School Psychology Services Handbook

Student Support, Education Services

rev. January 2021

Introduction

Framework

Guiding Beliefs

The Role of the School

Psychologist - Five Levels of

Intervention

The Referral Process

Two Levels of Consent

District Assessment Guidelines

The Psycho-educational

Assessment

Frequently Asked Questions

References

School Psychology Services Handbook Page 2 of 16

INTRODUCTION

In developing the School Psychology Services Handbook, the Surrey District school psychologists are offering an

opportunity to clarify expectations and to share understanding of their potential roles and responsibilities. School

psychologists embrace the philosophy of inclusion and they attempt to support the learning environment needs

for all children, including the most vulnerable in the student population.

The information contained in this handbook is meant to inform and guide district support staff, School-Based

Teams (SBT), administrators, classroom teachers, specialist teachers (LST, IST, BASES), school counsellors,

education assistants (EA), applied behaviour analysis support workers (ABA SW), child and youth care workers

(C/YCW), community partners, parents/legal guardians, and students in:

1) understanding how the Universal Design for Learning framework dovetails with school psychology

methodology;

2) gaining knowledge of school psychology’s guiding beliefs;

3) outlining areas of potential service delivery;

4) highlighting methods of effective practices;

5) addressing frequently asked questions; as well as,

6) defining commonly used terms.

School psychologists are trained in current research and scientific knowledge related to psychology and education.

They are credentialed or licensed professionals who have completed a Masters or a Doctorate degree, with a

specialist focus in school psychology. They are informed in principles of learning, thinking, perception, behaviour,

motivation, emotion, interpersonal relationships, and a variety of areas related to human development including

child development. School Psychologists are skilled in using a variety of assessment measures that require

specialized graduate level training as well as supervised practice under qualified practitioners, including Level B

and Level C standardized assessment tools. In addition, certified and/or registered school psychologists adhere

to the standards of effective practice and ethical guidelines of their profession, as required by organizations such

as the College of Psychologists of British Columbia, British Columbia Association of School Psychologists, National

Association of School Psychologists, Canadian Psychological Association, or the British Columbia Psychological

Association.

School Psychology Services Handbook Page 3 of 16

FRAMEWORK

School psychologists have incorporated the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) model as one of the ways

psychological services can be provided to students with diverse needs.

School psychologists often balance the provision of direct services to children and educational teams with efforts

in strengthening the partnership. Central to this is improving students’ academic, social/emotional, behavioural,

and adaptive skills performance. School psychologists collaborate, consult, and strategize with teachers,

administrators, parents, students, district support staff, other districts, and community agencies in order to

develop effective interventions that will address each student’s specific learning needs. Monitoring and follow-

up efforts are also conducted in order to ensure progress occurs. In addition, school psychologists can assist in

designing preventative classroom based, as well as school/district-wide initiatives that promote healthy learning

environments.

School Psychology Services Handbook Page 4 of 16

GUIDING BELIEFS

School psychologists are committed to the following values:

Respect for Diversity and the Rights of the Individual

 To act in the best interest of the child.

 To honour the diverse needs of students.

 To respect the privacy, confidentiality, and self-determination of individuals.

Responsiveness to Client

 To establish trusting relationships.

 To listen to parent(s)/family/legal guardian(s) concerns.

 To support the classroom teacher, specialist teachers, school counsellors, district staff, and

administrators in their work.

 To involve outside agencies and community services as needed.

Capacity Building

 To empower school staff through collaborative consultation.

 To share knowledge and strategies focused on the individual as well as across systems.

 To seek sustainable improvements with respect to the learning environment.

Interventions

 To support the least intrusive and earliest intervention.

 To engage consultation, evidence-based problem solving, and follow-up at the beginning signs of

learning difficulties.

 To focus on the prevention of academic, social and emotional challenges.

Integrity

 To practice open, transparent, and honest discussion of a student’s strengths and needs.

 To utilize professional judgment and objectiveness in adherence with effective practices in school

psychology.

 To practice strategic intervention grounded in evidence-based practice (e.g., current science and

educational research).

