Many school psychologists will work with a student with a medical condition in their careers, and information on the student's condition is crucial to understanding their individual needs. One type of medical condition that a school psychologist may encounter is childhood-onset autoimmune disease, such as pediatric systemic lupus erythematosus…

There is probably no more difficult aspect of school-based mental health practice than navigating assessment, prevention, and postvention related to youth suicide. Although many schools follow best practices and respond appropriately, there are important lessons to be learned from cases that resulted in litigation. This article reviews key cases…

The Red Clay Consolidated School District is the largest public school district in the state of Delaware and serves more than 16,000 students in 15 elementary schools, six middle schools, five high schools, and two special education programs. The student population is 41% White, 29% Hispanic, 22% Black, 5% Asian, and 3% two or more races. Red Clay…

Safe, stable, nurturing relationships between students and school personnel are essential for students' psychosocial development. All students should have access to these relationships, regardless of their background, race, gender, or disability status. Over the past several years, young people have experienced an extraordinary amount of social…

School psychologists are uniquely qualified to provide direct and indirect support to students, parents, educators, schools, and districts. The National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) Practice Model outlines the 10 domains that interact with each other to meet the needs of students, schools, and communities, and demonstrate the broad…

The coronavirus is a pandemic, meaning that it affects the whole world, and as such it has made everyone into disaster responders. Pandemics typically last 12-18 months (Crimando, 2020a), so SARS CoV-1, and the disease that it causes, COVID-19, will probably continue to affect society in general and education in particular well into 2021. The…

It is very important that schools be careful not to scare children about a place where they should feel safe. Thus, it is imperative that any active shooter drill be preceded by extensive education and preparation. Drills should be carefully planned by local police and the school crisis team, and school psychologists' involvement is critical.…

With the recent media coverage of lead exposure in cities like Flint, Baltimore, and Newark, it is critical that school psychologists familiarize themselves with the symptoms, assessment, and intervention of lead exposure since schools will likely work with children and families exposed to lead. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC,…

Exposure to traumatic experiences in childhood is more frequent than uncommon and can have a significant impact on the development and social-emotional health of children and adolescents. A recent national study revealed that approximately 34 million children in the United States had experienced at least one of nine adverse childhood experiences…

When a child's parents request a special education evaluation, the school generally must promptly evaluate the student. However, many schools implement response to intervention (RTI) to provide students with regular education interventions prior to evaluating the student for special education eligibility. School psychologists may find themselves…

Research reveals that students who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) often do not feel safe at school as a result of higher rates of bullying in comparison to their heterosexual peers (Kann et al., 2016; Kosciw, Greytak, Palmer, & Boesen, 2014; Russell, Clarke, & Lamb, 2009). Compared to general…

The suicide of a student has a rippling effect in the school environment as well as in the greater community, as a single adolescent death by suicide increases the risk of additional suicides. The process by which a completed suicide (or at times, suicidal behavior) increases the suicidal behavior of others is called contagion. When multiple…

Social justice has been defined as fair and equitable distribution of resources, rights, representation, and treatment for marginalized people who do not possess equal power in society (Linnemeyer, Nilsson, Marszalek, & Khan, 2018). As a theoretical concept, social justice is an emergent area of inquiry in school psychology (Johnson, Bahr,…

As a trusted link between district personnel, students, and their families, school psychologists often have questions about whether their communications are privileged like those of other professionals. In some jurisdictions, state statutes and common, or case, law recognize privileged communications for certain specified paired roles, including…

Positive school climate and supportive learning environments have a significant effect on a range of student outcomes. There are a number of assessment instruments that districts can use to measure school climate. These instruments are available from and recommended by national organizations that promote and support school climate interventions.