Abstract
According to the U.S News Report, School psychology was ranked as the second-best social services job in the country, yet the field of school psychology is less well known than any other subfield of psychology. Currently, the school psychology profession is experiencing a shortage of practitioners, especially ones who are culturally and linguistically diverse. In the years 2015 and 2016, 11% of school psychologists and 53% of public school children identified as ethnically or racially diverse. Given that 83% of school psychologists work in public schools, these demographics are extremely disproportionate. Because culturally diverse practitioners are more likely to see things from a multicultural lens, they more often analyze factors of culture and race when making judgments and special-education eligibility decisions for ethnically and racially diverse students. Research data suggest that culturally diverse students were more likely to receive disciplinary referrals and were overrepresented in certain special-education categories. Culturally diverse practitioners are also more likely to deliver culturally sensitive mental-health services, challenge racial biases, and serve as advocates for students of color. Due to the benefits of culturally diverse practitioners and the professional shortage, it is important to raise awareness of the field of school psychology as an avenue for historically marginalized groups. This project is intended to increase the awareness of school psychology among culturally diverse individuals in the hope that it will increase their interests and intentions to become school psychologists.