Policy Matters Blog Index
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Advocacy Asks: What Is Possible, When Facing the Impossible?
As school psychologists, advocacy is baked into our DNA. At times, we are called to advocate for (or against) a local, state, or federal policy proposal that would impact the profession, our role, or outcomes for students. We are not always successful in getting our points across or achieving our goals, but we may be focusing on what seems impossible, rather than what is possible.
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Advocating for Policy Change: Empowering Graduate Students for Societal Impact
Graduate students are the future leaders of our field. We are uniquely positioned to advocate for policy changes in different contexts, including our classes, programs, field-based sites, districts, communities, states, and the nation.
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Important Updates to Title IX Regulations
After months of anticipation the U.S. Department of Education unveiled its updated Title IX regulations last Friday. The final rule’s newly expanded definition of sex-based discrimination and harassment will go into effect August 1, 2024.
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Government Relations in 2024: Taking a Multidisciplinary Approach to Advocacy
For many state associations, and for individual school psychologists in particular, the task of reviewing and responding to legislation in a timely and meaningful way can seem daunting, but building and using a coalition allows us to expand our reach and impact by advancing beyond just a handful of school psychologists trying to do it on our own.
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What the President's FY 25 Budget Means for School Psychologists
On Monday, President Biden released his FY 25 Budget, detailing his policy and fiscal priorities for the upcoming fiscal year. The President’s Budget represents a commitment to preserve and maintain the recent historic investments in public education in light of the fiscal constraints and spending caps in place for FY25. But, it is up to us to fight hard and protect these investments over the next several months.
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Advocacy and Executive Functioning
Executive functioning refers to a set of cognitive skills that enable individuals to plan, organize, prioritize, strategize, and execute tasks effectively. These skills provide the foundation necessary for planning and implementing advocacy efforts.
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New Competitions for Shortages Grants Open!
NASP is excited to share that the Department of Education (Department) has issued a notice inviting applications for the Mental Health Service Professional (MHSP) Demonstration Grant Program and the School-Based Mental Health Services (SBMH) Grant Program! These two grants support efforts to address the root causes of shortages in school-based mental health professions, including school psychology, and have already helped strengthen the workforce pipeline and increase access to mental and behavioral health services in schools across the country.
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2023: The Year of the Pivot
In 2023, many educators found themselves deeply entrenched in "culture war" attacks against public education; safe, supportive, and inclusive schools; social-emotional learning; and equity and diversity. This Policy Matters blog author thought this would never come to her district. But it did. The advocacy playbook of old needed an update to tackle the ugly atmosphere she was living in if positive change was to occur.
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Tips for Coordinating School-Based Mental Health Professionals to Build a Sustainable Coalition
To optimize the impact of advocacy efforts, it is vital for school psychologists to effectively engage with social workers and counselors to form a united front in promoting equitable mental and behavioral health initiatives at the local and state levels.
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Thank You, NASP Advocates!
Even with incredible demands on your time, you have continued to raise your voice to advocate for children, youth, and the profession at the local, state, and federal levels.
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The Power of the Elevator Speech
One of the ways in which we build our advocacy skills is to encourage school psychologists to have their elevator speech. This simply means being able to keep your asks simple (only three key points) and saying them to a decision-maker in less than the ride you take in an elevator.
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Key Things to Know if the Government Shuts Down
Without federal funding in place for FY 2024 or a plan for short-term “continuation” funding, the federal government is at risk of shutting down at 12:01 a.m. this Sunday, October 1.
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Advocacy Reminders for a New School Year
This school year many school psychologists are returning to school buildings and districts that continue to be understaffed and underserved. However, despite staffing shortages, school psychologists across the country are returning to schools eager to make meaningful and impactful change.
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Takeaways from the 2023 Public Policy Institute
NASP hosted another successful Public Policy Institute in Washington, DC. Expert speakers, NASP Government and Professional Relations Committee (GPR) members, and NASP staff provided foundational and thematic policy and advocacy training.
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Practicing Radical Hope Through Advocacy
This Policy Matters blog takes a deeper look at NASP President Celeste Malone’s testimony at the June 5, 2023, Congressional Gun Violence Prevention Taskforce Forum, as well as reflections on the importance of being an advocate.
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Get Ready: Student Loan Payments Will Resume at the End of Summer
This past weekend, President Biden signed the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2023 (H.R. 3746) into law finalizing a deal to raise the debt ceiling. This agreement also has implications for federal education funding and student loan borrowers.
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2023’s Public Policy Institute Is All About Students’ Civil Rights
This year's PPI will focus on the theme "Advocate as if Public Education Depends on It: Supporting Civil Rights for All Students."
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Getting Ready for the NASP 2023 Convention
Getting ready for the annual NASP convention has always excited me. Not only do I get to see friends and colleagues who I greatly admire in the field, but I get to learn from them.
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All Aboard the Omnibus: Increases in Federal Education Investments in FY 2023
House and Senate appropriations leaders have reached a bipartisan agreement on the omnibus bill to provide funding for key programs that support schools, students, and families.
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NSPW Advocacy Action Day 2022
Last week, we celebrated another fantastic National School Psychology Week. This year’s theme was Together We Shine, and shine we did! It was a particularly busy week with Election Day and Advocacy Action Day happening back-to-back, and we hope you check out this quick NSPW advocacy recap!
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The Tradition of Being Grateful
At this time of year, as we head towards Thanksgiving, we harken to the age-old tradition of taking time to be grateful for all that we have experienced over the past year.
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Vote Like Education Depends on It
As early voting starts across the country for the midterm elections, be sure to exercise your right to vote and continue to fight to preserve this democracy. Vote as if education depends on it, because it does – now more than ever. Election Day is Tuesday, November 8.
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Mental Health Grant Applications Are Open
Thanks to the ongoing advocacy of NASP, our members, and our partners, we secured more than a billion dollars to address the shortages in school psychology and other school mental health professionals via two grant programs. We strongly encourage you, your district, and your state to take full advantage of this opportunity! Applications are due November 3, 2022.
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Updates to the NASP Federal Policy and Legislative Platform
We are happy to share NASP's updated Federal Public Policy and Legislative Platform, which will inform our work with Congress, federal agencies, and the White House. NASP's policy efforts are grounded in our professional positions, resolutions, and the organization's mission and strategic goals.
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How to Be SMART Like Us
How the Michigan Association of School Psychologists helped pass the School Psychologists Student Mental Health Apprenticeship Program for Retention and Training (SMART) Act to start a Grow Your Own program in the state.
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Wrapping Up Our Summer of Advocacy
It’s hard to believe that August is almost here after a summer of nonstop advocacy and policy work. Over the past few months, NASP and the GPR Committee have been working tirelessly to advocate for the profession, solutions to the shortages, school safety, and access to comprehensive school mental health services. You might have seen hints of all the efforts going on behind the scenes in the Policy Matters blog or Advocacy Action Center, but we have so much more to share with you as summer’s end nears and the start of the school year approaches.
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Compromise: The Pathway to Progress
On Saturday, President Biden signed the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act into law, the first federal comprehensive gun safety legislation since 1994. This legislation happened because of compromise, a much-needed solution for progress.
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The Future of the Profession: Graduate Student Advocates
As I reflect on the past 2 years in my role as the student member on the NASP Government and Professional Relations Committee (GPR), the word that immediately comes to mind is gratitude. While it's sometimes difficult to find gratitude during such challenging times that we face both within the profession and world, there is no better time than now to dig deep and highlight the things that we are grateful for. I’ll begin.
