What Do School Psychologists Do? School psychologists provide direct support and interventions to students; consult with teachers, families, and other school-employed mental health professionals (i.e., school counselors, school social workers) to improve support strategies; work with school administrators to improve school-wide practices and policies; and collaborate with community providers to coordinate needed services. (NASPonline.org) School Psychologists Help Schools Successfully… Improve academic achievementPromote Positive Behavior and Mental HealthSupport Diverse LearnersCreate Safe, Positive School ClimatesStrengthen Family–School PartnershipsImprove School-Wide Assessment and Accountability(NASPonline.org) What Training Do School Psychologists Receive? School psychologists receive specialized advanced graduate preparation that includes coursework and practical experiences relevant to both psychology and education. School psychologists typically complete either a specialist-level degree program (at least 60 graduate semester hours) or a doctoral degree (at least 90 graduate semester hours), both of which include a year-long 1,200-hour supervised internship. Graduate preparation develops knowledge and skills in:Data collection and analysisAssessmentProgress monitoringSchool-wide practices to promote learningResilience and risk factorsConsultation and collaborationAcademic/learning interventionsMental health interventionsBehavioral interventionsInstructional supportPrevention and intervention servicesSpecial education servicesCrisis preparedness, response, and recoveryFamily–school–community collaborationDiversity in development and learningResearch and program evaluationProfessional ethics, school law, and systems(NASPonline.org) How Do I Contact a School Psychologist? Every school has access to the services of a school psychologist, although some school psychologists serve two or more schools so may not be at a particular school every day. Most often, school psychologists can be reached by inquiring at the specific school directly or at the district’s central office.(NASPonline.org)