Ed.S. School Psychology

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Chicago 

Program Overview

The Ed.S. School Psychology will educate well-rounded specialist-level graduates who will fill the increasingly varied roles of today’s school psychologist. The school psychologist is called upon to help students, teachers, administrators, and parents overcome obstacles to learning and personal development which include, but are not limited to, family disruptions, mental health problems and disabilities, inadequate exposure to instruction (i.e., medical illness, poor attendance, etc.), and academic difficulties.

Program Philosophy

The department’s philosophy embraces the premise that the creation of humane and effective learning environments requires the application of professional judgment acquired through the integration of educational and psychological theory, scholarship, and professional practice. Further, the department endorses a deep commitment to understanding and respecting individual and cultural differences, while considering the systems in which the individual functions. The curriculum and training opportunities are based on the practitioner-scholar model which specifies a competency-based approach and is integrated with a standards-based approach to learning. The expected outcome of this method is consistent with the role of the “master” school psychologist who is able to treat and empower students, families, and communities to bring about positive change, plan preventive services, and enhance both educational and psychological problem-solving at all levels.

A competency-based education philosophy permeates every element of TCSPP and the Ed.S. School Psychology program. Graduates of the Ed.S. School Psychology program will demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and dispositions consistent with those recognized by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE), and the knowledge and performance bases defined as the critical skills for school psychology professionals by the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP). These key competencies are articulated in the 2010 NASP Domains. This philosophical approach provides empirical evidence that instruction in the program addresses all of the NASP Domains, and that graduates have demonstrated their success in meeting each of the domains. The program curriculum and assessment system ensures that students will know the field of School Psychology and have a thorough understanding of the principles and concepts in the NASP Standards for the School Psychologist.

Program Mission

The mission of the program is to provide students with a broad-based education that promotes best practices, cultural sensitivity, and innovation to support the needs of children and families.  We are committed to preparing graduates who transform our profession, schools, and communities.

Program Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this program students will be able to:

Professional Practice

• Demonstrate mastery of psychological and educational assessment, data collection strategies, and technology resources and apply results to design, implement, and evaluate response to services and programs.
• Demonstrate skills to consult, collaborate, and communicate with others during design, implementation, and evaluation of services and programs.
• Demonstrate skills to use assessment and data collection methods and to implement and evaluate services that support cognitive and academic skills.
• Demonstrate skills to develop and implement and evaluate services that promote academic outcomes learning, social development, and mental health.
• Demonstrate skills to develop am implement practices and strategies to create and maintain effective and supportive learning environments for children and others.
• Demonstrate skills to promote services that enhance learning, mental health safety, and physical well-being through protective and adaptive factors to implement effective crisis preparation, response, and recovery.
• Demonstrate skills to design, implement, and evaluate services that respond to culture and context and facilitate family and school partnership/interactions with community agencies for enhancement of academic and social-behavioral outcomes for children.

Diversity

• Demonstrate understanding of individual differences, abilities, disabilities, and other diverse characteristics; principles and research related to diversity factors for children, families, and schools, including factors related to culture, context, and individual and role differences; and evidence-based strategies to enhance services and address potential influences related to diversity. Candidates demonstrate skills to provide professional services that promote effective functioning for individuals, families, and schools with diverse characteristics, cultures, and backgrounds and across multiple contexts, with recognition that an understanding and respect for diversity in development and learning and advocacy for social justice are foundations of all aspects of service delivery.

Professional Behavior

• Demonstrate understanding of the history and foundations of school psychology; multiple service models and methods; ethical, legal, and professional standards; and other factors related to professional identity and effective practice as school psychologists. Candidates demonstrate skills to provide services consistent with ethical, legal, and professional standards; engage in responsive ethical and professional decision-making; collaborate with other professionals; and apply professional work characteristics needed for effective practice as school psychologists, including respect for human diversity and social justice, communication skills, effective interpersonal skills, responsibility, adaptability, initiative, dependability, and technology skills.