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We Need to Share Our Advocacy Success Stories
Advocacy work can be challenging—an understatement, especially in our current educational and political climate. I was in desperate need of something to reinvigorate me, and the Advocacy and Public Interest Group Networking Session at the NASP 2022 Annual Convention gave me life. There were so many stories of successful advocacy initiatives at the state and local levels. We must remember to celebrate and share our successes—small and big.
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PSLF Waiver Success Story: Ending the Cycle of Debt
In early fall of 2021, I received a Listserv post describing a time limited set of changes being made to the PSLF program because of implementation issues that resulted in many people being denied loan forgiveness who were, in fact, eligible. I immediately applied in October, and I was approved in February! PSLF has allowed me to focus exclusively on my daughter’s college fund and not my own. If we want diversity in school psychology, we must provide opportunities like PSLF to all other graduates.
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In It For the Long Haul
When we hear the term long-haulers these days, we often think of those poor souls who are fighting a COVID-19 virus infection for a much longer amount of time than is usual. But I think of advocacy and activists as long-haulers. To advocate for any cause worthy of our efforts means that we are committed to change in some form or another and measure success by seeing the fruits of our labors when accomplished.
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Advocacy During the NASP 2022 Annual Convention
Whether you were there in person or following along from home, thank you for a wonderful week of NASP advocacy during the 2022 convention! This blog includes advocacy highlights from this year's convention and previews opportunities to advocate with NASP later this year.
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Finding Inspiration and Energy at NASP 2022
Last week I had the great pleasure of meeting many of the Government and Professional Relations (GPR) Committee members face to face at the NASP 2022 Annual Convention in Boston. Between the pandemic and it just being an exhausting year, I didn’t know how much of a boost that working alongside such dedicated people would be to me. Here are some of the highlights that made me glad to have attended the convention.
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Demystifying State Level Advocacy
It’s legislative session season in my state, South Dakota. As part of an ongoing effort to help demystify policy making, I hope I can give you some tools to help understand the landscape of lawmaking in your state as well as options that you can do to engage in the process through five easy steps.
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Beyond the Classroom and Into the Community
As school psychologists, we often serve children and families that do not have the opportunities and privileges we are afforded. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, my district’s leadership was slow to recognize the inequities that poverty brought into our classrooms. However, we discovered that the resources that schools had been providing to students in person were often what kept a family from experiencing a crisis. In this blog, Kristin Rush describes her school's efforts to address the basic needs of families in their school community.
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Building Back Better: This Year's Progress and Next Year's Outlook
It has almost been a full year since then President-Elect Biden started talking about his Build Back Better agenda. From those first proposals to the most recent text introductions from the Senate, this agenda has been amorphous: changing shape, reducing in size, and generally keeping all in the policy and advocacy world on their toes, including NASP and our partners.
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Taking Time for Gratitude
In this blog, NASP's Manager, Policy and Advocacy, Becca Murdoch shares her gratitude for school psychologists and their commitment to advocacy, particularly during National School Psychology Week.
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Advancing Equity Through Social Justice Action
As professionals, school psychologists play a critical role in addressing inequities and injustices, both in and out of schools, to ensure all students have full and equal participation in high-quality education. While there have been many research contributions to the field of social justice, including definitions of social justice, culturally sustaining pedagogy, and culturally responsive teaching, we must pay more attention to actions school psychologists can take to break down the barriers that create educational inequities for students.
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Public Service Loan Forgiveness Overhaul
On October 6, 2021, the Department of Education announced planned changes to the issue- and error-prone Public Service Loan Forgivness program, including a limited waiver expected to help over 550,000 borrowers progress toward loan forgiveness. This blog includes helpful resources and answers to frequently asked questions.
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Regulation and Relationships: Advocacy in Action
In this blog, Jessica Pfeiffer shares a letter she sent to her school board advocating for the alignment of their school practices with the regulatory needs of staff and students during the time of COVID-19. This letter is an example of how advocates can use their expertise to call for change.
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Advocacy: How to Win Friends and Influence People
The art of advocacy, aimed at helping children and families thrive while supporting and promoting our profession, requires winning friends and influencing people, especially those people who are the decision makers and keepers of the keys to funding. GPR Central Region Rep, Chuck Archer, offers advice and words of wisdom to help you in your advocacy journey.
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Back to School and Advocacy
With the school year kicking into high gear, take some time to refresh your advocacy for a new school year and legislative period. We’ve put together some highlights for you to get back into advocacy on the right foot, even if you didn’t follow the political drama surrounding infrastructure and reconciliation legislation talks over a much-needed summer break.
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At the Heart of Advocacy
The first in a series of GPR Committee blogs that are in conversation with one another, Dr. Peter Faustino writes about what sparked his love of advocacy and asks his fellow committee members about when they first felt called to be an advocate.
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New Year, New Ideas: Advocating for the Four Cs
The end of summer means the start of a new school year for pre-K–12 students across the country and the dedicated staff who educate, counsel, nurse, feed, drive, and nurture them. For many young people, the start of the 2021–2022 school year means returning to in-person learning for the first time in 18 months. School psychologists should work to make the schools that students return to are inclusive and welcoming to all students.
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2021 Advocacy Academy Wrap-Up
Last week, more than 130 school psychologists, graduate students, and other practitioners from 42 states participated in the 2021 Advocacy Academy! Attendees registered for the entirely virtual training on school psychology shortages and virtual Capitol Hill Day to build advocacy skills and learn about policy solutions to the shortages from experts in the field.
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Hill Day Prep: Getting to Know the Shortages Bills
With less than a week remaining until our virtual Capitol Hill day, you can stay ahead of the curve by familiarizing yourself with NASP’s key legislative priorities relating to school psychology shortages.
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How Advocacy for Mental Health in Schools Impacted One Colorado School District
The school year is winding down, and some of us are thinking about how we want to use the next 2–3 months.Summer is an excellent time to lay the groundwork for this localized advocacy. Here are a few suggestions on where to focus your efforts and how to get started.
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Planning Your Summer of Advocacy
The school year is winding down, and some of us are thinking about how we want to use the next 2–3 months.Summer is an excellent time to lay the groundwork for this localized advocacy. Here are a few suggestions on where to focus your efforts and how to get started.
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All in on Education: A Closer Look at President Biden's FY2022 Budget
On Friday, May 28, President Biden release his administration’s first full budget proposal.While we wait to see how Congress responds to the President’s proposal, you can find the education and mental health aspects most important to school psychologists in this blog.
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Department of Education COVID-19 Relief Use of Funds Guidance: What Do School Psychologists Need to Know?
Today, the Department of Education released their long-awaited guidance on COVID-19 relief use of funds, which includes hiring additional school psychologists. While spending decisions are made by state and district leaders, school psychologists have an important role to play in advocating for effective uses of these funds.
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The American Rescue Plan Act – What Does this Mean for the Funding of School Mental Health Services?
On March 11, 2021, The American Rescue Plan Act was passed to provide $166 billion to elementary, secondary, and higher education through the Education Stabilization Fund. School psychologists have the distinct experience and skill set to ensure that schools receive these funds to best help their students.
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School Psychologists Finally Included in Federal Data Set
On March 15, 2021, the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) released their Common Core of Data (CCD) for the 2019–2020 school year. Thanks to ongoing advocacy, this year’s release includes counts of school psychologists.
