the blog
Interviewing Tips Part 3
If you have an interview coming up — whether it’s for your internship, your first position, or a move to a new district — preparation can make a difference in how confident and grounded you feel walking into the (Zoom) room. The goal is to communicate clearly, think...
Low-Incidence Disability Evaluations: Know the Tools
Evaluating students under low-incidence disability categories requires a different level of planning, collaboration, and intention. Whether teams are assessing hearing, visual, orthopedic, or other low-incidence impairments, these evaluations often involve multiple...
Autism Eligibility Evaluations: What School Psychs Need to Know
Autism evaluations are among the most nuanced and collaborative assessments teams conduct in schools. They require careful attention to communication, social interaction, behavior, and how a student functions across settings. Strong Autism evaluations are rarely the...
Essential Tips for Stronger SLD Evaluations
Special Learning Disability (SLD) evaluations require more than collecting scores. They require thoughtful interpretation, collaboration, and a clear connection to educational impact. Whether you’re new to the field or refining long-established practices, small shifts...
When Is the Last Time You Checked Your Present Levels?
When is the last time you really stopped to take stock of where you are at work — how you’re doing, what’s going well, and what might need adjusting? There’s a quote often attributed to Heraclitus: “You never step in the same river twice.” I like to adapt it for our...
3 Tips for Improving Sustained Attention at Work
Do you ever get to the end of your workday and think, “I was busy all day… but what did I actually get done?” If so, you’re not alone. Between emails, notifications, pop-in questions, and the constant mental juggling of tasks, our attention gets pulled in a dozen...
When Stress Points Outward: Projection, Reflection, and a Mid-Year Reset
“She made me so angry in that meeting.”“He’s the reason I’m not getting any work done.” If you work in a helping profession, these thoughts probably sound familiar—especially this time of year, when calendars are full, energy is low, and the goals you set back in...
How Parent-Friendly Are Your Present Levels?
Crafting effective Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) that genuinely benefit our students can be challenging. Whether you're wrapping up your IEPs for the year or gearing up for the next school year, check out the tip below for improving your present levels...
Why Your Planner Isn’t the Problem
If you’ve ever told yourself, “I just need the right planner,” this one’s for you. So many educators and school psychologists I work with feel that time management is their biggest challenge. But here’s the secret: the issue usually isn’t the planner — it’s what’s...
Writing SMART Social/Emotional Goals
You already know IEP goals need to be written in the SMART format. That seems easier with goals related to reading decoding. But, how do you write goals that address coping skills in a SMART format? Here are two tips. Tip 1: Write Goals That Reflect...
How Do I Progress Monitor Counseling Goals?
Whether you wrote the social/emotional goal or you inherited it, many school psychs ask how to gather data and monitor the growth related to social/emotional goals. Here are two tips: Tip 1: Focus on Three Core Areas of Progress When progress monitoring...
Turning “I’ll Try” into “I Will”: Mindset Shifts for School Psychologists
Every school psychologist has been there—too many tasks, too little time, and self-talk that sounds something like: “Maybe I’ll get to it.”“I’ll try to finish that report by Monday.”“Hopefully I’ll find time for that meeting.” These phrases sound harmless, even...
Connecting the Dots: How to Align Present Levels, Goals, and Services for Cohesive IEPs
If your IEPs feel as though present levels, goals, and services don’t fully align, you’re not alone. Many teams collect great data, write thoughtful goals, and include well-intentioned accommodations, but the connections between these sections aren’t always aligned....
Common Fluid Reasoning Myths in School Psychology
Fluid reasoning is a key component of a cognitive assessment, but its definition is sometimes misunderstood. Some educators and families assume it’s only about math problem-solving or logic. Too narrow of definitions like these can lead to unclear psych reports,...
Making Fluid Reasoning Language Parent-Friendly
As school psychologists, we face the challenge of translating complex cognitive processes into language that parents can understand. Fluid reasoning can be one of the most challenging areas to explain, yet parent-friendly language is crucial for helping teams and...
Understanding the Building Blocks of Fluid Reasoning
Fluid reasoning is much more than a single score on a cognitive battery. It’s a collection of thinking skills that work together to help students solve new problems. When we understand these components clearly, we can write more accurate interpretations, develop more...
Write Strong Present Levels That Tell the Student’s Story
Effective IEPs begin with one critical component: clear, data-driven present levels. These statements set the stage for everything that follows—goals, services, and supports. But too often, present levels are written as a list of test scores that don’t capture who the...
Why Thorough Assessments Can Lead to Cohesive IEPs
Every great IEP begins long before the goals are written. It starts with a thorough assessment process, one that looks beyond test scores and dives into the story behind the data. When assessment teams take time to clarify the reason for referral, gather multiple...
Stop Saying What You Don’t Want (And Try This Instead)
The other day, I caught myself saying, “I don’t want to spend all weekend working.” Sound familiar? Maybe for you it’s, “I can’t keep up with this pace,” or “I shouldn’t let that email get under my skin.” Whatever the phrase, we say things like this all the time—to...
Transitional Kindergarten and Cognitive Evaluations: Where to Start
Many transitional kindergarten programs exist on elementary campuses. However, many elementary school psychs feel unprepared to evaluate 4-year-olds. Today, let’s look at two key areas to strengthen your TK assessment practice. Tip #1: Use a...
