relevant to this Domain, see Grid 2 and
the discussion below. Family development and influences are
addressed in PSY 615 Developmental Psychology. Issues related to
working with families and community agencies are introduced during
the student’s first semester in PSY 601 Foundations of School
Psychology and in PSY 621 Assessment/Intervention I. Effective
conferencing with parents is addressed in PSY 622
Assessment/Intervention II. A major component of PSY 723:
Assessment/Intervention III: Early Childhood is on family systems
and effective working relationships with families. PSY 724 covers
family systems and parenting from a variety of theoretical
perspectives, as well as the parent role in providing information
on rating scales and interviews. SpEd 620 Policies and Perspectives
in Special Education addresses family/school collaboration and SpEd
Consultation and Collaboration addresses issues of effective
communication and collaboration with parents. Student Reflective
Portfolio (Appendix N) relevant pages: 26-28 2.8 Assessed and
Attained
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Matrix 27
Pre-admission assessment: Recommendation Form (Appendix J), GPA,
GREs, personal statement (Handbook, pp. 20-21, 29-31)
On-going, formative assessment includes: Inter- &
Intrapersonal skills evaluation, Annual
Reviews, practicum supervisor evaluations, practicum
self-evaluations, internship mid-year evaluations, internship
university supervisor site visit reports. (Appendix J & L)
Summative evidence of the proficiency of our graduates in
Home/School/Community
Collaboration includes the following(see Appendix I for
documentation unless otherwise noted):
All students successfully complete PSY 601 Foundations of School
Psychology and the Assessment/Intervention sequence. All of these
courses include components of working with families and
communities. All students taking the NTE exam since 1997 have
scored within or above the average range on the Prevention and
Intervention area, the Professional Practice area, and the Ethical
and Legal Considerations area. Internship supervisor ratings most
relevant to this area include 4.33 for “maintains empathy,
objectivity and problem focus,” 4.56 for “maintains confidence of
the client and others involved,” 4.13 for “recognizes a client’s
need for outside referral and is skilled in facilitating contact
with appropriate resources,” 4.22 for “relates effectively to
parents,” 4.25 for “serves effectively as a liaison for school and
parents,” and 4.33 for “demonstrates effective problem-solving
skills.” Based on the student’s portfolio and oral responses in the
Specialist degree oral exam for the past 2 years (N = 9), oral exam
committee members rated 8 of 9 students as “Strong” with the
remaining student rated as “Adequate” in the area of “consulting
effectively with teachers, parents and other professionals” on a 3
point scale of Inadequate, Adequate, or Strong. 2.9 Research and
Program Evaluation: School psychologists have knowledge of
research,
statistics, and evaluation methods. School psychologists
evaluate research, translate research into practice, and understand
research design and statistics in sufficient depth to plan and
conduct investigations and program evaluations for improvement of
services.
2.9 Addressed The relevant program objectives for this domain
are Objective 1, 5, 7, and 11 (see Grid 1, Appendix G). For courses
relevant to this Domain, see Grid 2 and the discussion below. The
role of research in school psychology is addressed in PSY 601
Foundations of School Psychology and research informing practice,
practice as research, and practice informing research are
emphasized throughout the program. Students read and report on
(orally and /or in writing) topical research literature in PSY 611,
615, 619 and 621.
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Matrix 28
Students are required to have taken a statistics course before
entering the program (see admission requirements in the Graduate
Bulletin, p. 31). Students are required to take ED 603 Research
Methods and PSY 632 Advanced Psychological Methodology as part of
the curriculum. All students must complete a data-based thesis for
their Master’s degree and pass an oral exam on the thesis.
Knowledge of research based interventions, data collection and data
analysis is a component of interventions undertaken as part of the
Assessment/Intervention sequence. Program evaluation is addressed
in PSY 728 Systems Intervention. Students also attend a bi-weekly
non-credit Research Seminar; most of these sessions are focused on
issues related to the thesis process (see Research Seminar notices
in Appendix O). Faculty actively involve students in their own
school-based research projects. In the last 4 years, all students
have been involved in data collection in the schools. The faculty
research projects (see faculty vitae, especially Dr. XXX and Dr.