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Registration is Open for the Virtual Advocacy Academy
While we are unfortunately unable to gather in DC for NASP’s annual Public Policy Institute (PPI), you won’t want to miss out on this year’s virtual affair taking place on July 21 and 22. This experience will be distinct from PPI, focused solely on addressing shortages in school psychology, and will provide the fundamentals of grassroots advocacy in order to advocate successfully when meeting with members of Congress and their staff.
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Strategic Planning: Are We on the Right Track?
Many state school psychology organizations spend a considerable amount of time pondering their strategic plan. Since my time as a member of the GPR committee, I have noticed several state associations, with enthusiasm and eagerness, question what constitutes a robust strategic plan to guide their work. With the current legislative momentum at the national level and across many states, state associations must have solid strategic plans. This is a great time to harness the power of possibility!
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Federal Advocacy Update: Meeting With White House Officials, Department of Ed, and Members of Congress
To maximize the tremendous opportunity to address the shortages in school psychology and expand the role of school psychologists, the NASP Government and Professional Relations Committee, NASP leaders, and NASP staff have been busy engaging with federal officials, members of Congress, and the White House.
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The American Rescue Plan Act - What do School Psychologists Need to Know?
Last weekend, the Senate worked through the night and into the morning to pass a $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package, the American Rescue Plan Act. Today the House of Representatives passed the bill and will send it to President Biden, who will then sign into law one of the most expansive investments into education, healthcare, and social services in modern American history.
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Advocacy in Action During the 2021 Virtual Convention
Last week, NASP held its annual convention in a fully virtual format for the first time! Even though NASP advocates were physically separate, they came out in full force from their homes and workplaces across the country to advocate together. Check out some of the week’s advocacy highlights.
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Getting Acquainted With the State Legislative Process
As the 117th federal legislative session begins with many eyes watching, state legislative sessions are gearing up as well. State school psychology associations and individuals may have varying degrees of familiarity with the legislative processes in their states. From personal experience, learning a new state’s process after moving or learning it from the perspective of a professional in school psychology has its challenges.
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Highlights From Dr. Cardona's Confirmation Hearing to Be Secretary of Education
Yesterday, the Senate HELP Committee held the confirmation hearing for Dr. Miguel Cardona, nominee for Secretary of Education. Both Chairwoman Patty Murray (D-WA) and Ranking Member Richard Burr (R-NC) expressed their confidence in Dr. Cardona to lead the Department of Education, signaling the likelihood that there will be broad bipartisan support for his confirmation.
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The New Normal
We all want things to go back to “normal” when we think about hybrid learning, wearing masks, working from home, virtual assessments, etc. However, the pandemic has given us an opportunity to reset.
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Call of Duty
This year has been overwhelming. And unfortunately, the “new normal” for many school psychologists is to relegate our own mental health while we attempt to aid others in our care.
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Education and Mental Health in President-Elect Biden's American Rescue Plan
On January 20, 2021, Joe Biden will be sworn in as the 46th President of the United States as a global health crisis rages on. Although the recent rollout of vaccines for the COVID-19 virus may promise an eventual end to this pandemic, our students and schools are still in dire need of relief now and assistance toward future recovery. For that reason, NASP is pleased to see the incoming Presidential administration release their proposed COVID package outlining $1.9 trillion in funding and support to help schools, families, and communities. You can read the full outline of President-Elect Biden’s American Rescue Plan here.
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NASP Releases Federal Policy Platform for the 117th Congress and Incoming Biden Administration
As we prepare for a new Congress and Presidential administration, the NASP Government and Professional Relations Committee (GPR) is proud to announce the release of the new NASP Public Policy and Legislative Platform. This platform contains policy goals and recommendations that promote equitable access to high-quality public education that is safe, supportive, and welcoming for all students.
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Ready and Empowered to Advocate
As we enter the 117th Congress, approach the administration of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, and prepare to engage with returning and newly elected leaders at the local and state level, school psychology advocates have an opportunity to address some of the biggest issues facing the field and our public education system.
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2020 Presidential Election Results: A Promising Future for School Psychology
Now that the outcome of the 2020 Presidential election has been revealed, there is much more in store for the field of school psychology. Given the tremendous support of school psychologists shown by the Joe Biden and Kamala Harris ticket, a newfound hope has emerged with a promising future for the field. Listed in this blog are a few ideas to activate your grassroots advocacy and recruit additional members of Congress to be friends and advocates for school psychologists.
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2020 NSPW Advocacy Action Day!
On Wednesday, November 11th, NASP held its third annual National School Psychology Week (NSPW) Advocacy Action Day. Check out this blog for a summary, by the numbers!
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NASP Outlines Vision for Effective Schools
NASP is pleased to release the third edition of Ready to Learn, Empowered to Teach. This policy brief, which was first published in 2008, outlines seven guiding principles we believe are necessary to ensure excellence in education by lowering barriers to learning and effective teaching.
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UASP's Successes Through Visibility, Advocacy, and Partnership
As we write this and reflect on what we’ve done well lately, we truly believe that the energy and forward movement we are seeing here in Utah is completely possible with any state organization. We didn’t radically change anything about our organization; rather we were simply more focused. We reevaluated, purposefully planned, made time for deep engagement, and were intentional in our efforts, and our board members put in the time to make sure it all happened. This blog recaps what has happened in the Utah Association of School Psychologists (UASP) in the last 2 years that has driven us forward.
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The Notorious RBG, a Pandemic, and an Election.
"Fight for the things that you care about, but do it in a way that will lead others to join you." - Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Government and Professional Relations Committee cochair Kari Oyen shares how RBG's legacy of advocacy ties into the advocacy that school psychologists do—especially with an upcoming election in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic—in this week's Policy Matters blog.
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2020 Back to School Advocacy Resources
As we enter this unprecedented, unique school year, school psychologists are faced with uncertainty and many major new challenges. As a result of the economic downturn due to the COVID-19 pandemic, school districts will be faced with revenue shortfalls now and in future years. Without significant federal and state aid, districts may choose to cut budgets—possibly putting school psychologist positions and important education programs at risk. This blog lists the advocacy resources that will be most helpful to advocate for school psychology and the schools, students, and communities you serve as decisions are made.
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How Field Supervisors Can Encourage Advocacy Efforts Among Interns
Internship year is an exciting time for any school psychology graduate student. After 2 years of learning theoretical frameworks, special education law, counseling strategies, and the assessment process, students are able to generalize and apply their knowledge within the school setting. While their school psychology program provides them with a foundation, the students’ field supervisors play a critical role in building their skills and knowledge as it applies to the real world. Reminiscing about my own internship experience, I learned a lot of valuable lessons; however, I cannot recall learning about the importance of advocacy in our field. Based on my experience as a practitioner, internship supervisor, and GPR committee member, here are some resources and supervision recommendations that you can implement with your intern.
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2019 State Trends in Enacted Legislation
NASP analyzed and organized bills that included the term "school psychologist" in 2019 state legislative sessions across the country. Check out this blog for a summary.
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Suicide Prevention Within COVID-19 Pandemic
Over the past several years in working with students at the secondary level, I have found myself approaching school breaks with trepidation for their wellness, mental health, and safety. Unfortunately, when students are out of school, our community has been impacted by student deaths resulting from suicide. Now, impact of the global pandemic has intensified the concern for students given the closures of school buildings with the reopening unknown. The mandates of "stay in place", social distancing, and face coverings over the past few months, have resulted in drastic change in routines, increase in uncertainty, the loss of employment, and the lives of over 100,000 U.S. citizens. Educators responded by transforming the face of schools virtually overnight from brick and mortar to computer screens within a distance learning platform. The pandemic has intensified the concern for the safety, wellness, and mental health of our students with implications for policy and the practice of school psychologists.
