Training programs in school psychology and their relation to professional practice

Graduate training of school psychologists has been suggested as one target of intervention for moving school psychology away from traditional assessment services, but little attention has been paid to the issue of graduate training in school psychology in the professional literature. The present study attempted to understand how the graduate training, including practica and internships, influences the experiences of students in those programs, and how training may influence the professional practice of program graduates. A national survey of master's level training programs using training directors, current students, and recent graduates (N = 376) attempted to answer these questions. The level of integration between a program's coursework and fieldwork, as reported by program directors, was not significantly related to professional role or experiences of students and graduates. While coursework did not relate to the professional roles of graduates, the field experiences in assessment and systems consultation significantly predicted how much time the graduates spend in these roles in the field. These results are discussed in relation to implications for training program design.