Scholarship

• Demonstrate skills in research design, statistics, measurement, varied data collection and analysis techniques, and program evaluation methods sufficient for understanding research and interpreting data in applied settings. School psychologists demonstrate skills to evaluate and apply research as a foundation for service delivery and, in collaboration with others, use various techniques and technology resources for data collection, measurement, analysis, and program evaluation to support effective practices at the individual, group, and/or systems levels.

Licensure (Chicago campus)

The Ed.S. School Psychology degree is approved by the Illinois State Board of Education and as such, is aligned with the degree, coursework, and supervised experience requirements for an Illinois Professional Educator License (PEL) with a School Psychologist Endorsement. All candidates must meet additional requirements to be licensed including completion of a test for basic skills (ACT, SAT, or TAP) and the School Psychologist Test (#183). The licensure application process may include fees and/or background check as well as documentation of completed coursework and supervised experience. For further information about licensure, please visit the Illinois State Board of Education.

The Ed.S. in School Psychology is also approved by the National Association of School Psychologists and as such, it aligns with degree and coursework requirements for a Nationally Certified School Psychologist credential. The credential application process includes a fee, as well as documentation of completed coursework, supervised experience, and examination. More information about certification is available at the website of the National Association of School Psychologists.

The Ed.S. School Psychology aligns with the degree and coursework requirements for a Nationally Certified School Psychologist credential. The credential application process includes a fee, as well as documentation of completed coursework, supervised experience, and examination. More information about certification is available at the website of the National Association of School Psychologists.

Admission Requirements

Application to the Ed.S. School Psychology program is open to any person who has earned a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution and who meets other entrance requirements. Applicants will be judged on their overall ability to do graduate work. Factors that are considered in admission are:

• GPA from undergraduate and any graduate schools,
• successful work history after completion of the baccalaureate degree,
• an admission essay, and
• three letters of recommendation from academic professors or professional or volunteer supervisors.
• Generally, an undergraduate GPA of a 3.2 or higher on a 4.0 scale is required for admission.

Applicants must submit official transcripts from all schools where a degree was earned.  It is recommended that transcripts are submitted from all schools where credit was received to enhance their applications.

The Ed.S. School Psychology program requires two undergraduate courses (a course in psychology and a course in either statistics or research methods) that must be completed prior to enrollment, with a grade earned of “C” or better.

The Graduate Record Examination (GRE) is not required, however it strongly encouraged that applicants who have taken the exam submit their scores to enhance their application. Scores should be sent directly to the school (GRE School Code: 1119) for consideration. Please see the application for detailed instructions and information regarding application requirements, application deadlines, and letters of recommendation. Applications must be submitted with the $50.00 (USD) application fee in order to be evaluated.

Applicant Notification

The Chicago School of Professional Psychology reviews applications on a rolling basis. Once review begins, complete applications will be considered by the Admission Committee and the student is quickly notified of the admission decision. The Chicago School of Professional Psychology does not share information or provide any feedback regarding admission decisions.

If a student is offered admission and in order to secure a place in the incoming class, a non-refundable tuition deposit of $250 will be required by the deposit deadline indicated in the offer of admission. The non-refundable deposit will be applied in full toward the student’s tuition upon enrollment.

Articulation Agreements

The Chicago School of Professional Psychology has established an agreement between the B.A. Psychology program to allow qualified students to enter early into the Ed.S. School Psychology program. This agreement allows qualified students to begin the Ed.S. program while completing their bachelor’s degree. Click on this link  for details.

TCSPP has partnered with Robert Morris University (Chicago, IL) to accept active RMU students who fulfill the criteria listed here .

Degree Completion Requirements

• Successful completion of 68 credits of required coursework
• Successful completion of first year service learning project: 120 hours (embedded in professional development seminar)
• Successful completion of second year practicum (3rd year for students in the part-time blended programs): 600 hours total (6 credits)
• Successful completion of third year internship experience (4th year for students in the part-time blended programs): 1200 hours, full-time (4 credits)
• Successful completion of the Praxis Exam which measures the academic proficiency in school psychology, as well as the Illinois School Psychology Content Exam.

