According to the "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders" (DSM-5; American Psychiatric Association, 2013), an substance use disorder (SUD) involves patterns of symptoms caused by using a substance that an individual continues taking despite its negative effects. Though there are 11 specific DSM-5 criteria for an SUD, they…

Research has pointed to a critical need for primary prevention and intervention strategies. This has only been magnified since the COVID-19 pandemic and with the shortages of school-based mental health providers. Active Minds is a national organization dedicated to "changing the conversation about mental health" (Active Minds, n.d.-b) by…

With the field's growing emphasis on social justice, school psychologists are increasingly aware of racism in schools and its impact on students. Through their practice and research, a community of school psychologists have raised awareness of inequities in education, leading many of them to regularly consider and work to reduce bias in their…

NASP's Annual Regional Leadership Meeting (RLM) brings together leaders for training and discussions about issues important to school psychology. For 2023, RLM for the first time included affinity groups as part of the implementation of NASP's equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) plan. This article will define affinity groups and describe the…

The Red Clay Consolidated School District is the largest public school district in the state of Delaware and serves more than 16,000 students in 15 elementary schools, six middle schools, five high schools, and two special education programs. The student population is 41% White, 29% Hispanic, 22% Black, 5% Asian, and 3% two or more races. Red Clay…

Collaboration between school and community service providers allows for positive outcomes for students across academic and social-emotional functioning. The emergence of the subspecialty field of pediatric school psychology highlights the need for consultation and collaboration between school professionals and medical providers and opens the…

School closures can occur not only during a pandemic, but also during disasters, which can impact students' social and emotional well-being and lead to detrimental behavioral outcomes and trauma-related symptomatology. Such negative impacts can potentially be alleviated by inclusion of effective virtual or blended SEL programming that supports…

Positive education can be broadly defined as the integration of traditional academics with building student character and well-being (Seligman, Ernst, Gillham, Reivich, & Linkins, 2009). More specifically, positive education examines the impact of interventions and programs on student well-being (White & Murray, 2015). Biennially, the…

In education, there is a history of pitting philosophy against science. In mathematics, a similar divide exists between evidence-based practice and philosophy-based practice. Philosophy-based practices are very prevalent in math and are not simply benignly ineffective tactics. The science of math is a movement that focuses on using objective…

School vouchers are defined as certificates of government funding that are allocated to students and intended to defer the cost of tuition at a private school of the student or the student's parents' choice. With strong views on opposing sides, the issue of school choice and the corresponding use of vouchers has certainly been catapulted into the…

Education in Oklahoma is at a critical state due to significant staff shortages, state funding cuts, and an increasing number of reported behavioral difficulties within the classroom. Research indicates that one of the most promising frameworks to address low performance of schools, like those in Oklahoma, is multitiered systems of support (MTSS).…

The purpose of this article is to summarize empirical findings for school-age computer-based cognitive training (CCT) programs and to provide specific guidelines to practitioners who may be consulting with parents and schools about the utility of such programs. CCT programs vary in nature and in their targeted functions, but they share similar…

Schools and communities continually strive to develop more effective methods of educating children and youth about mental health and how to access available resources. Despite this apparent need, several barriers prevent youth from engaging in discussion and taking action. Young people are of special concern since three fourths of all mental…

Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) has been an effective, evidence-based intervention in treating externalizing behaviors in children ages 2-7. PCIT can be adapted in a classroom setting to become Teacher-Child Interaction Training (TCIT), wherein the principles of PCIT are applied to the teacher-student relationship. This article describes…

The National Association of School Psychologists' (NASP) official stand on sexual education is that it should be taught in schools to help young people make healthy decisions regarding sex throughout their lives. Accordingly, school psychologists have a responsibility to use their expertise to facilitate these programs. Without a comprehensive…