YYY in Appendix F) have provided models of research conducted to
address needs of schools and aimed at improving educational
services to students. The skills students learn as part of these
projects have direct application to the types of data collection
and program evaluation they might do as school psychologists.
Student Reflective Portfolio (Appendix N) relevant pages: 15, 16-18
2.9 Assessed and Attained Pre-admission assessment: Recommendation
Form (Appendix J), GPA, GREs, personal
statement (Handbook, pp. 20-21, 29-31) On-going, formative
assessment includes: Annual Reviews (Appendix J) Summative evidence
of the proficiency of our graduates in Research and Program
Evaluation
includes the following (see Appendix I for documentation unless
otherwise noted): All students must have successfully completed a
basic statistics course prior to enrollment. All graduates have
successfully completed Ed 603 Research Methods and Psy 632 Advanced
Psychological Methods. All graduates also have successfully
completed Psy 620 Measurement Theory. Demonstration of knowledge of
measurements principles, psychometric standards, and research
principles is also necessary for completion of all
Assessment/Intervention sequence courses. Students must
successfully complete a data based intervention in PSY 621 and 622
and a data based systems intervention project in PSY 728. All
students taking Master’s comprehensive exams in the past 2 years (N
= 11) passed the Statistics/Methods area question. All graduates
taking the NTE exam since 1997 and submitting area scores have
scored within or above the average range in the Research and
Evaluation and Applied Psychology areas. All graduates have
successfully completed an empirically-based Master’s thesis and
have successfully defended the thesis in an oral exam (see thesis
list in Appendix O).
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Matrix 29
Based on the student’s portfolio and oral responses in the
Specialist degree oral exam for the past 2 years (N = 9), oral exam
committee members rated 5 of 9 students as “Strong” with the
remaining students rated as “Adequate” in the area of ability “to
conduct research, evaluate research, and convey research findings.”
On the Alumni Survey, the average rating of graduates on Question
#8 (I learned how to become a critical consumer of research
literature) was 4.20; the average rating on Q #9 (I learned how to
develop research projects to answer questions that arise in the
practice of school psychology) was 4.25. Furthermore, the alumni
gave a rating of 4.00 to Q #18 (the thesis was an effective
learning experience). In the past 3 years, nine current and recent
graduates have done 11 oral or poster presentations at national
conferences. In most cases, the poster/presentation was based on
the student’s thesis research. In the other cases, it was based on
research conducted with a faculty member. 2.10 School Psychology
Practice and Development: School psychologists have knowledge
of
the history and foundations of their profession; of various
service models and methods; of public policy development applicable
to services to children and families; and of ethical, professional,
and legal standards. School psychologists practice in ways that are
consistent with applicable standards, are involved in their
profession, and have the knowledge and skills needed to acquire
career-long professional development.
2.10 Addressed The most relevant program objectives for this
domain are Objectives 2 and 5 (see Grid 1, Appendix G). For courses
relevant to this Domain, see Grid 2 and the discussion below. While
professional issues are not directly addressed in our program
objectives, they are a significant component of our curriculum. PSY
601 Foundations of School Psychology covers the history not only of
school psychology as a profession, but also of psychology,
education, and special education as the foundations for the field
of school psychology. Contemporary issues related to models of
school psychology and the role of professional organizations are
also addressed. Legislative and litigative influences are covered
in PSY 601 Foundations of School Psychology and SpEd 620 Policies
and Perspectives in Special Education. A significant portion of the
PSY 601 course is devoted to ethics and professional standards.
