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We take a look back to 1995 when Conoley and Gutkin shared their vision for an adult-focused practice of school psychology with a primary focus on developing health-promoting systems for schoolage children. We then look to the present to what has happened and not happened to substantiate their vision. We found very encouraging developments and continuing challenges in the research targets and practice roles of school psychologists. There is no shortage of evidence-based strategies to improve the school experience of all children. The opportunities offered by, for example, the Multi-Tiered Systems of Support paradigm are promising, but it is unclear whether school psychologists are assuming leadership roles in this work. Furthermore, incorporating postdoctoral specialties is a promising role expansion for school psychologists, but most of the specialties keep the psychologists' focus on individual child assessment and treatment. School psychology is a very large professional tent with room for many approaches to preventing childhood disorders and promoting behavioral and academic success. Graduate education and current practice seem to reflect the traditional test and place roles for psychologists that Conoley and Gutkin hoped to expand beyond 25 years ago. Research efforts and national organization supports are hopeful, however, for a reimagined practice of psychology that makes use of the powerful ecosystems that affect children's well-being. Much work is yet to be done.

Traditional medical model service delivery systems have facilitated the creation of nationwide mental health and education pandemics for children and youth. The characteristics and shortcomings of medical model approaches leading to these problems are explicated, including the focus of services on individuals rather than populations, relying almost exclusively on remediation rather than prevention and early intervention, unintentionally creating a severe shortage of service providers, and providing treatments that lack sufficient efficacy. An ecological model of human behavior and service delivery is presented as an alternative that embodies the potential to address these problems and successfully address the mental health and education pandemics we currently face. It is concluded that a paradigm shift toward an ecological model is both essential and long overdue. (Contains 1 figure.)

The authors used an experimental design to compare the effectiveness of unstructured collaborative practice with individual practice on achievement on a complex well-structured problem-solving task. Participants included postsecondary students (N = 257) from a liberal arts college serving primarily nontraditional students and from 2 state universities. Three videotaped instructional procedures were used: lessons on (a) introductory set theory, (b) a problem-solving heuristic, and (c) problem-solving modeling. Participants also engaged in active practice. A posttest assessed participant skills. A 2 (individual vs. collaborative treatment condition) x 2 (nontraditional vs. traditional educational setting) analysis of variance revealed significant main effects for treatment condition. Students who practiced individually outperformed those who practiced collaboratively. Limitations and implications for future research are discussed.

Purpose of study was to determine predictive validity of self-regulated learning variables in comparison to traditional college admission test scores for first-generation students. Also investigated were differences, regarding self-regulated learning variables and ACT, between first- and second-generation students and how self-regulated learning variables may have been related to academic performance. (Contains 14 references and 3 tables.) (Author)

Investigates whether self-efficacy perceptions pertaining to working with difficult-to-teach children could be increased for preservice teachers using vicarious experience and verbal persuasion. Experimental group viewed a videotape demonstrating behavior management procedures while the control group viewed a placebo video. Experimental group exceeded the control group on two of four self-efficacy measures. (MKA)

Teachers (N=20) described problems, goals, interventions, data collection, and consultation practices employed across prereferral, prereferral intervention, referral, and postreferral phases of service delivery for mildly handicapped students. Findings highlight teachers' difficulties with data collection and intervention practices. Implications for consultation, prereferral intervention, and inclusive services are discussed. (Author/EMK)

This study investigated the relationship between racial identity attitudes and academic achievement among 26 urban African American high school students. Results suggest that academic achievement may be related to racial identity attitudes. Educational implications are discussed. (SLD)

Reviews group-based social psychological work. Focuses on the need for improved outcome criteria with which school psychologists can assess the quality of group decision making, the power of majorities in groups, the value of minority dissent, group polarization, and the establishment of shared norms. Examines implications for psychologists. (RJM)

This article reviews contemporary factors supporting the need for school-based consultation services for children with disabilities. The article identifies the core elements of consultation practice used by special service personnel in educational settings and discusses promising future directions and research needs. (CR)

Issues in documenting the efficacy of consultation services in speech-language pathology are considered. These include documenting remediation and prevention outcomes, collateral changes in service delivery, changes in consultee self-efficacy attitudes, changes in consultee problem-solving skills, and changes in referral patterns. Differences among documentation for direct service, management, and policy audiences are noted. (DB)

This study examined the impact on school personnel of a psychological report purported to have been authored by a computer-based test interpretation system versus a psychologist. Identical reports were rated in terms of perceived quality, credibility, and interpretation. No effect on subjects' appraisal of the reports based on authorship was found. (47 references) (Author/DB)

Applies service delivery perspective to professional school psychology as means to understand and respond to field's problems. Analyzes school psychologists' professional functions and reconceptualizes field as indirect service delivery profession. Proposes "Paradox of School Psychology"--to serve children effectively school psychologists must first concentrate attention and professional expertise on adults. Discusses implications for practice, training, and research. (Author/PVV)

Investigated variables related to teachers' (N=146) attitudinal preferences for consultation versus more traditional referral services. Results indicated that principal initiating structure, number of years of teaching experience, and number of years teaching at the current school each made statistically significant, although weak, contributions toward predicting teacher attitudes toward consultation. (LLL)

Case Studies of two schools were analyzed and compared to indicate the impact on consultation processes exerted by organizational characteristics. Sensitivity to organizational factors may be an important determinant of success in school-based consultation. (DWH)

A Consultation Feedback Questionnaire was designed to examine subjective perceptions of consultees as related to assumptions regarding school-based consultation. Subjects were 191 teachers who had utilized psychological consultation services in diverse school settings. Results showed consultee's perceptions of consultation outcomes to be highly significant from statistical and clinical perspectives. (Author/LMO)

This study, conducted in three elementary schools, examined several merit pay issues: (1) the congruence of teachers' ratings of themselves and their peers with principals' ratings; (2) teacher confidence in the ratings by themselves, their peers, and their principals; and (3) the relationship of teaching experience, teacher rating, and teacher attitudes toward merit pay. (BS)

Two tasks are necessary for successful practice in school psychology: (1) to educate school psychologists to provide state-of-the-art psychological services; and (2) to teach psychologists to change their work environments to support comprehensive psychological services. Domains of knowledge, programmatic considerations, and practical guidelines are suggested to trainers and practitioners. (Author/LMO)