School Psychology Services Handbook Page 5 of 16

THE ROLE OF THE SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGIST - Five Levels of

Intervention

The main goal of the school psychologist is to take systematic steps to understand and support students in need

of assistance. Historically, the traditional role of the school psychologist has been primarily focused on the

assessment of individual students in order to guide educational planning and make appropriate educational

placement decisions. This historical service delivery model was typically referred to as the “refer, test, place”

model. Today, many school psychologists have specialized training and provide additional services within their

area(s) of expertise and competence. The following highlights some of the areas in which school psychologists

may lend a helping hand.

1. DISTRICT-WIDE INTERVENTIONS

School psychologists may work to plan and implement district and system-wide intervention services. These

services may include:

 In-service Education. Providing in-service training to staff on a district-wide basis.

 Screening. Organizing early screening programs to identify those students who are “at risk” for

school difficulties.

 Intervention Programming. Assisting in the development and implementation of district-wide

intervention programs, such as alternative education programs.

 Outreach. Developing programs that engage individuals outside of the school context, such as

implementing parenting groups.

 Networking. Networking with outside agency personnel in order to plan and implement district-wide

programs.

 Advocacy. Advocating for the rights of all students.

2. SCHOOL/CLASS-WIDE INTERVENTIONS

School psychologists may work to plan and implement school-wide and classroom-based intervention services.

Services may include:

 Consultation and Collaboration. Assisting staff members and School-Based Teams with intervention

programming for school-wide and classroom-based initiatives such as: bullying programs, enhancing

home-school collaboration, and collecting and interpreting data related to school improvement and

student outcomes, for example.

 In-service Education. Providing in-service training and workshops to teachers and administrators in

professional development areas such as classroom management, learning disabilities, standardized

tests, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, Autism Spectrum Disorder, or cultural diversity.

 Prevention. Advising on preventative school-wide initiatives, such as programs to assist in the

development of pro-social behaviours, resilient classrooms, positive school environments, and

general student safety.

 Group Skills Development. Organizing small groups to focus on the development of a particular skill,

such as social skills training, aggression replacement training, and reading skills.

3. EVIDENCE-BASED INTERVENTION

School psychologists may take part in school-based research projects. Even if they are not formally involved

in research projects, school psychologists are aware of current “effective practice” research and apply this

information every day.

School Psychology Services Handbook Page 6 of 16

4. STUDENT-FOCUSED INDIRECT INTERVENTION

School psychologists may work with other individuals to indirectly help plan interventions for students.

Services may include:

 Consultation and Collaboration. Consulting and collaborating with teachers, administrators, parents,

students, education assistants, district support staff, other districts, personnel, and community agencies

regarding the nature and educational implications of: students' strengths and needs, integrating

educational strategies across settings, using a response-to-intervention approach to develop instructional

strategies to enhance student learning and interpersonal relations, and engaging in data-driven problem-

solving.

 Program Planning. Helping to adapt and/or modify curriculum based upon individual students’ strengths

and needs.

 Setting Goals. Setting goals for students based upon gathered information.

 Assisting Teachers. Suggesting particular instructional strategies and programs based upon students’

individual strengths and needs.

5. STUDENT-FOCUSED DIRECT INTERVENTION

School psychologists may work to directly provide assessment and/or intervention services to students.

Services may include:

 Individual Psycho-educational Assessment. Completing formal psycho-educational assessments in order

to provide information that assists school and home partners to better understand: the nature and

implications of a student’s educational, social-emotional, and vocational needs; selecting intervention

strategies based upon assessment results, or setting individual goals.

 Individual Program Development. Recommendations provided within a psycho-educational assessment

report can be integrated into Individual Education Plans (IEPs) and/or Positive Behaviour Support Plans.

 Informal Measures of Assessment. Curriculum-based assessment and/or informal language assessment.

 Networking. Networking and consultation with outside agencies to improve the educational outcomes

for an individual student.

School Psychology Services Handbook Page 7 of 16

THE REFERRAL PROCESS

The referral process in Surrey for school psychological services are provided at several different levels.

