School Psychology is a specialty that works with children, families, communities, and the education system. Within their realm are many fields of psychology that includes educational, developmental, clinical and behavioral psychology. As the American Psychological Association states “School psychologists are prepared to intervene at the individual and system level, and develop, implement, and evaluate preventive programs. In these efforts, they conduct ecologically valid assessments and intervene to promote positive learning environments within which children and youth from diverse backgrounds to ensure that all have equal access to effective educational and psychological services that promote healthy development.” (American Psychological
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Attendance became mandatory in the wake of the social reforms that began changing the landscape of the United States. The education system would see unprecedented growth over the next forty years from 203,000 enrolled to over 4,000,000. This was mainly due to the swell in immigration at this point of our history. With mandatory attendance came children of immigrants who spoke little to no English. Coming out of child labor of the industrial age, many were in poor health and had poor hygiene, and with little prior education, it was impossible to assign a grade level by age. To further complicate matters, J. Wallin, who conducted a survey of enrollment noted “that physical defects in children are not restricted to any clime, race, environment or social condition” and he estimated that 12,000,000 of the pupils in the public schools of the country are to some extent handicapped by one or more physical defects. In addition to physical defects that necessitated medical inspections, Wallin noted that mental defects and related educational problems required the provision of psychological inspections.” (as cited in Fagan, T. 1992). Believing it unfair to require mandatory attendance of children who could not assimilate into the school, a system was implemented to categorize which students were able to attend common school, and which were not. The need for experts to sort them was answered by psychologists, who then in turn developed special education as a way of instructing those who could not attend common school. Those early interventionists were the beginning of the field known today as School Psychology though it did not as yet have a
Attendance became mandatory in the wake of the social reforms that began changing the landscape of the United States. The education system would see unprecedented growth over the next forty years from 203,000 enrolled to over 4,000,000. This was mainly due to the swell in immigration at this point of our history. With mandatory attendance came children of immigrants who spoke little to no English. Coming out of child labor of the industrial age, many were in poor health and had poor hygiene, and with little prior education, it was impossible to assign a grade level by age. To further complicate matters, J. Wallin, who conducted a survey of enrollment noted “that physical defects in children are not restricted to any clime, race, environment or social condition” and he estimated that 12,000,000 of the pupils in the public schools of the country are to some extent handicapped by one or more physical defects. In addition to physical defects that necessitated medical inspections, Wallin noted that mental defects and related educational problems required the provision of psychological inspections.” (as cited in Fagan, T. 1992). Believing it unfair to require mandatory attendance of children who could not assimilate into the school, a system was implemented to categorize which students were able to attend common school, and which were not. The need for experts to sort them was answered by psychologists, who then in turn developed special education as a way of instructing those who could not attend common school. Those early interventionists were the beginning of the field known today as School Psychology though it did not as yet have a