The field of school psychology is at a critical juncture, navigating systemic challenges while embracing new opportunities to support various student populations. To explore these dynamics, we sat down with Dr. Charles Barrett, a nationally certified school psychologist, district-level administrator in Northern Virginia, and adjunct lecturer at several universities..
In this wide-ranging interview, Dr. Barrett discusses the current state of the field, the importance of representation in leadership, and how practitioners can better support marginalized and racially and ethnically minoritized students through an ecological lens.
Presence: Describe, from your perspective, the current state of school psychology and what shifts and challenges we’re encountering.
Dr. Barrett: It’s an exciting time in the field—challenging, but I always lead with exciting. For those of us who are school psychologists, the challenges are things that we should be energized about solving or solutions that we should be excited about contributing.
Three come to mind as major opportunities right now. Certainly, shortages are a big deal—shortages in terms of people leaving the field, but also not a lot of interest in the field, leading to graduate programs closing. This really impacts what we can do as school psychologists serving children, families, and schools.
The second area is equity and social justice. These are intertwined in all that we do. We need to embed a systems paradigm into how we think about kids and the world in which we live. Importantly, when we take the time to understand the factors around them, this might lead to better explanations for what we think is happening within them.
The third issue is AI and what that means for the field. It’s here to stay, like it or not, and we have to figure out how we embrace this technology in ways that are helpful and not harmful–both to children as well as what it means to be a school psychologist in the 21st century and beyond.
Presence: We know you have made strides to proactively address these shortages. Can you tell us more about the NASP Exposure Project?
Dr. Barrett: The premise is very simple. Many places I go, I ask the audience, which often includes school psychology graduate students, practitioners, and faculty, how many of them “stumbled upon” the field of school psychology. Without exception, 80% to 90% of the room raises their hand.
The idea behind the Exposure Project is to expose high school students and undergraduates to who we are and what we do. And because school psychology has historically been primarily White and female, coupled with addressing the shortages in the field, we also want school psychologists to reflect the racial and ethnic diversity of our students and families. Since 2018, this initiative has exposed over 52,000 students to the field internationally, across 49 states and the District of Columbia, and in countries like Canada, Haiti, and India. What’s exciting is that there are now people in the field who learned about school psychology through this project.
Presence: From your perspective as a district leader, what role do school psychologists play in advancing student well-being and academic success, particularly considering diverse student populations?
Dr. Barrett: I think about our unique positioning. We’re not classroom teachers, and we’re not administrators; we play in both sandboxes. That gives us a unique perspective and opportunities to influence individual teachers and systems.
Through our training in consultation and evidence-based practices, one of our roles is to highlight what is good for kids—whether it’s the pacing of instruction, the content of reading instruction, or social-emotional learning. I always enjoy being in classrooms and “breathing the same air as the children” to see how instruction plays out and offer feedback that balances constructive critique with being supportive of what teachers are trying to do for their students.
Presence: Considering that testing responsibilities can often be overwhelming, how do you think we can carve out more space for that consultative aspect of our role?
Dr. Barrett: My first supervisor who hired me 18 years ago often talked about “building capacity.” That can mean a number of things, like helping school counselors and social workers build their skills to share counseling responsibilities in our schools, or helping other staff understand how to collect momentary time sampling data.
It also means assuming leadership roles at a systems level. When school psychologists influence special education or instruction, it has a trickle-down effect on practice.
On a practical level, just because a child must be evaluated every three years doesn’t mean they must be tested. We can consider existing data to determine eligibility, which can open up a lot of time. Strong MTSS (Multi-Tiered System of Supports) at Tier 1 and Tier 2 also cuts down on unnecessary referrals, giving psychologists more time for prevention, intervention, and consultation.
Presence: What would you like the larger field of school psychology and special education to know about supporting marginalized and minoritized students?
Dr. Barrett: I would tell the field to harken back to your Bronfenbrenner training. Urie Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory is the number one theory I use every single day. It means we must appreciate what is happening around children before we identify difficulties within them.
Even well-intentioned individuals can sometimes pathologize a child when the issue isn’t the child, but rather their environment. We need to consider what the child is going through—family, community, and national factors—and recognize that their reactions might be typical responses to those situations or environments.
My second piece of advice is getting away from the idea that special education is the only pathway to help. If “help” comes at the risk of pathologizing a child who is not disabled, that’s not helpful, and it never forces the system to do better by the children. We need to figure out how to provide intervention for students who are experiencing difficulty without relying solely on IEPs or labels.
Presence: Recently, Chase McCollum was announced as the President-elect of NASP. What does this election mean to you?
Dr. Barrett: I’m a big believer that “seeing is believing.” Chase is the first Black male to lead NASP as President. When you have the first, it makes the second, third, and fourth more possible.
I think back to when I was in graduate school at 20 years old. I had great training, but I wonder: if I had seen someone who looked like me in various positions, how would that have affected my career path? Sometimes we don’t even consider a position as a possibility because we don’t see ourselves in it. Chase is a groundbreaker; his election says, “I can do that, too.”
Presence: What strategies or mindsets have been most effective for you in supporting school psychologists as they navigate complex student needs and staffing shortages?
Dr. Barrett: Having done the job for 13 years really matters. I see my role as “thought partnership.” When people call with a difficult situation, I can walk them through a process that I have likely already gone through myself.
I also still have my hands in practice—I’m still testing kids and attending school-based meetings—and I think people appreciate knowing that I won’t ask them to do something I’m not willing to do myself. If caseloads are high, I want to get in the game with them. My management style is to be a supportive fellow school psychologist, not just an administrator.
Presence: Looking ahead, what gives you the most hope about the future of the field?
Dr. Barrett: Graduate students. Every year I go to the NASP convention, and the graduate students are energized, enthusiastic, and excited. They are the next generation, and our job is to not stifle their passion.
It’s also hopeful that the field is now talking openly about things that weren’t even in my training 24 years ago, like social justice. These topics are now part and parcel of how the new generation does business.
Presence: Finally, what must remain a priority if the field is to truly support student mental health outcomes?
Dr. Barrett: Training. While I love and value assessment, I’d like to see us increase the focus on making people comfortable with the mental health needs that students are presenting with today.
Especially in the post-COVID era, waiting lists for private providers are significant. As such, schools have become the de facto providers of mental health services. Having school psychologists who are not just qualified but also comfortable engaging in mental health interventions is essential. I see the next generation of students being very excited about these roles, and coming alongside them to support those skills will be vital for the future of the profession.