Policies

The following policies are located under Academic Policies and Procedures : Academic Calendar, Admissions Requirements, Attendance, Satisfactory Academic Progress, Service Learning, and Transfer Credit/Course Waiver. Click the link above for detailed information.

Ethical Guidelines

Graduates will demonstrate commitment to the ethical guidelines adopted by the National Association of School Psychologists’ Professional Conduct Manual, which contains “Principles for Professional Ethics” and the “Standards for the Provision of School Psychological Services” and those adopted by the American Psychological Association’s (APA) Ethical Principles of Psychologists. For example, students shall not engage in employment beyond the scope of their training and may not use titles governed by certification and licensure statutes. Students that fail to adhere to ethical and legal guidelines appropriate for the practice of School Psychology are subject to discipline.

Earning an M.Ed. Psychology Degree

 A student in the Ed.S. in School Psychology program may earn an M.Ed. Psychology following the successful completion of required coursework and specific program requirements. At the beginning of the semester in which a student expects to be eligible for the degree, they are required to submit Petition for Degree Conferral to the Office of the Registrar. The petition is a request to conduct an audit to determine eligibility for the degree. A student who meets the requirements is eligible to participate in the next scheduled commencement. Eligibility guidelines are contained in the catalog under which the student was admitted. A student who files a Petition for Degree Conferral is charged a fee.

The specific requirements for award of an M.Ed. Psychology degree are as follows:

• Academic and Financial Aid Good Standing
• Successful Completion of the following courses:
  • SP 415 Professional Development I
  • SP 416 Professional Development II
  • SP 430 Clinical and Diagnostic Interviewing 
  • SP 446 Ethics and Law in School Psychology
  • SP 449 Biological Bases of Behavior
  • SP 501 Behavioral Assessment
  • SP 509 Educational Assessment
  • SP 521 Principles of Tests and Measurements
  • SP 528 Diversity in Clinical Practice
  • SP 532 Psycho-educational Assessment I
  • SP 556 Psycho-educational Assessment II
  • SP 564 Advanced Measurement Principles

Practicum and Internship

The Chicago School of Professional Psychology requirements for school placements exceed the NASP Standards for Training and Field Placement Programs in School Psychology. Before being placed in practicum, all students must have taken and passed the Illinois State Board of Education requirements for basic skills.

Three field experiences are required and earn a total of 12 academic credits:

• First year service learning project: 120 hours (embedded in professional development seminar)
• Second year practicum (3rd year for students in the part-time blended programs): 600 hours total (6 credits)
• Third year internship experience (4th year for students in the part-time blended programs): 1200 hours, full-time (4 credits)

More specific information is located in the Program Guidebook.

School Psychology Exit Criteria

Transitions points represent key assessments of knowledge, skills, and dispositions for each year of the school psychology training. Students may not proceed to the next level of training until proficiency is demonstrated in the knowledge, skills, and dispositions at each point. Only then is a student permitted to transition to the next level. Note that all years of training require students to demonstrate proficiency through capstone activities submitted in via an electronic portfolio. Capstone activities are summative assignments that require the student to demonstrate knowledge, comprehension, application, integration, and synthesis in the content areas studied.

Prior to beginning any field placement, each student’s progress is reviewed by a committee of program faculty through the Performance Appraisal System. First year review determines which students meet the requirements to qualify for a practicum. Following the completion of the majority of practicum hours, students attend an internship qualifying review, using a similar format and process. At the midway point and at completion of field placements, student performance is evaluated on all dimensions of the NASP and Illinois standards by a committee including the School Psychology faculty and the Office of Placement and Training. A remediation plan may be designed, if needed, to help any student reach the required standards of performance. Students who are unsuccessful with remediation plans may be discharged from the program. To complete the program of study, the student must “pass” practicum and achieve overall supervisor rating of “competency” on the Internship Accomplishment Form-Final.

Students are required to complete the Illinois Psychology Basic Skills Test within their first semester of the program and will have the opportunity to retake the test.  During the final year of the program, students will need to complete the Praxis Exam which measures the academic proficiency in school psychology, as well as the Illinois School Psychology Content Exam.