Defining Stakeholder Roles: Relationship Between Individual Schools and the County Educational Service Center for School Psychologists

The shortage of school psychologists in the United States has reached a severe level. According to NASP (2021), “There is a critical shortage in school psychology, both in terms of practitioner and in the availability of graduate education programs and faculty needed to train the workforce necessary to keep up with the growing student population” (p. 1). Many schools and educational centers are finding it most difficult to hire new school psychologists as those currently in the profession are nearing retirement. Curtis et al. (2004) referred to this effect as the “graying of the field” and report that the advanced levels of age and experience in the field are critical factors to the personnel shortage. The National Association of School Psychologists (2021) recommends a ratio of 500 students to one school psychologist to provide comprehensive school psychological services. They also report that current data suggests that the national ratio is 1:1,127. For some states, such as Alabama, New Mexico or Mississippi, the ratio may even be as high as 1:5,000.