Definition

The School Psychologist facilitates learning and promotes the cognitive, social, and personal development of students.  The School Psychologist provides a full range of school psychological services to students, including screening and assessment, designing remedial educational programs, individual and group counseling with students.  The School Psychologist functions as a member of the multi-disciplinary team to determine the student’s eligibility for special services, appropriate programming, and on-going progress.

Classification Characteristics

This position is a certificated position.

REPRESENTATIVE DUTIES: 

Incumbents may perform any combination of the essential functions shown below.  This position description is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all duties, knowledge, or abilities associated with this classification, but is intended to accurately reflect the principal job elements.

• Evaluates individual students and prepares psychological diagnoses utilizing a variety of standardized individual and group psychological diagnostic and predictive test instruments and professional judgment; assesses a student’s intelligence, emotional adjustment, adaptive behavior, language development, school achievement, learning potential, and social needs;
• Serves on eligibility and planning committees and makes recommendations regarding the initial and continuing placement of students in special education programs;
• Coordinates and assists with the preparation of IEP for all special education students;
• Provides professional personnel with psychological evaluations and recommendations to remediate learning, emotional, and behavior problems;
• Prepares a variety of reports including case studies and records;
• Conducts individual and group counseling of students;
• Plans and participates in in-service programs for parents, teachers, and community groups;
• Makes available to students and their parents information pertaining to pertinent community agencies in situations where the need of such service is indicated;
• Consults with professional and paraprofessional personnel;
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications:

Any combination of experience and training that would likely provide the required knowledge and skills in qualifying as a school psychologist.  A typical way to obtain the required knowledge and skills would be:

EXPERIENCE:

• At least five (5) years of educational experience
• Understanding and demonstrated sensitivity to the needs of multi-cultural students, including students with disabilities

MINIMUM EDUCATION:

Any combination equivalent to:  Masters Degree in related field supplemented by graduate courses needed to meet credential requirements

LICENSES/CERTIFICATES:

Valid California Pupil Personnel Services Credential: School Psychology

KNOWLEDGE AND ABILITIES:

KNOWLEDGE OF:

• Varied models and methods of assessment that yield information useful in identifying strengths and needs, in understanding problems, and in measuring progress and accomplishments;
• Behavioral, mental health, collaborative, and/or other consultation models and methods;
• Human learning processes, techniques to assess these processes, and direct and indirect services applicable to the development of cognitive and academic skills;
• Human developmental processes, techniques to assess these processes, and direct and indirect services applicable to the development of behavioral, affective, adaptive, and social skills;
• Individual differences, abilities, and disabilities and of the potential influence of biological, social, cultural, ethnic, experiential, socioeconomic, gender-related, and linguistic factors in development and learning;
• General education, special education, and other educational and related services;
• Human development and psychopathology and of associated biological, cultural, and social influences on human behavior
• Family systems, including family strengths and influences on student development, learning, and behavior, and of methods to involve families in education and service delivery;
• Research, statistics, and evaluation methods;
• History and foundations of the school psychologist profession; of various service models and methods; of public policy development applicable to services to children and families; and of ethical, professional, and legal standards;
• Information sources and technology relevant to the work of a school psychologist

ABILITY TO:

• Collaborate effectively with others in planning and decision-making processes at the individual, group, and system levels;
• Collaborate effectively with others in planning and decision-making processes at the individual, group, and system levels;
• Work with individuals and groups to facilitate policies and practices that create and maintain safe, supportive, and effective learning environments for children and others
• Provide or contribute to prevention and intervention programs that promote the mental health and physical well-being of students;
• Work effectively with families, educators, and others in the community to promote and provide comprehensive services to children and families

WORKING CONDITIONS:

ENVIRONMENT:

• Work inside protected from weather
• Work outside exposed to the weather occasionally
• Indoor work environment

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

The physical requirements indicated below are examples of the physical aspects that this position classification must perform in carrying out essential job functions.

• Persons performing service in this position classification will exert 5 to 10 pounds of force frequently to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move an object.
• This type of work involves walking or standing for extended periods of time with some bending, squatting, twisting, reaching and stooping.
• Persons performing service in this position will exert muscle power and will require arm-hand steadiness.
• Perceiving the nature of sound, near and far vision, depth perception, providing oral and written information in various modalities and forms, the manual/finger dexterity to operate equipment, and handle and work with various materials and objects that are important aspects of this job.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable a person with a disability to perform the essential functions of the job.