School Psychologists
The occupation School Psychologists covers people who diagnose and implement individual or schoolwide interventions or strategies to address educational, behavioral, or developmental issues that adversely impact educational functioning in a school. O*NET rates it as extensive preparation, which usually means graduate school and often five years or more of related experience. It leans on speaking, reading comprehension, and active listening. One core duty is to report any pertinent information to the proper authorities in cases of child endangerment, neglect, or abuse. With a code of SIC, this is mostly a job for people drawn to helping, teaching or caring for people. Investigative interests also help, rated 5.0 out of 7. People who want helping, teaching or caring for people usually fit better here than those who need hands-on work with tools, machines or the physical world.
What they do
Diagnose and implement individual or schoolwide interventions or strategies to address educational, behavioral, or developmental issues that adversely impact educational functioning in a school. May address student learning and behavioral problems and counsel students or families. May design and implement performance plans, and evaluate performance. May consult with other school-based personnel.
Main tasks
- Report any pertinent information to the proper authorities in cases of child endangerment, neglect, or abuse.
- Interpret test results and prepare psychological reports for teachers, administrators, and parents.
- Maintain student records, including special education reports, confidential records, records of services provided, and behavioral data.
- Compile and interpret students' test results, along with information from teachers and parents, to diagnose conditions and to help assess eligibility for special services.
- Collaborate with other educational professionals to develop teaching strategies and school programs.
- Select, administer, and score psychological tests.
Skills
- Speaking
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Social Perceptiveness
- Writing
- Critical Thinking
Who this career fits
May suit you if
- You get energy from helping other people move forward.
- You enjoy working out why something happens, not just what happened.
- You are prepared for graduate-level study and a long training path.
- You are comfortable relying on speaking and reading comprehension.
May not suit you if
- You find a full day of dealing with people draining.
- You want to work with your hands for most of the day. Realistic rates 1.0 out of 7 here.
- You want to be working in the field within the next few years.
Interest profile
O*NET rates each occupation from 1 to 7 on six interest types. The code SIC takes the three highest, and Social comes first here.
Preparation
Extensive preparation. Many jobs here need graduate study, and people often spend five years or more building specialist experience.
Most-reported requirement in the O*NET survey: Post-Master's Certificate. This reflects what workers reported most often and is not a legal minimum. Licensing rules can differ by state or industry, so confirm what applies where you plan to work.
Also called
- Autism Consultant
- Bilingual School Psychologist
- Challenging Behavior Consultant
- Early Intervention School Psychologist
- Educational Diagnostician
Related careers
Is this your direction?
See how your interests line up with SIC and 906 other careers.
This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.