These issues are returned to throughout the Assessment/Intervention
sequence with a particular emphasis during the internship year in
PSY 701 and PSY 728. PSY 701 and 728 also specifically address
continuing professional development. Participation in professional
organizations and activism in promoting effective policies and
practices are also encouraged throughout the program. For example,
for the last three years we have had 90-100% attendance of our
students at the National School Psychologists Mid-Winter Conference
with registration fees subsidized by the program. Students not only
become members of the state school psychology organization, but
also of NASP (see PSY 601 syllabus). We have had students present
at NASP each of the last three years. Student Reflective Portfolio
(Appendix N) relevant pages: 32-33, 39-40
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Matrix 30
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Matrix 31
2.10 Assessed and Attained Pre-admission assessment:
Recommendation Form (Appendix J), GPA, GREs, personal
statement (Handbook, pp. 20-21, 29-31) On-going, formative
assessment includes: Inter- & Intrapersonal skills evaluation,
Annual
Reviews, practicum supervisor evaluations, practicum
self-evaluations, internship mid-year evaluations, internship
university supervisor site visit reports. (Appendix J & L)
Summative evidence of the proficiency of our graduates in School
Psychology Practice and
Development includes the following (see Appendix I for
documentation unless otherwise noted):
All students must have successfully completed Psy 601
Foundations of School Psychology and Psy 701 Issues in School
Psychology. Adherence to ethical practice is also required for
successful completion of all field experiences. All students taking
Master’s comprehensive exams in the past 2 years (N = 11) passed
the Issues area question which focuses on professional practice.
All graduates taking the NTE exam since 1997 have scored within or
above the average range in the Professional Practice area. For
students completing their internships (N = 9) in the past 2 years,
the average field supervisor rating across items related to
Personal and Professional Character was 4.33 and for Professional
Responsibilities it was 4.28. Some specific item ratings related to
professional and ethical behavior include 4.11 for “demonstrates
tolerance for others’ values and viewpoints,” 4.56 for “maintains
confidence of the client and others involved,” 4.13 for “recognizes
a client’s need for outside referral and is skilled in facilitating
contact with appropriate resources,” 4.44 for “is sensitive to
sources of bias when selecting and administering tests,” 4.56 for
“follows standardized testing procedures in administering tests,”
4.67 for “maintains confidentiality of information collected during
assessment,” and 4.33 for “demonstrates an awareness of competency
level, and doesn’t accept responsibilities that exceed this level.”
Based on the student’s portfolio and oral responses in the
Specialist degree oral exam for the past 2 years (N = 9), oral exam
committee members rated 4 of 9 students as “Strong” with the
remaining students rated as “Adequate” in the area of functioning
ethically in the role of school psychologist.
On the Alumni Survey, the average rating of graduates on
Question #5a (I was made aware of legal issues impacting school
psychology) was 4.19 and the rating on Q #5b (I was made aware of
ethical issues in school psychology) was 4.43. Comments included,
“The program reflects NASP criteria; current grads are
knowledgeable and well prepared;” “The professors that are
currently there are both moral and ethical in working with
children, which I respect;” “I believe this program not only
effectively trains individuals to work as school psychologists, but
also establishes a foundation for future studies in
psychology.”
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Matrix 32
2.11 Information Technology: School psychologists have knowledge
of information sources
and technology relevant to their work. School psychologists
access, evaluate, and utilize information sources and technology in
ways that safeguard or enhance the quality of services.