First, school psychologists provide service at the systems-level (Phase 1: School Planning). District-wide, school-

wide, and class-wide interventions may be tried at this level. This level of consultation does not involve making

any diagnoses, however, school psychologists may assist others through in-service workshops, consultation, goal-

setting, and program development.

Second, school psychologists may take part in student-focused indirect intervention (Phase 2: Pre-Referral)

whereby they might observe a student’s behaviours in order to formulate more specific/individualized

interventions. This may include behavioural observation, functional behavioural assessment, file review, and

collaborative consultation with teachers. The involvement of the school psychologist for an individual student

should be discussed with a parent beforehand.

Finally, school psychologists may provide intensive, student-focused assessment or direct intervention (Phase 3,

4, and 5) such as a psycho-educational assessment.

School Psychology Services Handbook Page 8 of 16

TWO LEVELS OF CONSENT

The first level of consent is reached when a student’s parent or legal guardian agrees to future assessment by a

school psychologist by signing the consent form within the Student Support Referral package. Consent for Referral

for Psycho-educational Assessment must be obtained for all students who are under the age of 19 prior to their

receiving direct service (e.g., consultation, observation, formal assessment) by a school psychologist.

The second level of consent, or informed consent, occurs when consent for the assessment is discussed directly

with the parent or legal guardian. Informed consent refers to seeking voluntary, full and active participation of

parents or legal guardians of students. The Canadian Psychological Association (CPA) emphasizes that “informed

consent is a process that involves taking time to establish an appropriate trusting relationship and to reach an

agreement to work collaboratively, and may need to be obtained more than once (e.g., if significant new

information becomes available)…...If signed consent forms are required by law or desired by the psychologist, the

individuals or groups giving consent, or the organization for whom the psychologist works, establish and use signed

consent forms that specify the dimensions of informed consent or that acknowledge that such dimensions have

been explained and are understood. ” (CPA, 2017). Thus, once the initial Consent for Referral for Psycho-

educational Assessment is signed by parents or legal guardians, school psychologists contact parents/guardians

in order to obtain informed consent by phone or through a meeting prior to the start of the assessment. Translation

services are available in multiple languages to support parents’ understanding of issues related to school

psychology services.

In addition to parental/legal guardian consent, school psychologists are ethically obligated to respect the dignity

and self-determination of the student. While children are not seen to be legally competent to consent to

participate in a psycho-educational assessment, it is respectful to solicit assent. Consistent with effective

practice, school psychologists fully inform students about the nature of the assessment process and to gain their

active participation. Each student has the right to be fully informed about the nature of the assessment process.

School Psychology Services Handbook Page 9 of 16

DISTRICT ASSESSMENT GUIDELINES

Assessment is a systematic process of gathering information in order to make appropriate educational decisions

for a student. It is a collaborative and progressive process designed to identify the student’s strengths and needs,

and results in the identification and implementation of selected educational strategies. (Surrey Schools Learner

Support Team (LST) Handbook of Guidelines and Procedures)

SCHOOL BASED ASSESSMENT

 Assessment begins in the classroom, as the teacher observes learning and behaviour and gathers classroom-

based information.

 Classroom-based assessment data, is used to introduce variations in instructional approaches, evaluating the

success of using such teaching techniques and instructional materials with the student.

 Information sharing between teacher and parent (and, when appropriate, the student) regarding concerns and

progress is ongoing.

If these steps prove insufficient to meet the student's educational needs, the teacher will embark on a process of

consultation and collaboration with the school-based resource personnel. This may take the form of classroom

observation, additional assessment, the consideration of additional classroom intervention strategies, and

implementation of those strategies.

