School psychologists familiar with the autism evaluation process have an awareness of the complexity of this school-based process. This paper provides school clinicians with an introduction to a visual framework and descriptive language to think and talk about the complex students they evaluate in positive, nuanced, and accessible terms. This…

School psychologists often have reason to suspect that students may not be putting forth full effort during diagnostic tests, or that questionnaire or rating scale data are not credible. However, such suspicions must be tested carefully to yield data-based conclusions. Structured, empirically supported methods for assessing the "response…

The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) aims to ensure that all students are college- and career-ready by requiring all schools to implement high-quality accountability systems and services for students. The ESSA impacts assessment practices in schools by requiring staff to account for a broader range of variables related to student well-being,…

Children's social-emotional and self-regulation skills are critical for success in school and, ultimately, in the workplace. How can educators determine the most effective approaches for measuring students' interpersonal competencies? And how can they use the data to improve their own practice? Relevant for school leaders, educators, researchers,…

Epilepsy is one of the most common neurological disorders in children, affecting approximately 0.5% to 1% of children through the age of 16 years. Between 20,000 and 45,000 children are diagnosed annually with newly recognized seizures with the median age of onset between 5 and 6 years of age. In 2018 the Center for Disease Control (CDC) estimated…

This practical guide is one of the first in the field to examine research-based teaching and learning strategies, promote positive and inclusive learning environments, and provide interactive features that allow readers to demonstrate and apply what they learn. Ideal for courses on teaching and pedagogy, and written for both counselor educators…

Pediatric inflammatory bowel disease is on the rise. School psychologists must understand the significant physical, emotional, and psychological effects of this condition to be effective advocates for students and their families, and to conduct well-informed, comprehensive evaluations for this population. This article discusses the academic,…

Self-determination refers to a person's ability to have control of their life choices, decisions, and interactions with others. Self-determination skills include: 1) decision-making, 2) goal setting, 3) self-awareness, 4) problem-solving, 5) self-advocacy, 6) self-monitoring, and 7) self-efficacy. Researchers suggest that youth with or at-risk for…

Every year brings new research studies that aim to describe early childhood development. Despite this boom in research, there has been little useful translation of these studies into clear recommendations for educators and mental health practitioners. This book shows experienced educators and mental health practitioners who work with young…

Suicide remains the third leading cause of death among young people in the United States. Considering that youth who contemplate suicide generally exhibit warning signs before engaging in lethal self-harm, school-based mental health professionals can play a vital role in identifying students who are at risk for suicidal behavior. Nevertheless, the…

The purpose of this Guidebook is to describe the process and basic requirements for the student learning measures that are used as part of the support professional evaluation and support process. For aspects of the process that have room for flexibility and school/district-level discretion, the different options have been clearly separated and…

Presenting major advances in understanding learning disabilities (LDs) and describing effective educational practices, this authoritative volume has been significantly revised and expanded with more than 70% new material. Foremost LD experts identify effective principles of assessment and instruction within the framework of multi-tiered systems of…

The sheer amount of time that school psychologists spend conducting assessments, coupled with the shift in the field toward incorporating a socially just lens into practice, elicits the question: What constitutes socially just academic assessments, and what are the related best practices? Considering the complexities related to applying a social…

Psychoeducational tests often are used to analyze the mental processes that affect academic potential and explore the possibility of a co-occurring disability. These evaluations may provide misleading results for individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing. Deriving accurate, useful results from academic and psychoeducational testing may require…

As shown by MetLife's 2010 "Survey of the American Teacher," America's educators strongly believe that all students should graduate from high school ready for college and a career (85 percent). Additionally, according to MetLife's 2009 survey, 86 percent of teachers believe that setting high expectations for students will improve student…