PAA Articles
PAA Position Paper: The Pivotal Role of Alberta School Psychology Services: A Response to Alberta Education’s Setting the Direction
This position paper was developed by a task force struck to formulate the PAA’s perceptions of Alberta Education’s Setting the Direction framework. The School Psychology Task Force was comprised of six school psychologists from diverse backgrounds who extensively examined current research and concepts to formulate this position paper. This paper was subjected to an extensive review process utilizing focus groups of psychologists from across the province as well as input from the PAA’s Board of Directors. The PAA distributed this position paper to the Minister of Education and PAA Members in December 2010, and to the Setting the Direction Working Group, key education stakeholders, and the general public in January 2011.
Inclusive Education: The Role of School Psychologists
By Dr. Michael Lee Zwiers & Dr. R. Corrane Johnson, Spring 2012 Perspectives
This article briefly reviews the Alberta Inclusive Education system, highlighting how school psychologists can provide a broader array of services to children who have Learning Disabilities and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorders.
Inclusive Education: How Can Psychologists Help Teachers?
By R. Coranne Johnson and Shawn Crawford, March 5, 2012, ATA Magazine. This article briefly outlines how school psychologists can help teachers and their role in the education system. View…
Getting Schooled
Getting Schooled is a regular section of Psymposium, penned by members of the PAA School Psychology Committee. The following articles, published in previous issues of Psymposium, are a regular feature which discusses issues, concerns, research, and practice as it relates to school psychology.
2019
December 2019 – Challenges with the Psychoeducational Assessment in Response to Truth and Reconciliation
June 2019 – School Psychologists as System-Level Change Agents: sometimes being radical is required
2018
December 2018 – Cannabis is Legal in Canada – What are the implications for School Psychologists?
August 2018 – Coming Out & Coming to Terms: Not always the issue!
2017
August 2017 – Informed Consent for Minors: not needed if you work in schools?
April 2017 – Transdisciplinary Service in Early Intervention: ethical and professional barriers for school psychologists
2016
December 2016 – Rural School Psychology
August 2016 – Math Interventions that Make Sense
April 2016 – Consultations in Schools with Predominantly Indigenous Populations
2015
December 2015 – DSM-5 & the Provision of Psychological Services in Schools: Intellectual & Learning Disabilities
August 2015 – School Psychologists as Leaders who use Data to Cultivate New Roles within Inclusive Education
April 2015 – Cyberbullying
2014
December 2014 – Collaboration in School Psychology
August 2014 – Consultation in Schools
April 2014 – School Psychology Services: Starting with Consultation
2013
December 2013 – Alberta’s New Education Act
August 2013 – Mental Health & School Psychology Services
April 2013 – The Role of School Psychologists in the Prevention of Reading Difficulties
2012
December 2012 – Paying Attention to Executive Functioning
August 2012 – School Psychologists – More than WISC Jockeys
April 2012 – Professionalism & Psycho-Educational Assessment
2011
December 2011 – Revitalizing the Psycho-Educational Assessment Process
August 2011 – Welcome to Getting Schooled
Alberta Education Documents/Publications
Informed Consent for Minors: What Does it mean for the Work of School Psychologists?
2018-19 Special Education Coding Criteria
Brochures & Presentations
School Psychology Advocacy in Alberta Presentation
On June 14, 2012, Drs. Johnson and Zwiers presented at the Canadian Psychology Association’s Annual Conference: School Psychology Advocacy in Alberta.
Alberta Education is making significant changes to the delivery of educational services to all students, including those with special needs. For almost 2 decades, school psychologists have primarily provided assessment services for coding/identification and funding. The new model will no longer attach coding to funding for students with exceptional learning needs, which could drastically change the role of school psychologists. Although the new model offers a three-tiered intervention system (universal, targeted, and specialized), with specialized assessments a part of the third-tier response, school systems may not see a role for psychologists in either of the first two tiers. From the early days of the government initiative, the Psychologists’ Association of Alberta (PAA) has responded publicly to ensure that students with special needs are not lost and that psychologists maintain a role in the new service model. The PAA School Psychology Committee views this provincial change as an opportunity to expand and diversify the role of psychologists in the schools to include the areas identified by CPA (2007) and NASP. As change sweeps across educational systems of the US and Canada, this advocacy initiative may hold relevance for school psychologists in other provinces.
School Psychology Brochure
A PAA brochure on School Psychology is available from the PAA office – click here to view
Professional Associations
Canadian Association of School Psychologists
National Association of School Psychologists
British Columbia Association of School Psychologists
© Copyright 2023 Psychologists’ Association of Alberta.
Website by Fabled Solutions
