School psychologists have a close, often uncomfortable relationship with the law, as much of what they do from day to day is defined by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA, 2004) and related state law. However, judges deciding cases often do not have a detailed understanding of how education and schools work, and…

A persistent problem in the professional literature in school psychology and related fields, such as special education, is the insufficient treatment of legal issues in terms of not only quantity (e.g., Zaheer & Zirkel, 2014) but also quality (e.g., Zirkel, 2014). The quality dimension is illustrated in the coverage of the Supreme Court's…

Supporting students who are trans and nonbinary is essential work. Students in this population are at high risk for mental health and academic problems. Until trans and nonbinary students can express their individuality on their terms, school psychologists must continue to advocate for their rights and seek to support school staff in providing a…

On March 22, 2017, the Supreme Court unanimously ruled that schools are obligated to provide more than de mimimus services for students with disabilities. The core issue in "Endrew F. v. Douglas County Schools" is how schools are to define the "A" in FAPE: What is an appropriate public education? Douglas County schools held…

For this ninth article in the series reviewing recent court decisions concerning appropriate school psychology practice from both professional and legal perspectives, this author provides a summary of a concussion- related case and provides responses to a series of questions by three members of the school psychology profession. The issue in this…

Approximately 30,000 people in the United States have cystic fibrosis (CF), and each year around 1,000 new cases are diagnosed. About one half of this population consists of school-age youth. With an understanding of the psychosocial and mental health factors surrounding CF, school psychologists are well positioned to support children and…

The science behind the mechanisms and mediators that lead to successful goal accomplishment has been a focus of research since the 1970s. When an individual desires to make a change or accomplish an outcome, research shows that he or she will be more successful if he or she attends to a number of variables that are key in goal setting.…

This article reports on a case that resulted in a published court decision which illustrates a dilemma at the intersection of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). On first impression, the finding that teachers were operating based on professional principle seems to validate their actions.…

Given their pivotal position, school psychologists have understandable concerns about the possibility of becoming the target of the relatively frequent legal proceedings under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Indeed, the threat of litigation can contribute to a flight from the profession (Lange, 2011). Yet, an informal…

Over the past decade, school psychologists' role in facilitating the transition from high school to college for students with disabilities has become increasingly complex. Practitioners are faced with the difficult task of navigating the conspicuous disconnect between disability eligibility criteria at the secondary and postsecondary levels…

There is increasing evidence that a significant number of children in America are not learning important basic reading skills. Response to intervention (RTI) for support in reading is appropriate, but what does a school district do about students who are in Tier 3 and not making progress? Teachers and psychologists at the Special School District…

The school psychologist plays a central role in eligibility and other determinations under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) not only at the school level but also, upon formal disputes, at the successive adjudicative levels of impartial hearing officers and courts. One of the sources of professional confusion that requires…

Less frequently than you might expect, a court case within the booming world of special education litigation focuses on the evaluation practices of a school psychologist. The appropriateness of such practices merits comparative examination from both professional and legal perspectives. This article contains the facts for examination under these…

It is incumbent upon each school psychologist to engage in ethical behavior based on current ethical codes guiding school psychology. The school psychologist is often the team member most knowledgeable regarding federal and state laws mandating educational services. Sometimes ethical dilemmas that school psychologists face are the result of a…