Jane Close Conoley

Why didn't—Why doesn't—School psychology realize its promise?

Abstract Despite an attractive set of premises, the authors of the article “Where Will …? (this issue) fail to identify the reasons for school psychologys frustrations with role and function. Many wonderful ideas and blueprints have appeared in previous literature with little accompanying revolution in practice. The reasons for these failures are outlined.

Collaboration for child adjustment: issues for school- and clinic-based child psychologists.

Therapeutic gains for children may be maximized if the important systems serving their mental health needs develop sophisticated collaborative relationships. School- and clinic-based psychologists may overlook important ways in which they can cooperate. School-based psychologists may not be aware of how to extend or support the therapeutic interventions suggested by other psychologists. Clinic-based child therapists may lack a full understanding of both the promise of school-based programs and the constraints under which schools operate. Collaborative efforts between clinic- and school-based practitioners may increase ecologically valid treatment options. This article explores both the gains and the potential pitfalls that may arise when school- and clinic-based practitioners work together.

Why Does Collaboration Work? Linking Positive Psychology and Collaboration

Authors in this special issue edited by Cook and Friend provide analyses of many important relationships within a school: teacher to teacher; teacher to paraprofessional, educators, and home caregivers; and whole-building systems. Their focus on collaboration prompted us to reflect on a possible theoretical mechanism behind the success of collaboration. In this article we suggest that positive psychology processes mediate the influences of collaboration upon the improvements in schools. We hope our perspective facilitates research and practice. In a perfect world filled with wisdom and resources, Pre-K through 12 schools might be designed quite differently. Although the details of such a design would vary with the priorities of the planners, a few parameters might be universal. For example, teachers would have access to material assistance so that their focus could be always on children’s learning. This assistance would include clerical help with routine tasks, expert consultation about children with special needs, continuous professional development to hone their skills in subject areas and pedagogical competences, and assistance in their understanding of their students. They would have time in their days protected so that they could meet with colleagues to plan instructional and behavioral plans for children with all levels of need and potential. They would have regular access to classroom assistants who were skilled in extending and reinforcing the teachers’ instructional plans. Further, their schools would be led by principals who were experts at maximizing relationships among teachers and with parents, district leader

Changing a Field of Change.

School Psychology: A Blueprint for Training and Practice III (Ysseldyke et al., 2006) continues an over 20-year tradition of reenvisioning school psychology. This latest edition focuses with great clarity on school psychology as, ideally, a profession devoted to the prevention of school-based difficulties for children and capacity building for educational professionals. A reflection on Blueprint III is presented in this article using a brief overview of the history of consultation research as a backdrop to argue for more research attention to implementation realities in schools. These contexts, which change regularly based on characteristics of students, schools, teachers, and federal and state policy, may play a primary role in dictating service delivery patterns. Contextual forces may overwhelm even consultation models found to be effective in clinical trials—especially if school psychologists are not practicing skills that might ready systems for consultation. Further, school psychology training models may require scrutiny in the face of continuing challenges to establish a workforce capable of both knowing about and implementing consensual and evidence-based best practices. Finally, the expert practice of consultation by experienced school psychologists may be an underutilized source of information that should be tapped by consultation researchers who care about both identifying and disseminating efficacious practices into school settings.

Consultation for Gifted Hispanic Students: 21st-Century Public School Practice

The authors offer a consultation approach that grew from a review of literature on the differential participation rates of various U.S. demographic groups in programs for gifted and talented children and from two small evaluation studies of consultation efforts to increase the number of Latino English language learners in gifted and talented education (GATE) programs. The authors suggest the efficacy of combining consultation models (i.e., administrative, case, and conjoint behavioral consultation) to achieve greater equity in the identification of Latinos for GATE programs. The apparent link between family factors, especially socioeconomic status, and participation in GATE suggests the efficacy of using findings from consultation research to implement programs in public schools that support the exceptional success of diverse young people.