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Public Service Loan Forgiveness Q&A
School psychologist and NASP Board Member Karah Chapman successfully had her loans forgiven through the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program. In this blog post, she shares tips on how to stay organized and eventually earn forgiveness.
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CNN Town Hall Recap
Last Thursday, May 21, 2020, NASP Past President and school psychologist John Kelly participated in a CNN town hall on the coronavirus pandemic's effect on kids' mental health with Anderson Cooper and Dr. Sanjay Gupta. The segment presented an opportunity for the work of school psychologists to be highlighted on a national platform.
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COVID-19 School Psychologist Practice Impact Survey
NASP recently undertook a survey of its members to understand how COVID-19 was impacting school psychologists’ practice and what additional supports NASP could provide during this unprecedented time. Approximately 1000 members responded, representing all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. The results of the survey detailed the rapidly changing environment school psychologists are being asked to practice in and how school psychologists have responded by providing new and vital services to their students, schools, and communities.
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National and State School Psychology Association Membership Amidst a Global Pandemic
While we continue practicing social distancing and other safety measures in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, membership in your national and state school psychology associations is especially crucial now more than ever. The current pandemic has raised concerns about the welfare of children and families as well as the potential impact on education and the field of school psychology. Having the appropriate tools and resources to advocate for the delivery of a multi-tiered system of supports can have a tremendous impact for the families we serve and for our profession.
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Secretary DeVos issues Waiver Requests to Congress
On Monday, US Secretary of Education submitted recommendations to Congress regarding any additional waiver authority needed to address issues related to COVID-19 school closures and schools' ability to meet certain mandates outlined in the Every Student Succeeds Act and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, among others. Read more about the recommendations in this Policy Matters blog.
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A Bolt of Lightning: Elevator Moments
This blog post creatively discusses how an "elevator moment" of advocacy with a decisionmaker is just like a bolt of lightning, and gives tips on how to prepare your advocacy pitch - when you never know when the moment might come!
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Senate Passes COVID-19 Education Stimulus Fund
Last night, the Senate passed the Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES) that provides significant funding to help schools, and other industries, address issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The House is expected to pass this bill and the President as indicated he will sign it. This legislation, and other federal actions, contain provisions relevant to school psychologists and other educators who are working hard to ensure that students still have access to learning opportunities and comprehensive school psychological services while schools are closed.
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Developing Relationships: Friend, Foe, or It’s Complicated
There are a number pressing issues that require the attention of many state associations across the country. It calls to question how to best utilize all resources as we are asked to do more with little, which includes human capital. Therefore, there are times we have to consider developing relationships with other associations or stakeholders to amplify our influence. This blog discusses tips for leaders when developing partnerships to address policy priorities.
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Vision 2020 - Advocacy in Action at Convention
Last week, NASP held its annual convention in Baltimore, Maryland! Check out some of the advocacy highlights in this recap blog.
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The Power of Connection and Recharge
NASP GPR Committee member Dr. Julia Szarko discusses the power of connection with colleagues, students, and legislators, and argues that connection is not only fulfilling personally, but also an effective advocacy tool.
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Applications Open for FY 2019 STOP School Violence Grants
The U.S. Department of Justice's Bureau of Justice Assistance recently announced that it is seeking applications for FY19's Student, Teachers, and Officers Preventing (STOP) School Violence grants. Check out this blog for more information on how to apply.
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The Importance of Being Counted!
After Dr. Oyen asked her Senator to co-sponsor a bill to address the national shortage of school psychologists, the Senator's legislative aide said that they wouldn't be able to support the bill at that time. Dr. Oyen expressed her disappointment to the staff member - which ended up becoming a major success for NASP!
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NASP Priorities Funded in FY 2020 Spending Bills
This week, Congress approved their FY 2020 federal spending bills. The bills are widely expected to be signed by President Trump and will fund the government through September of 2020. All of NASP’s funding priorities received level funding or saw an increase. Check out this blog to learn more about the NASP priorities that were funded.
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Nevada Finds its Advocacy Focus for SPAW 2019
The Nevada Association of School Psychologists (NVASP) went all out with their advocacy efforts for School Psychology Awareness Week this year. Teams of local members in the Clark County School District (Las Vegas) and Washoe County School District (Reno) organized their members to advocate for the profession to local and statewide officials. Check out this blog for a review of their efforts in both the north and south.
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What is Your Focus? Celebrating School Psychology Awareness Week
Every year in November, school psychologists, professors, and graduate students gear up to bring awareness to the field of school psychology and highlight the work that school psychologists do to help students thrive. This year's theme was "Find Your Focus," which highlights the variety of ways in which we can identify areas of interest, seeing an idea more clearly, or being persistent and determined in our efforts. Check out this blog to learn more about how school psychologists across the country celebrated SPAW.
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2019 SPAW Advocacy Action Day
On Wednesday, November 13th, NASP held its second annual SPAW Advocacy Action Day.
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US Department of Education Hosts First Ever School Psychology Roundtable
On Tuesday, November 12, 2019, NASP participated in the first ever School Psychology Roundtable at the US Department of Education. This event showcased school psychologists' role in providing comprehensive school mental and behavioral health services and promoting safe and supportive schools. It was a fantastic way to celebrate School Psychology Awareness Week and educate key Department officials about school psychology.
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U.S. Department of Education School Ambassador Fellowship
Check out this blog to learn about the U.S. Department of Education's School Ambassador Fellowship from the perspective of this year's fellow - a school psychologist - and how you can apply for it!
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"Nothing is More Powerful than an Idea Whose Time has Come"
Victor Hugo is the French poet and novelist who is credited with the phrase, "Nothing is more powerful than an idea whose time has come." Much of his original French works had more to do with shifts from the battlefield to an arena of minds being open to ideas. But now, in 2019, his writings may be coming to life - through effective, collaborative advocacy efforts.
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Joint Statement From Members of the Disability Community and Allies on Gun Violence Prevention Policy and Mental Health Disabilities
In light of recent gun violence tragedies in our country and the ensuing national conversation conflating mental health and violence, a coalition of education and disability rights groups recently came together to discuss how to push back against this narrative and any potentially harmful legislation that may come as a result. While we agree that something must be done to end incidents of mass violence, any measures that are taken to enhance safety must protect the civil rights of individuals with mental health and other disabilities.
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School Safety and Gun Violence Prevention Messaging Should Not Escalate Anxiety
Raising awareness about effective safe school practices and the need to prevent gun violence is critical; however, NASP cautions against images and messaging that can potentially trigger trauma reactions and/or escalate fear and anxiety in children and youth.
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Namaste: Incorporating Advocacy into your "Practice" - Back to School 2019
This morning, I went to my first power yoga class. Now that I've been practicing yoga on a weekly basis for about a year and a half, I've been considering learning some of the more advanced poses - think headstands and weird body contortions. I heard about the power class through my vinyasa yoga instructor, who agreed that I would probably love some of the more challenging inversion poses that are practiced in a more advanced class. As I thought about incorporating different poses into my "practice," I couldn't help but draw a conclusion to what school psychologists do on a daily basis at work - their own form of "practice." SO! For the purposes of this blog post, I want you to think of me as your instructor. I'll be guiding you through some of your potential advocacy efforts this school year. Stay with me; I promise this will go somewhere - and you'll leave practice feeling refreshed, healthy, and ready for more. Class starts now!