For many students, such collaborative planning and the resulting interventions will successfully address the

student's needs. However, if this is not the case, the teacher may approach the school-based team for further

assistance. (BC Ministry of Education Special Education Services: A Manual of Policies, Procedure and

Guidelines, 2016)

School-Based Team (SBT)

Ongoing classroom and school-based progress monitoring will help inform the need for more intensive

interventions or assessment. It is assumed that students brought forward for consideration for a more formalized

assessment at School-Based Team, will have received various documented intervention strategies, as well as

adaptations and supports outlined in a Student Support Plan or Individual Education Plan. The School-Based

Team, in consultation with the District School Psychologist will collaboratively review student information, as well

as school-based supports and interventions, and determine the appropriateness of psycho-educational

assessment.

BC Ministry of Education Designations: Special Considerations

Classroom based assessment and progress monitoring is required for all students. Students who have the most

complex needs and are identified as having a BC Ministry of Education Special Education designation (below),

should be continually monitored, with regular reviews and consultation/collaboration among members of the

educational team, to ensure appropriate educational interventions and supports align with their presenting needs.

 Autism (G)

 Deaf/Hard of Hearing (F)

 Deafblind (B)

 Gifted (P)

 Intensive Behaviour Interventions/Serious Mental

Illness (H)

 Learning Disabilities (Q)

 Mild Intellectual Disability (K)

 Moderate Behaviour Support/Student with Mental

Illness (R)

 Moderate to Profound Intellectual Disabilities (C)

 Physical Disability/ Chronic Health Impairment (D)

 Physically Dependent (A)

 Visual Impairment (E)

School Psychology Services Handbook Page 10 of 16

School-Based Team Assessment Review

Students diagnosed with Neurodevelopmental Disorders (Learning Disability/Learning Disorder, Intellectual

Disability) and meet the Ministry of Education Special Education Designations with specific impairments in

learning, require an initial Psychoeducational Assessment. Following, and throughout a student’s academic

career, a formal School-Based Team Assessment Review should be scheduled to ensure a psycho-educational

assessment’s consistency over time, discuss transition planning and provide any further documentation required

for access to community supports and services. Updated psychoeducational assessments may also be considered

at these School-Based Team Assessment Reviews. The School-Based Team Assessment Review must include

consultation with the school based School Psychologist.

The following table is provided as a guideline for scheduling a formal School-Based Team Assessment Review,

based on a student’s initial psycho-educational assessment, diagnosis and designation:

DISTRICT PSYCHO-EDUCATIONAL ASSESSMENT PRIORITY GRID

DIAGNOSIS

SCHOOL BASED ASSESSMENT

INITIAL PSYCHO-EDUCATIONAL

ASSESSMENT

SCHOOL –BASED TEAM (SBT)

ASSESSMENT REVIEW

Learning

Disabilities/Learning

Disorder ( Q )

Mild

Intellectual

Disabilities ( K )

Moderate to Profound

Intellectual

Disabilities ( C )

Ongoing school based

assessment and review.

Grade 2 or earlier

By Grade 7

Grades 3 - 7

Within 5 years

Grades 8 - 12

As needed

School Psychology Services Handbook Page 11 of 16

THE PSYCHO-EDUCATIONAL ASSESSMENT

In school psychology, assessment is generally defined as the process of information gathering in order to effectively

problem solve with the school and home team regarding the academic, social/emotional, and behavioural needs

of children and youth. “Concern for the rights and welfare of children is the top priority in the delivery of school

psychological services.”

A psycho-educational assessment of a child or youth with learning or behavioural difficulties is based on

information gleaned from a variety of sources; that is, it is multifaceted. As such, information can be derived

from informal and formal assessment measures such as school files, professional records, observations and

interviews of teachers and parents/legal guardian(s) for the purpose of obtaining developmental, medical, and

psychosocial history. Formal assessment may include measures of cognitive/developmental functioning, academic

achievement, language processing, information processing, executive functioning, visual-motor development,

social-emotional and behavioural adjustment, and/or motivation.

Children and youth with learning or behavioural difficulties are assessed in specific areas in accordance with

identified need. In addition, a psycho-educational assessment includes information from other sources regarding

health, vision, hearing, and mental health status. As such, psycho-educational assessments are comprehensive.

School psychologists are sensitive to culture and ethnicity factors that may impact assessment results.

