Goals for Health was a National Cancer Institute funded program designed to impact health behaviors of adolescents living in rural Virginia and New York. This study examined three specific objectives: (a) to examine participants' perceptions of the program components and the relationship between program components and overall program perception,…

The "Journal of Educational and Psychological Consultation" has assembled a series of thought-provoking responses to the National Association of School Psychologists' document "School Psychology: A Blueprint for Training and Practice III" (Ysseldyke et al., 2006) or "Blueprint III." Each of the responses addresses the limited effect of preservice…

"School Psychology: A Blueprint for Training and Practice III" ("Blueprint III"; Ysseldyke et al., 2006) represents a model for future school psychology instruction and practice. This model illustrates how, along a continuum of skill development from "novice" to "expert," school psychologists can develop professional competencies that support…

This article addresses the role of the school psychologist in the evaluation of children experiencing significant difficulties in reading. The author addresses first the topics of what a reading diagnosis is and what should be expected as the result of the diagnostic evaluation of a child for whom reading has been a difficult task. Before…

Homework completion has an important impact on the overall academic functioning of students. Consultation requests often center on identifying efficient interventions so that teachers may facilitate the homework process and enhance students' academic achievement. This investigation employed a randomized interdependent group contingency and…

It has been suggested that both internal (e.g., acceptability) and external (e.g., feasibility) factors should be taken under consideration in order to fully understand children's usage of interventions designed to improve their behavior. The purpose of this study was to initiate development of a student self-report measure (Children's Usage…

The Concerns-Based Adoption Model (CBAM) is proposed as a heuristic for school-based consultants interested in identifying impact points for facilitating implementation of research-based practices and programs in classrooms and schools. The article begins with a discussion of the change facilitator's role in promoting changes in educational…

Current federal legislation (i.e., No Child Left Behind (NCLB)) requires states to set rigorous academic standards, ensure classroom instruction addresses these standards, and measure and report students' progress via large-scale assessments. NCLB assumes that inclusive accountability systems and standards-based reform will result in improved…

The following is a reflection on the clinical practice of consultation in the context of human diversity with particular attention to developing theories falling under the headings of "decolonization" and "multicontextuality". Related to descriptions of these theoretical perspectives, I make reference to the small yet promising literature of…

This article discusses some of the social justice issues that multicultural students and families encounter that are directly relevant to school consultation practice. The issues include culturally fair education, fair expectations of the child from the family and school, fair assessment, evidence-based intervention, and evaluation of…

This commentary suggests that a critical dialogue about the role of social justice within the practice of school psychology is needed for the field to embrace and advance a social justice agenda.

Empowerment of youth, particularly in urban settings, is critical to addressing issues of social injustice. Programs that support the development of empowerment, or action taken by an individual to facilitate his or her own ability to act in the face of oppression, have demonstrated great promise in dimensions such as creating stronger group…

In this commentary on Al Otaiba, Hosp, Smartt, and Dole's article (this issue), key strengths, limitations, and systemic issues in the consultation project are identified. It is posited that despite expanded opportunities for school improvement since the implementation of the No Child Left Behind Act (2001) and clear evidence that improvement is…

The Interpersonal Power Inventory (IPI) has been applied previously to investigate school psychologists engaged in problem-solving consultation with teachers concerning students having various learning and adjustment problems. Relevant prior findings include (a) consultants and teachers both perceive soft power strategies as more effective than…

The purpose of this case study is to describe the challenges one coach faced during the initial implementation of a coaching initiative involving 33 teachers in an urban, high-poverty elementary school. Reading coaches are increasingly expected to play a key role in the professional development efforts to improve reading instruction in order to…