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Building Capacity for Safe and Successful Schools: 2019 Public Policy Institute Recap
Last week, an incredible group of school psychologists, special educators, graduate students, professors, and administrators from 32 states (plus the District of Columbia) participated in the 2019 GW/NASP Public Policy Institute! Read up on the highlights in this blog post.
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Policy Playbook and Website Features
NASP's Advocacy Team recently revamped its website and created a new key resource in order to aid school psychologists and leaders in their professional and legislative advocacy efforts. This blog highlights some of these new website features and resources.
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National Gun Violence Awareness Day
As school psychologists, it’s important that we work with policy makers and colleagues to enact effective laws and policies that reduce violence in order to improve the safety of our children. Learn more about National Gun Violence Awareness Day and what you can do to advocate for common sense gun reform laws in this week's blog.
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Advocacy in a Time of Division
During this past NASP convention, I was particularly struck by a comment from Paul Meyer on the importance of associations, "the purpose of an association is to achieve a goal or objective not possible by an individual." I believe that quote succinctly communicates the importance and potential of our collective advocacy work in advancing policy that will better the lives of the kids and families we serve. School psychologists may never have the same number of members or amount of resources as other advocacy groups. Thus, we do not have the luxury of silence! We all can engage in advocacy by taking these steps and continuously build towards a better tomorrow even in a divided today.
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2019 NASP/GW Public Policy Institute Featured Speakers
The 2019 NASP/George Washington University Public Policy Institute is just a little over two months away, and we're thrilled to share some of our confirmed presenters and speakers for this year's conference!
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Real-Time Advocacy: Part 2
In Real-time Advocacy Part 1, I used the quote “If you’re not at the table then you’re on the menu” to highlight the imperative need to advocate. My last blog chronicled the journey that my state GPR Committee embarked on to “make it to the table”. In Part 1, my purpose in writing was not convince you to advocate, but to serve as a guide on what to do and sometimes what “not” to do. In this blog, my purpose is to share with you all the successes that came from our efforts and to try and impart some wisdom from the lessons learned.
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House spending proposal addresses several NASP priorities
This week, the House Labor HHS subcommittee released its proposal for FY2020 federal spending. Thanks to your continued advocacy, this bill addresses many of NASP’s ongoing priorities including improving educational outcomes for disadvantaged youth and students with disabilities, improving school climate and safety, ensuring access to high-quality professional development, and increasing access to school psychologists and other school-employed mental health professionals. I am excited to share that this bill creates a new $25 million grant to help districts hire school psychologists and other school mental health professionals!
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Affecting Change Through Social Media: Tips to Stay Engaged and Informed After Convention is Over
Each year, Convention inspires school psychologists young and old to advocate for our profession and connect with one another through social media. Whether on the ground in Atlanta or by scrolling through media platforms throughout the week at home, it was difficult not to be impressed by the level of engagement between NASP and its members due to social media. Amidst the bustle of the week, I found myself thinking of how powerful we could be together if we all remained as present on social media as we were at Convention... of how much change we could accomplish by staying informed and connected with one another on a regular basis, all year long. So, I caught up with three individuals who are doing just that!
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Advocacy in Action at Convention 2019
Last week, 967 individual NASP advocates sent 4,655 letters to their representatives in Congress! Check out this Policy Matters blog post with a full convention summary and tips on how you can stay engaged with school psychology advocacy efforts at the state and national level all year long.
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School-Based Mental Health Day in Missouri!
From special education eligibility criteria to dyslexia legislation, our profession is engulfed in the current political climate of this country. There is no escaping this reality and if you are reading this post, you are probably already keenly aware of this fact. So how do we make an impact and create positive changes for the students and families we serve? Honestly, there is no easy answer to this question because advocacy is a lot like our students; there is no "one size fits all" solution. This blog post is going to focus on just one way (of many) that the Missouri Association of School Psychologists (MASP) has decided to tackle advocacy in our state: hosting an annual School-Based Mental Health Advocacy Day.
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The Great Divide - Reaching Across the Aisle
Reaching across the aisle…across partisan lines, perhaps across borders, walls, or affiliations. In this country, we have a significant divide. Republican. Democrat. Independent. Libertarian. Tea Party. Green Party. Maybe no party at all? This level of divisiveness makes this process of advocating for mental health feel like an uphill battle.
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What to Expect in the 116th Congress
A look at what we can expect from the 116th Congress on issues impacting school psychology.
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Advocacy Amplification Every Day
Advocacy, or the act of pleading for or in behalf of another, is very much like a new year’s resolution. Something happens that energizes us to act. We may spring into action and are eager to share loudly the injustice or espouse the desire for change to happen in a dramatic fashion. The problem is that it just doesn’t work. Sometimes we seek change so desperately that we set huge goals that we can’t achieve quickly and are left disappointed or frustrated. But starting with a small goal and growing into a larger goal can often create a more impactful change.
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NASP Releases Federal Policy Platform for 116th Congress
At the beginning of each Congress, the NASP Government and Professional Relations Committee (GPR) releases the NASP Federal Public Policy and Legislative Platform. This policy platform represents the overarching policy goals and recommendations that support the vision and mission of NASP, promote guiding principles in our foundational policy documents, and NASP position statements.
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The Impact of 2018 Midterm Elections on the Future of Education
The outcome of this year's midterm election has led to a significant change in the political landscape. In January, twenty states will have a new governor, to include Alaska, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Tennessee, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. While control of the U.S. House of Representative has shifted, the U.S. Senate majority will remain the same but with some expansion. A similar shift in control was evident in five state legislative chambers. Additionally, we are also likely to see turnover in a host of local school boards around the country. Given changes in political leadership, what major changes may we see in education policy, politics and funding?
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Achieving Funding Equity through State Funding Formulas
Tennessee recently elected a new governor, and many elected officials have called for the state's basic education plan funding formula to be 'reviewed and revised.' The Tennessee Association of School Psychologists (TASP) is working to take advantage of this revision and make sure that school psychologists have a seat at the table when decisions on the revisions are made.
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School Psychology Awareness Week Comes to New Jersey!
NASP GPR Committee's Northeast Regional Coordinator shares New Jersey's advocacy efforts during SPAW and a personal story of what motivates him and his colleagues to advocate in his state.
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SPAW Virtual Hill Day, By the Numbers
Thanks to our amazing volunteer advocates, NASP’s inaugural SPAW Virtual Hill Day was a resounding success! Here is a summary, by the numbers.
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NASP's Inaugural SPAW Virtual Hill Day
This Wednesday, November 14th, is NASP's first ever SPAW Virtual Hill Day! Across the country, school psychologists and allies will be writing to their congressional leaders asking them to support some of the issues that are most important to school psychologists: creating safe and supportive learning environments, increasing access to school-employed mental health services, and ensuring a high quality, well-rounded, and rigorous curricula. NASP's goal on this Virtual Hill Day is for every single member of Congress to hear about the policy issues facing children and youth through the lens of a school psychologist.
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What is the Cost of Providing Students with Adequate Psychological Support
In this guest blog, Michael Griffith, a school finance strategist with Education Commission of the States, outlines some of the consequences associated with the current shortage of school psychologists and what it would cost to ensure adequate ratios of school psychologists across the country.