Furthermore, they select appropriate assessment instruments in accordance with the child or youth’s age, first

language, cultural background, and disabilities. School psychologists do their best to ensure psycho-educational

assessments are nonbiased and fair.

Assessment instruments are selected in order to provide a profile of the student’s strengths and needs with a view

to developing a more focused intervention/service. Assessment findings are summarized in a written report which

is shared with the parent/legal guardian(s), the school-staff, and with the student (as appropriate). Written reports

include interpretation of the assessment results and recommendations to support the child or youth’s learning

and development. School psychologists review the report with parents, and let them know how the report will be

made accessible to others working with the student.

Psycho-educational assessment results enable school psychologists to make recommendations for a special

education designation (if applicable) and related services.

PRACTICAL REQUIREMENTS FOR EFFECTIVE ASSESSMENT PRACTICES

To conduct time-efficient psycho-educational assessments, school psychologists benefit from the following:

 Pre-assessment documents. It is helpful to access a student’s Permanent Record (PR) file and Learner

Support Team file in order to gather information about the student’s medical, developmental, social, and

educational history. This may include previous assessment documents such as reports from an optometrist

(within 24 months) or audiologist (within 36 months), as well as LST screening test protocols or rating

scales.

 Space. A quiet testing environment, well lit, in a room with a door, where no interruptions are likely to

occur. A table and two chairs are also necessary.

 Time. An efficient communication system between the school and the school psychologist is

recommended:

i. To ensure that there are no conflicts in a student’s schedule (e.g., field trips, absence, assembly for

the school, or presentations).

ii. To mutually decide when assessment dates will be scheduled.

School Psychology Services Handbook Page 12 of 16

Healthy and rested students. Students who will be assessed should:

i. Eat a healthy meal before the testing session (e.g., limited caffeine, low sugar intake).

ii. Have had a good night’s rest the night before testing.

iii. Not be sick.

The school psychologist should be informed if there are any influencing factors that could alter the student’s

performance during the assessment process, as this may affect testing results and interpretation.

CONFIDENTIALITY

All information obtained in the assessment process, including the assessment report, is considered confidential.

This means:

 The content in the assessment report is considered sensitive.

 The assessment report may only be disclosed to authorized school staff.

 The assessment report must be stored in a confidential (red) folder.

 All standardized test protocols administered by school psychologists must be placed in the school

psychologist’s office file.

 All confidential information (protocols and assessment reports) must be stored in a locked cabinet.

 The school principal must be aware of the location of school psychologist files (e.g., protocols etc.).

 All assessment records must be stored until the student is 26 years old, and then shredded, confidentially

as per the records management policies of the school district.

Confidentiality of the psycho-educational assessment information is revoked, as required under law, if the school

psychologist perceives that there is a risk of harm in situations such as the following:

 student presents an imminent danger to himself/herself or other individuals, and the law requires that

steps be taken to prevent such harm; and/or

 A vulnerable student is in need of protection and a report must be filed with the appropriate agency; and/or

 A court orders the disclosure of records.

School Psychology Services Handbook Page 13 of 16

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

WHAT IS A SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGIST QUALIFIED TO DIAGNOSE?

School psychologists are trained to diagnose the following B.C. Ministry of Education categories of special needs

students:

 Gifted

 Learning Disabilities

 Mild Intellectual Disabilities

 Moderate to Profound Intellectual Disabilities

In addition, Registered Psychologists, or Registered Psychological Associates who practice in the school system

are considered competent to diagnose with their own self-declared areas of specialty.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGIST AND A

PSYCHOMETRICIAN/PSYCHOMETRIST?

Historically, a psychometrician or a psychometrist is a person who has been trained to administer standardized

tests. They have knowledge of the technical properties of standardized assessment procedures. In contrast, the

school psychologist has advanced training at the Masters and Doctorate level and can both administer and

interpret psycho-educational tests.

HOW LONG DOES A PSYCHO-EDUCATIONAL ASSESSMENT TAKE FOR A STUDENT?