2.11 Addressed The most relevant program objective for this
domain is Objective 11 (see Grid 1, Appendix G). For courses
relevant to this Domain, see Grid 2 and the discussion below. We
have made a concerted effort to incorporate information technology
in various ways throughout the curriculum. A session with a campus
librarian is arranged either through a class or through our
research seminar each year to update students on on-line data bases
(for example, see PSY 620 and ED 603 syllabi). Students have
assignments in several classes requiring internet searching (PSY
601, 622, 723) on topics relevant to those classes. Students become
familiar with computer scoring systems as they learn standardized
assessment in PSY 620, 622, and 724. They are required to learn how
to graph data using computer programs in PSY 621 and to use
PowerPoint for presentations. Students also learn computerized
observation systems (e.g., EBASS and OBSERVE) in PSY 621 and are
encouraged to use these systems for case studies done on practica
(e.g., PSY 641, 642). Students develop skills in using statistical
packages in PSY 632 Advanced Psychological Methods and apply these
skills in the data analysis for their theses. Augmented and
Assistive Communication devices and procedures are introduced in
PSY 723 Assessment/Intervention III. Students are required to video
tape themselves doing standardized testing and self-critique the
tapes as part of learning these instruments and learning how to
learn new tests in the future. Videotaping is also an integral
component of the play-based assessment process as learned in PSY
723. Finally, several years ago we received an internal grant for
video conferencing equipment that we use to allow interns who are
doing internships outside the tri-state area to attend the Saturday
classes (PSY 701 and 728) via a video conference hook-up. We have
used this equipment to facilitate program completion by students
doing internships in other states. All of the students in these
classes thus become familiar with this technology. All students and
faculty regularly use e-mail for communication (students must pass
an ethics quiz to obtain a university e-mail account). The program
also now has a regularly updated web site with information not only
for prospective students, but also for current students and alumni
(see: www. ____________________) Student Reflective Portfolio
(Appendix N) relevant pages: 13, 18, 21, 34-35
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Matrix 33
2.11 Assessed and Attained Pre-admission assessment:
Recommendation Form (Appendix J), GPA, GREs, personal
statement (Handbook, pp. 20-21, 29-31) On-going, formative
assessment includes: Annual Reviews (Appendix J) Summative evidence
of the proficiency of our graduates in Information Technology
includes the
following (see Appendix I for documentation unless otherwise
noted): Students successfully complete internet assignments in Psy
601, 622 and 723. Students successfully complete reports using
Excel to create graphs in Psy 621 and they must use computer
scoring programs to successfully complete Psy 620, 622 and 724.
Students successfully complete assignments using Systat in Psy 632.
Students successfully use on-line databases such as PsycINFO and
ERIC to complete the Master’s thesis. Based on the student’s
portfolio and oral responses in the Specialist degree oral exam for
the past 2 years (N = 9), oral exam committee members rated 6 of 9
students as “Strong” with the remaining students rated as
“Adequate” in the area of effectively using technology. III. FIELD
EXPERIENCES/INTERNSHIP 3.1 Supervised practica and internship
experiences are completed for academic credit or
are otherwise documented by the institution. Closely supervised
practica experiences that include the development and evaluation of
specific skills are distinct from and precede culminating
internship experiences that require the integration and application
of the full range of school psychology competencies and
domains.
The three practica occur during the first two years of the
student's program. Each consists of 100 hours of time spread over
the 15-week semester and is worth one credit. Each of the practica
is closely associated with one of the Assessment/Intervention
sequence courses, so the scope of each practicum is circumscribed
by the focus of the associated course. Students are under close
supervision of the field supervisor and have regular contact with
the university supervisor and teaching assistants. The internship
takes place during the third year. No student may enroll in
internship without successfully completing the practica. Internship
experiences are full time (rarely half-time), and the student is
expected to provide the full range of school psychological services
as required by the needs of the placement site and by our program
policies. Internship goals developed by the student in consultation
with the site supervisor and university instructor must reflect
breadth of experience. We require that students have a minimum of
100 hours of experience with preschool/kindergarten students, 100
hours with elementary students, 100 hours with secondary students
and 200 hours of experience with students with
clinical/social-emotional issues across the practica and the
internship. If, for example, a student is in an internship setting
that would not normally include preschool services, the student
must still find a way to incorporate that experience into his/her
internship. In the internship agreement signed by the
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Matrix 34
site, the site agrees that the student will be allowed to
complete any university required experiences and assignments. While
the evaluation form is the same for the practica and the
internship, instructors do not expect practicum students to be
proficient in all areas or even to be rated in all areas.
Policy: Handbook, p. 23-24, 34-36 (Appendix A) Graduate
Bulletin, p. 31-32, 61 (Appendix B