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Brunch with a Legislator: Creative Engagement with Policymakers
For the third year in a row, the Missouri Association of School Psychologists (MASP) and the University of Missouri- St. Louis Graduate Association of School Psychologists (GrASP) co-sponsored the third annual Brunch with a Legislator last Spring in St. Louis, MO. NASP encourages school psychologists and state associations to creatively engage policymakers at all different levels of government.
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Congress Poised to Provide Increased Investments in Education, Mental Health, and School Safety
On Tuesday, September 18th, the Senate passed legislation that provides funding for FY2019 for the Departments of Defense, Labor, Health and Human Services and Education. It is widely expected that the House will follow suit when they return next week. Key highlights from the spending bill are described below.
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5 Quick Back-to-School Advocacy Tips
The start of a new academic year lends us energy, excitement and a fresh start for students, educators and school psychologists alike. It also presents us with an opportunity to commit ourselves to some new "resolutions" and goals. Will you make it one of yours to be an effective advocate for kids across the country this school year? NASP consistently offers opportunities for school psychologists to participate in advocacy activities. Here are five simple ways that you can stay connected and advocate today.
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Advocacy in Action, With Feather Boas!
School psychologists are ethically obligated to ensure that all students have an equal opportunity for the development and expression of their personal identity in a school climate that is safe, accepting, and respectful of all persons and free from discrimination, harassment, violence, and abuse. Check out a fun way that the Colorado Society of School Psychologists (CSSP) showed their support for the LGBTQ+ community!
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Advocating for School Mental Health Services within State Policy
Many states do not have enough mental health providers to meet the demand of student mental health concerns within schools. The reasons are plentiful, but often include a lack of awareness about the need for mental health concerns, diminished school funding to provide mental health services, or an inability to find a mental health provider to fill vacant positions.
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PPI Virtual Hill Day 2018
Join PPI participants who will be advocting on Capitol Hill July 18th by participating virtually!
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Advocacy, Leadership and Legislation... "Are we there yet?"
In reflecting on this past year, I can't help but think of the importance of our work as school psychologists with crisis management and our role in advocacy and wonder, "are we there yet?"
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NASP Leader Addresses the Effect of Media Coverage on School Violence at Federal Safety Commission Meeting
NASP leader and school safety expert Ben Fernandez testified before the Federal Safety Commission today regarding the impact of media coverage of school violence, particularly mass shootings. He urged the commission incorporate recommendations on best practices in their report on effective ways to prevent and keep our schools and children safe.
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Statement of NASP President John Kelly Federal School Safety Commission Public Listening Session
NASP President John Kelly testified before the Federal School Safety Commission regarding effective ways to create and maintain safe schools for all children. He urged the Commission to review the Framework for Safe and Successful Schools developed by NASP and other key education leadership organizations.
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Federal Legislation to Address the Critical Shortage of School Psychologists
This week, Senator Bill Nelson of Florida spoke on the floor of the United States Senate about the importance of school psychologists, school counselors, and school social workers in improving student mental health and creating safe schools.
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2018 GW/NASP Public Policy Institute: Early Bird Registration Ends 5/28
2018 GW/NASP Public Policy Institute early bird registration is fast approaching! Reserve your space now for one of the best professional development values that NASP has to offer.
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How #IAdvocate As a Graduate Student
Whether you have an active student organization in your program or there's just a few of you interested in spreading the word, I challenge graduate students across the country to engage with undergraduates at your universities and institutions. Make it your mission to embed advocacy and outreach into your time as a graduate student by sharing about our field with a presentation to students, engaging in meaningful dialogue with these future educators, and becoming a bigger presence on campus or in your department.
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NASP Hosts Congressional Briefing on School Safety
On Wednesday, May 2, NASP, in collaboration with the National Association of Secondary School Principals, hosted a Congressional Briefing entitled "Beyond Metal Detectors: Strategies to Enhance School Climate and Safety"
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NASP Influence on Efforts to Reduce Violence and Improve School Safety
The nationwide response to the school shooting in Parkland, Florida represents a potential turning point in how policy makers are responding to calls for efforts to improve school safety and violence.
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Arming School Psychologists
All of my training on systems prevention and response had not prepared me for the harsh reality of seeing the physical and psychological devistation that violence can bring to a community. I decided then and there that, though I couldn't change the landscape of this situation, I was left with only one thing I could do. Arm myself.
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School Psychologists are Critical to School Safety and Preventing Violence
The nationwide response to the school shooting in Parkland, Florida represents a potential turning point in how policy makers are responding to calls for efforts to improve school safety and violence.
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Advocacy in Action at the 2018 Convention
NASP recently wrapped up another successful annual convention in Chicago, Illinois. This was NASP's best attended convention with over 6,500 school psychologists gathered to engage in professional development, networking and advocating for some of the many issues that concern school psychologists.
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Real-time Advocacy Part 1
This will be a two-part blog. In this first part, I will discuss the early planning and foundation-laying efforts that one state goernment and professional relations (GPR) committee is doing to enhance its advocacy efforts
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Leadership and Advocacy Tools and Resources
If you have a passion for the profession and are interested in getting more involved as an advocate and/or leader, NASP has generated resources to help support you in this endeavor.
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2017 Policy Wrap Up
For many working in education, it has felt like our nation's public schools have been under attack. It is easy to feel defeated, but school psychologists appear more energized than ever in ensuring that all schools are equipped to meet the comprehensive needs of all students.
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The Potential Impact of Tax Reform on School Psychology Graduate Students
Congress is currently considering legislation that would overhaul the US Tax Code. As things are there are a number of proposals that would directly impact current and future school psychology graduate students and graduate educators.
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Graduate Students Serving as a Bridge in the Research-to-Practice Gap
A common experience among first year graduate students is the realization that the practices utilized in our education system are often discrepant from what is considered best practice.
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"Handing Out" School Psychology
The idea of school psychologists providing mental health services to all children is one that resonates with most school psychologists. However, as school psychology has in many places become closely aligned with special education, providing these services to all children can be challenging.
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Update on State ESSA Plans
The deadline for ESSA state plans to be submitted to the U.S. Department of Education is right around the corner!
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2017 GW/NASP Public Policy Institute Review
It has now been a month since the close of the succesful 2017 GW/NASP Public Policy Institute (PPI). An incredible group of school psychologists, special educators, graduate students, professors, and administrators from 24 states took part in 3-Day or 5-Day trainings to build advocacy skills and learn education policy from national experts in the field.
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Why Should School Psychologists Care About Medicaid?
Congress is currently considering the proposed American Health Care Act (AHCA), which would make significant changes to our nation's current healthcare system, including the Medicaid program, and may vote on the proposed legislation by the end of June. Medicaid funding is critical for the physical and mental health of students and the provision of school psychological services.
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Transformation Implementation
Several months ago I was going through a stack of papers and came across a certificate I have recieved for attending a workshop at a New Jersey Association of School Psychologists conference. The title of the workshop was "Expanding the Role of the School Psychologist", and the date was January, 1926. Several things occured to me as a result. One was obvious: That after all these years we continue to pursue expaning the role of school psychologists.
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NASP Priorities in ESSA State Plans
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Dynamic Speakers to Present at the 2017 Public Policy Institute
As the school year comes to a close, it is time to start thinking about summer professional development! Earn CPDs and grow your advocacy skills at the 2017 GW/NASP Public Policy Institute (PPI) in Washington, D.C. This year's theme is "Equity and Access to a High Quality Public Education: National Policy Directions to Address Educational Disparities". The deadline to register for PPI with early bird pricing is May 15th and with such a hot topic we are beginning to reach capacity.