The entire process varies depending on the needs of the child. In general, the time required to complete a psycho-

educational assessment may require a number of sessions over a number of days (e.g.; two to five sessions of

approximately 1.5 to 2 hour time slots for each session). The number of sessions and length of these sessions

varies depending on the needs of the individual child. The assessment process potentially includes classroom

observations, staff consultation, parent interviews, behaviour rating scales, or specialized measures that further

investigate areas of concern. Feedback on the assessment results and report writing is expected to occur in a

timely manner after commencement of the assessment process.

HOW MANY PSYCHO-EDUCATIONAL ASSESSMENTS WILL A SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGIST COMPLETE IN EACH

OF THEIR SCHOOLS IN ONE SCHOOL YEAR?

The number of psycho-educational assessments that a school psychologist will complete will vary across schools,

and this may change from year to year. Many factors affect the number of assessments that are completed within

a school, including: the complexity of the cases, the size of the school, and how the school would like to utilize

the school psychologist’s expertise. In addition, school psychologists may be requested by the school to assist in

the development of district/school/class-wide interventions or research, which in turn, is considered time and

service tailored to the school’s needs. (See the Guide to Inclusive Education for Surrey Schools: Embracing

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for more detailed information about what a school psychologist can do.)

WHO CAN BE ASSESSED?

School-Based Team decisions to conduct a psycho-educational assessment on a school-age child (Kindergarten

to Grade 12) should occur on a case-by-case basis, and should involve a thorough discussion and collaborative

consultation with the school psychologist. School-Based Teams determine needs and priorities based on

suspected significant learning difficulties, persistent failure, distress, and/or limited progress. A comprehensive

psycho-educational assessment, whether it includes formal and/or informal measures, can help provide valuable

information in relationship to a student’s:

 educational and medical history;

 family, cultural, and linguistic background;

 learning style;

 academic profile;

 cognitive strengths and weaknesses;

 social relationships;

 behaviour;

 attention;

 social/emotional functioning, as well as

 independent, adaptive behaviour.

School Psychology Services Handbook Page 14 of 16

HOW CAN SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS HELP?

Consistent with the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) model, school psychologists can assist school staff in:

 Developing and prioritizing individual education goals;

 Partnering interventions with school staff in order to promote a student’s positive development and

academic growth; and

 Systematically reviewing, measuring, and evaluating progress of the intervention(s).

It is important to note that a diagnosis and/or a designation is not always an outcome of a psycho-educational

assessment. Students may not meet Ministry criteria to be considered a student with special needs, or information

may be inconclusive due to the interplay of language or other factors with the assessment process.

WHAT IS THE DESIRED PRACTICE IN OUR SCHOOLS WHEN CONSIDERING PSYCHO-EDUCATIONAL

ASSESSMENTS FOR STUDENTS WHO ARE ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS (e.g., ENGLISH AS A SECOND

LANGUAGE - ESL, ENGLISH AS A SECOND DIALECT - ESD)?

Students who are English Language Learners will naturally vary in the rate at which they develop the ability to

support their learning using the English language. For that reason, each student situation must be carefully

considered by the School-Based Team in deciding when it might be appropriate to proceed with a formal psycho-

educational assessment. These assessments can serve to provide a current picture of the student’s strengths and

weaknesses as well as their instructional needs.

Many psycho-educational assessment instruments are dependent on English language proficiency and on a

familiarity with North American cultural conventions. As such, professional judgment on the part of the school

psychologist is needed, and in some cases, a conclusive determination of a learning disability may not be possible

at the time the assessment is provided.

It is important to remember for English Language Learners, that a psycho-educational assessment using non-

verbal measures can serve to provide useful information in relation to a student’s current cognitive, academic,

communication and functional independence levels, as well as instructional needs.

WHAT IS THE DESIRED PRACTICE IN OUR SCHOOLS FOR PROVIDING PSYCHO-EDUCATIONAL

ASSESSMENTS FOR PRIMARY GRADE STUDENTS (GRADE K-3)?

