Special Issue Call for Papers

Dear Colleagues,

We are excited to solicit contributions for a special issue of Research and Practice in the Schools, the official journal of the Texas Association of School Psychologists (TASP). Under the guest editorship of Julia Englund Strait, PhD, Kirby Wycoff, PsyD, and Aaron Gubi, PhD, we invite submissions for a special issue focusing on Trauma-Informed School Psychology Practices. _2018-07-17

26th Annual Fall Professional Development Convention

Call for Awards & Honors Nominations

Do you know of a TASP member or school district who provides exemplary school psychological services and deserved recognition? Please honor the person and/or teams who work tirelessly to ensure our students receive comprehensive mental health services in our schools by nominating them for one of our award categories. _2018-07-12

Graduate Student Scholarship Information

Attention all TASP graduate student members! Anyone in need of a scholarship? TASP has officially opened the application window for this year and will award up to four general $500 scholarships. _2018-07-12

Annual Fall Professional Development Convention Vendor Information

Vendor registration for the Annual Fall Professional Development Convention is now open. The convention will be held in Dallas October 25-27. Make plans now to have a booth in the Exhibit Hall starting at $400. Over 600 school psychologists in Texas will attend the annual convention. _2018-07-12

TASP 2019 Executive Board Nominations

The TASP Nominations Committee is currently accepting nominations for our 2018 elections cycle. Details for the TASP Executive Board positions can be found here. Please consider developing your applications/nominations as soon as possible as the deadline to submit nominations and complete materials is Sunday, September 9, 2018. You may nominate yourself or anyone you think is qualified. If you are interested in any position, please contact Brook Roberts, Past President and chair of the Nominations Committee at [email protected] If you have any questions about the responsibilities of any of the positions you may also contact any of the current TASP Board members for further information.

Mental Health Matters

Join TASP in advocating for mental health services not only in our schools, but access to necessary services and resources across the state! To raise additional funds, we are selling our Mental Health Matters T-Shirt for $20 (shipping included in price). T-shirts are Gildan Soft Style and 100% cotton.  Proceeds from the fundraiser will contribute to our Government and Professional Relations and Public Information and Relations funds to continue our advocating efforts. To order, please click on the shirt on the right and complete the order form.    

LSSP Evaluation Tools

TASP has come to recognize that school leaders often desire to have a single evaluation tool for all school professionals that require student outcome data to be linked to the evaluation and personnel decisions. This model presents unique challenges when evaluating LSSPs in the school setting. Evaluation tools are often designed around a narrowly defined role, thereby discouraging LSSPs from providing more comprehensive services to positively help students and families. Using the NASP Practice Model as a guideline, TASP has developed a model evaluation tool to use when evaluating LSSPs in the school setting.

TASP is promoting this tool as it establishes the full range of services that can be reasonably expected of LSSPs. It also promotes consistency of practice and clarity of expectations. It allows for the practical role of the LSSP to be gradually aligned with the NASP Practice Model. TASP is mindful that critical to this is the workload and capacity (e.g., time, resources, and ratios) for an individual to provide those services. On the program level, districts should commit to making available a range of services that can meet student needs. Districts need to consider how these standards are reflected in the professional expectations of LSSPs, including how job descriptions and personnel evaluation articulate these standards.

TASP hopes this model evaluation tool will provide the school administrators who are responsible for evaluating LSSPs a mechanism for determining the true value of LSSPs in the public school setting.

LSSP Evaluation Tool          Sample LSSP Job Description

Learn more about TASP!

Would you like to know TASP's stance on an issue related to school psychology in Texas?
The Executive Board of TASP adopted the following position statements in August 2014. Position statements and resolutions represent the official policy of TASP and are approved by the elected members of the TASP Executive Board.
Click here to read the statements