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Tips for Open and Respectful Dialogues in the Classroom
Transitions can be difficult for all children. For student populations who feel marginalized by the current administrations's controversal policies, many challenges have already come up in schools across the country. Teachers and school personnel are left with the tough job of handling classroom conversations and interactions around such controversial issues.
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The Advocacy Seeds We Plant
In the current climate of political uncertainty, we are all faced with what seems a daunting challege, but try to remember that this is new fertile ground for advocacy and that the seeds we plant now will bear fruit someday.
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Public Service Loan Forgivness and School Psychologists
In 2007, the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF) was signed into law. Since 10 years of payments and full time employment are a prerequisite for forgiveness, eligible loans can be forgiven for the first time beginning in October 2017, for those who have met the forgivness criteria and have followed all the necessary steps to have their loans forgiven.
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Federal Policy Updates March 2017
It has been a busy few weeks and the action shows no sign of slowing down! It is important for school psychologists to remain informed of policy conversations that impact the students we work with, and the schools we serve.
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Why I Advocate
Every child leaves schools and returns to their home and community. Every school exists within a broader community, and is goverened by state and federal law. To be maximally effective child advocates, school psychologists must consider these systems of influence.
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Secretary DeVos Releases New ESSA Guidance
The U.S. Department of Education released a new guide for states to use in developing their education plans under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). While ESSA requires meaningful stakeholder engagement, the new guide does not compel states to include a description of how they are engaging and consulting stakeholders in devloping their plans.
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I Am Advocacy
What an incredible time in history to be a school psychologist, an educator, an advocate! Over the past year we have experienced a tremendous amount of change in education with President Obama signing the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) into law in December 2015, replacing No Child Left Behind (NCLB). For the first time in national education policy, a direct link is recognized between student mental and behavioral health with overall student educational success.
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What the Trump Administration Could Mean for Public Education
Last night, Betsy DeVos, President-elect Trump's pick to lead the U.S. Department of Education, answered questions from members of the Senate HELP Committee during her confirmation hearing. Her answers provide some insight as to how she may handle issues related to school choice, privatization of public schools, bullying and harassment, accountability, civil rights, and meeting the needs of students with disabilities.
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The "SECRET" of Advocacy
Advocacy itself presents itself as a word that appears to imply some sort of prestige of advanced training to implement. To be an advocate can be a very overwhelming idea for many people. The idea that we stand up for children and for our profession can seem intimidating for some.
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Getting to Know the GPR Committee
GPR is a committee that is comprised of a diverse group of school psychologists who focus on advocating the public policy priorities of NASP. The GPR Committee is dedicated to promoting school psychological services and effective mental health and educational services for all children and their families through appropriate legislation, advocacty, and public policy development and implementation.
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SPAW Thunderclap
If you've never participated in a Thunderclap, trust me, it is far easier than you think. A good analogy is an "online flash mob". It allows you and others to share the same message at the same time, spreading an idea across social media platforms that cannot be ignored.
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On the Couch with Dr. Barry
For those of you reading this who are unaware, NASP has a small group of volunteers who spennd their spare time analyzing bills, reading state and federal regulations, meeting with elected officials, writing policy papers, planning workshops and generally acting as watchdogs for education, psychology, children's iddues and mental health (to name a few of our focused priorities).
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ESSA and Other Federal Policy Updates
It seems like all eyes are on November 8th, and the impact that the election of new policy makers may have at the federal, state, and local level. NASP is following the education priorities of the Presidential candidates and maintaining contact with the major campaigns to ensure our policy priorities are heard (more on that later). But there are lot of non-election related happenings that could result in some significant policy and practice changes in our schools. This edition of Policy Matters will provide key updates on the Presidential Candidates’ education priorities, update you on ESSA implementation efforts, and highlight three critical upcoming Supreme Court Cases that could have implications for practice in the future.
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Presidental Election Resources
November 8th is Election Day. Folks around the country will cast their vote for the important positions at the local, state, and national level. Every election is important, and NASP strnongly encourages members to educate themselves on the issues in order to make an informed choice when voting.
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State Planning at ESSA Town Hall Meeting in Missouri
I recently had an opportunity to attend a Town Hall meeting on the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) in my local community. Meetings were designed to obtain stakeholder feedback, demonstrating state leader interest in learning what educators and community members in Missouri cared about when designing state level ESSA plans.
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Advocacy: Relationships that Create Change
On Wednesday, September 14th NASP hosted a Twitter Chat facilitated by Peter Faustino (@Dr_Faustino) and Kari Oyen (@Karioyen) entitled "Advocacy: Relationships that Create Change". The chat had great participation with many sharing how they are currently advocating in their own communities.
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Urge Congress to Preserve Funding for Title IV Part A of ESSA to Ensure Comprehensive School Mental Health Services
September 12-16 NASP is hosting a virtual advocacy week centered around Title IV Part A funding for ESSA. We have suggested advocacy activities for each day of the week to ensure school psychologist's voices are heard!
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Advocacy in Action around ESSA Implementation in Kentucky
With the passage of ESSA, state school psychology associations were given an opportunity to have an impact on policies and practices which could expand the role of school psychologists to improve the academic and mental health of students in our schools.
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Small Steps Change Lives
As school psychologists, we are in a unique position to advocate on behalf of children and families to ensure that all children thrive and overcome barriers to learning so that they can be successful in school, at home, and throughout life.
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Successful #NASPadvocates Twitter Campaign at the 2016 GW/NASP Public Policy Institute
In preparation for our participants to arrive to PPI ready to learn, share, and grow their advocacy skills we rolled out a new hashtag, #NASPadvocates.
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NASP Twitter Chat: Social Justice
The National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) invites you to join us on Wednesday, August 17, 2016 at 8:00 p.m. EDT for a Twitter Chat on social justice.
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2016 PPI Participants, Prepare to be Inspired
To students and professionals considering the PPI experience, we encourage you to register and attend! The PPI may expose you to an entirely new way of viewing our profession and will help you build your self-efficacy as a professional.
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What's So Great About PPI?
School psychologists believe that all children, including those with disabilities and students stuggling with barriers to learning should have access to a great education regardless of where they live. Many of us have probably seen first hand how certain federal/ state/district/school policies and practices have impeded access to a great education for all students; in some cases, specific policies have resulted in poor outcomes for some students while supporting improved outcomes for another group of students. PPI provides you with the knowledge and skills you need to go out and effectively advocate for the needs of our students, teachers, families and communities through our daily practice and in our engagement with important decision makers.
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School Psychologists: Advancing Policy and Practice to Support ALL Students
The Every Student Succeeds Act contains significant opportunity and funding for states and districts to improve school and student outcomes, support safe and supportive learning environments, and improve student mental and behavioral wellness by implementing comprehensive school psychological services. Now it's time to strap on your advocacy boots once again to make sure that the policies in ESSA are translated into effective policy and practice at the state and local level.
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Advocacy in Schools: A Graduate Student Example
Advocating for the field of school psychology informs others of the field and helps others understand school psychologists's expertise and the manner in which they provide services at the individual, school, district, and national level.
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Anxious About Advocating?
As a school psychologist, it is critical you take the time to advocate at state or local events. While NASP is continually promoting the profession of school psychology, it is these grassroots efforts that can spark a fire of change.