Students in the primary grades are recognized to experience dramatic changes in their cognitive, academic and

social growth, often across very short periods of time. Furthermore, the developmental pathway for children of

these ages can be rather irregular, and is very individualized. For this reason, it is prudent to proceed

conservatively in providing formal measures of the learning and behaviour of primary grade students that could

inappropriately have a long-term implication.

Clearly, students whose learning, communication skills, or extent of self-care and independence appears to be

substantially delayed should be considered for formal assessment in the primary grades to ensure that appropriate

early intervention services and supports can be provided. For other students who may be suspected to have milder

learning or behavioural “frustrations,” an assessment in the early intermediate grades would usually be more

appropriate.

IN WHAT CIRCUMSTANCES IS A RE-ASSESSMENT APPROPRIATE?

Please refer to the Surrey District Psycho-educational Assessment Priorities Grid for a detailed summary. It is

suggested that re-assessment decisions that fall outside the above mentioned scenarios are individually monitored

and evaluated. The following new situations may lead to a re-assessment:

 A previously assessed student continues to struggle academically or behaviourally, despite the

implementation of remediation and interventions.

School Psychology Services Handbook Page 15 of 16

 A student is new to the district, and questions about the student’s performance or interactions surface,

warranting further exploration.

 School staff is asking for information about a student that has not recently been investigated. Prior results

may be obsolete since the student was assessed when he/she was very young.

 A previously assessed student appears to have a changed learning profile.

School-Based Team is the appropriate forum to engage in discussion about the student with the school

psychologist. If, after consultation with the school psychologist, the School-Based Team believes that the student

would benefit from a re-assessment, then it is recommended that a referral to Student Support be generated.

ARE SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS AVAILABLE TO THE LEARNING SUPPORT TEAM TEACHERS FOR

ASSESSMENT SUPPORT AND INCREASED UNDERSTANDING OF STANDARDIZED TESTING?

School psychologists can offer an indirect or direct role in supporting the professional development of LST

teachers interested in learning more discrete assessment skills. Depending on the school psychologist’s training

and the student’s profile, suggestions could range from when to use informal, in-class assessment procedures to

when to use more standardized formal assessments (e.g., Level A and B assessments). It is recommended that

collaboration between the school support staff and the school psychologist occur on a case-by-case basis in order

to contextualize the type of intervention that is in the best interests of the child. School psychologists can also

advise on “effective practices” when employing different assessment tools, as well as provide assistance on the

technical properties of a standardized assessment measure. Consultation with the school psychologist is

encouraged in order to arrive at the best assessment decision for the student.

School Psychology Services Handbook  Page 16 of 16 
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Washington, DC:  Author. 
  
British Columbia Ministry of Education. (2016).  Special Education Services:  A Manual of Policies, Procedures 
and Guidelines. Victoria, BC:  Author.   
  
Canadian  Psychological  Association.  (2007).    Professional  Practice  Guidelines  for  School  Psychologists  in 
Canada. Ottawa, ON:  Author. 
  
College of Psychologists of B.C. (2009).  Code of Conduct (schedule f of the bylaws of the College of Psychologists 
of BC) Vancouver, BC. 
  
Jacob, S. & H., Timothy S. (2007).  Ethics and Law for School Psychologists fifth edition, (pp. 92-93).  New  
  Jersey:  John Wiley & Sons. 
  
McGrew, K. S. (2005).  The Cattell-Horn-Carroll theory of cognitive abilities:   Past, Present, and Future.  In D. 
P. Flanagan, & P. L. Harrison (Eds.), Contemporary Intellectual Assessment:  Theories, Tests, and Issues 
(pp.136-182).  New York:  The Guilford Press.   
  
National Association of School Psychologists. (2009).  What is a School Psychologist? Communiqué, 38(4). 
  
National Association of School Psychologists. (2000).  Professional Conduct Manual.  Bathesda, MD:  Author.  
  
New Brunswick Department of Education. (2001).  Guidelines for Professional Practice for School Psychologists. 
Fredericton, NB:  Author. 
  
Surrey School District.  Student Support:  Learner Support Team (LST) Handbook of Guidelines and Procedures.  
Surrey, BC:  Author. 
 
 
 