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Specialized Instructional Support Personnel Week 2016
April 11-14 is National Specialized Instructional Support Personnel Awareness Week sponsored by the NASISP.
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School Psychologists as Change Agents: Advocating for Our Own Profession
When I hear the word advocacy, I often think about school psychologist's role as change agents. It is an essential component of what it means to be a school psychologist. School psychologists have the training and expertise to bring about positive change to the lives of our students, families, and communities.
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I Am a Rural School Psychologist
The role of the rural school psychologist has expanded in the last decade and as rural school psychologists, we are left trying to figure out how to provide high quality mental health services where, quite honestly, they do not exist.
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School Psychology Graduate Students in Missouri are Outstanding Advocates
Students in school psychology graduate programs at the University of Missouri Columbia, the University of Missouri St. Louis, and students at Webster University are making a difference for children and families through their outstanding advocacy work.
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Using Social Media to Advance Advocacy Efforts
Social media can be a very powerful tool for advocay, but it is sometimes underutilized. State associations as well as individual school psychologists can further their cause by having a prominent advocacy-related social media pressence.
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NASP Urges Nation's Governors to Reject Legislation that Discriminates Against Transgender Students
As South Dakota Gov. Daugaard decides whether or not to sign extreme legislation into law, organizations, including NASP, condemn such proposals as “shameful” and say they “foster discrimination and do harm to students, their families, and their communities".
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The Importance of State and Local Advocacy
While NASP's advocacy efforts often center on national issues (i.e. ESEA), the advocacy efforts of most school psychologists take place on the local level, and I am no different. And what I have learned is that advocacy is as much about effort as it is about outcomes, especially since outcomes may not be immediately apparent.
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The Every Student Succeeds Act and School Psychologists
It finally happened! Last week, President Obama signed the Every Student Succeeds Act into law, ending the era of No Child Left Behind. There were a lot of people who were convinced that this process would fall apart (I know several people being treated to a fabulous dinner thanks to those naysayers). As mentioned in a previous post, this legislation acknowledges the importance of comprehensive learning supports and positive conditions for learning and contains may policies that NASP fought long and hard for. This chart highlights NASP's specific policy recommendations and what is included in the final law.
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NASP Urges Congress to Lift the Ban on Federal Research Related to Gun Violence
For nearly 20 years, a ban, known as the Dickey Amendment, has banned the use of federal funds to conduct comprehensive scientific research about the effects of firearms ownership on public health and the causes of gun violence. This ban has tied the nation's hands in terms of finding a solution to this serious public health epidemic.
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House Passes the Every Student Succeeds Act
The House of Representatives ended 8 years of failed efforts to reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act/NCLB. The House passed the Every Student Succeeds Act, which represents a complete overhaul of federal education policy. The Senate is expected to vote next week, and the President is expected to sign before the end of the year. This legislation moves us away from a narrow focus on standardized tests and toward a more comprehensive approach to student success and school accountability.
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NASP Urges Congress to Pass the Every Student Succeeds Act
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ESEA Heads to Congressional Vote
By a vote of 38-1, the Conference Committee voted to advance a legislative framework intended to reauthorize ESEA. Complete legislative language and final details will be released on November 30, 2015, with the House set to vote on final passage as early as December 2nd.
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ESEA Conference to Begin Today
Efforts to reauthorize ESEA pick up again today at 2:30, with hopes of having the House and the Senate vote on the final Conference report in early December. NASP sent this statement to the Committee, urging them to continue to move the process forward.
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Committing to Advocacy
Laurie Klose, a member of the NASP GPR Committee shares lessons learned from her 6-week committment to professional advocacy. We challenge you to commit to engaging in at least one advocacy activity a month!
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Mental Health ESEA Conference Letter
Last week an action alert was sent to NASP members urging them to write to their elected officials to support school-based mental health programs in ESEA. Specifically, NASP is advocating for: the authorization of the Elementary and Secondary School Counseling Program, explicit definition of school psychologist, and investments to help schools and districts identify and support children with trauma history and those at risk for mental illness.
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Public Opinion, Research, and ESEA
With Congress set to begin final reauthorization of ESEA after Labor Day, Phi Delta Kappa and Gallup have released their 47th annual poll on public attitudes towards public schools. The results show that student engagement, school climate, and adequate funding are viewed as very important, while standardized test scores are seen as the least important factor in school improvement. These views align closely with the policies NASP advocates for in ESEA.
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Successful 2015 GW/NASP Public Policy Institute
About a month ago, NASP wrapped up its annual GW/NASP Public Policy Institute (PPI) in partnership with George Washington University. This is my first year working at NASP and helping plan for the institute, as well as my first time attending PPI! We had almost 100 school psychologists, graduate students, administrators, and others interested in education policy from 25 states turn out this year.
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ESEA Heads to Conference
After months (well, years actually) of advocacy, hearings, mark-ups, briefings, and Hill visits the House and the Senate have both finally passed a bill intended to re-authorize ESEA. However, our work is just beginning as the bill now heads to conference, with a much smaller window of time to get things done.
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Senate Passes ESEA Reauthorization Legislation
The Senate overwhelmingly voted in favor of the Every Child Achieves Act, intended to reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (No Child Left Behind). There is still much work to do before President Obama can sign this into law and we can roll back some ineffective policies and practices, but this legislation is a step in the right direction. Below is a summary of some of the major components of ECAA; we'll continue to keep you posted as things progress.
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One Step Closer to ESEA Reauthorization
There has been a flurry of activity on Capitol Hill in the last 24 hours! Despite abruptly pulling it from the floor in February, the House passed the Student Success Act on Wednesday evening. The Senate has begun formal consideration of the Every Child Achieves Act and is expected to vote early next week. We still have time to influence the Every Child Achieves Act , so we'll cover that first. For a quck refresher, see this update from April. As a reminder, we were successful in re-instating authorization for the Elementary and Secondary School Counseling Program (yay!), during the mark-up.
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ESEA Matters to Your Practice
Policy changes enacted in the last 15 years have dramatically shaped the context in which school psychologists practice. Perhaps some of the most significant changes arose from the passage of No Child Left Behind in 2002; the 2004 reauthorization to the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act; significant financial investment for states awarded Race to the Top grants; the introduction of the Common Core State Standards; and the ESEA state waivers which released states from the punitive consequences mandated by NCLB in exchange for implementation of specific reform efforts (primarily teacher evaluation systems based on student performance). To be sure, it is not just policy that impacts our practice. As school psychologists, we strive to make sure all services we provide are guided by research, and we seek to discontinue policies and practices deemed harmful or ineffective and promote those that further improve school and student outcomes. There is no doubt the next reauthorization of ESEA will, for better or for worse, impact the role of the school psychologist and the systems in which we practice.
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The President's Fiscal Year 2015 Budget Request
The Obama Administration released the Fiscal Year 2015 Budget Requests. Among the requests is a 2% increase in funding for the Department of Education, but NASP has some concerns. Find out what those concerns are and NASP's plan to help.
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Busy Start to 2015
Get up to speed and get involved in the flurry of education policy, funding, and school safety activities that have taken center stage on Capitol Hill.
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The Patient Protection & Affordable Care Act (ACA)
Find out why school psychologists need to be active advocates of President Obama's Affordable Care Act, what NASP is doing to help, and how you can get involved.
Advocacy Action Center
Make your voice heard on Capitol Hill! In just a few minutes you can encourage your elected officials to support public policy issues that are of importance to school psychologists and NASP.