Social-Emotional Assessments in Transitional Kindergarten: What Every Team Needs to Know
When it comes to supporting transitional kindergarten students, social-emotional assessments are just as important as cognitive ones. These early years set the stage for growth, and the tools we use can shape how well we understand and respond to each child’s unique...
What Matters Most in TK Assessments: Play, Observation, and Acting Early
Four-year-olds are in their exciting and formative years. As school psychologists, you know firsthand that early support makes a lifelong difference. But the question is often when and how to assess. The answer lies in carefully observing play, understanding...
Responding Effectively to Dyslexia Requests from Families and Teams
When families or teachers request a dyslexia evaluation, it can come with a sense of urgency. For school teams, these requests can feel challenging, especially when misconceptions or differing expectations arise. Responding effectively requires a combination of...
Core Skills to Consider in Dyslexia Evaluations
A comprehensive dyslexia evaluation does more than document reading scores. It digs deeper into the underlying cognitive processes that contribute to reading development. By understanding why a student struggles, educators can better determine next steps and provide...
Making Sense of Dyslexia in Special Education Requests
More families and teachers are beginning to use the term dyslexia when raising concerns about reading difficulties. For many, it raises questions about what dyslexia means for eligibility and services. When requests for dyslexia evaluations arise, school teams must...
The Shame Spiral – How Executive Functioning Struggles Impact Self-Worth
Executive functioning challenges don’t just affect our productivity; they can quietly erode our self-esteem. Adults who’ve spent years struggling with things like organization, time management, or task completion often internalize labels like lazy, forgetful, or...
How to Conduct a Neurodiversity-Affirming Multiple Disabilities Assessment
We’ve all seen checklists, rubrics, and eligibility forms—but what does it look like to bring a neurodiversity-affirming lens to your multiple disabilities assessment? In this new blog post, I walk you through key considerations, questions to ask, and how to ensure...
3 Things to Leave Behind This Summer And 3 Things to Take With You
The end of the school year can feel like a mix of exhaustion, relief, and reflection. For educators, it’s not just the paperwork and final meetings that wear you down. It’s the emotional labor, the constant pivoting, and the invisible weight of holding space for so...
Is Your Brain on Overload? Strengthening Working Memory for Adults
Do you ever walk into a room and forget why you went there? Or open your laptop to check an email, only to find yourself deep in a different task ten minutes later, completely forgetting the original goal? This isn’t simply distraction. It can be a sign that your...
Common Mistakes School Psychologists Make with the PSW Model (and How to Avoid Them)
The Patterns of Strengths and Weaknesses (PSW) model can be a powerful tool for understanding students and identifying learning disabilities. However, many school psychologists feel unsure about how to use the model, especially when trying to balance best practices...
Supporting Students with School Attendance Challenges: A Collaborative and Proactive Approach for Educators
School attendance is a foundational component of student success, yet some students face significant barriers that interfere with consistent attendance at school. Whether due to anxiety, family dynamics, or other factors, chronic absenteeism can have long-term...
Impostor Syndrome in Education: How to Recognize It, Navigate It, and Move Forward with Confidence
Even the most passionate, driven educators can find themselves questioning whether they’re good at what they do. Whether you’re just starting out in your career, stepping into a new role, or facing fresh challenges after years in the field, impostor syndrome can creep...
Writing Parent-Friendly Reports with AI: 3 Key Takeaways for Educators
Clear communication is one of the most powerful tools we have as educators. Whether you’re writing evaluation summaries, support plans, or academic reports, making your language accessible and parent-friendly helps build trust and encourages meaningful collaboration...
Essential Knowledge for School Psychologists: Understanding the PSW Model
As school psychologists, we're often tasked with making sense of complex data in order to support students in the most meaningful ways. One area that continues to generate discussion, questions, and—let’s be honest—confusion, is the Patterns of Strengths and...
Collaboration and Speech and Language Impairment Evaluations
At a recent panel discussion with a group of dedicated speech-language pathologists (SLPs), we explored the nuances of working within the SLI (Speech or Language Impairment) eligibility category, why SLPs choose public schools, and how collaboration between SLPs and...
Updated (2025): The Executive Functioning Skill of Goal-Directed Persistence
Have you ever worked with a student who struggles to follow through on assignments, projects, or responsibilities? Perhaps they get easily distracted by preferred activities, lose motivation when tasks get difficult, or abandon their goals before completion. These...
Updated (2025) Supporting Students’ Metacognition Skills
What is Metacognition? Have you ever noticed a student who struggles to monitor their own progress on assignments? Perhaps they dive into tasks without a plan, have difficulty recognizing mistakes, or get stuck when facing challenges because they don’t know how to...
Updated (2025) The Art of Planning: How Educators Can Support Students with Executive Functioning Challenges
Check out the downloadable resource for this area of executive functioning to support your learning! Planning Have you ever worked with a student who struggles to decide which part of a task to focus on and what can be set aside? Or one who seems lost when trying...
Updated (2025) The Executive Functioning Skill of Time Management
Have you worked with students who struggle to manage their time effectively? They may have difficulty estimating how long tasks will take, prioritizing assignments based on importance, or sticking to a schedule. These challenges often stem from weaknesses in time...
Updated (2025) Understanding and Supporting Sustained Attention in Students
Sustained attention is the ability to maintain focus on relevant stimuli over an extended period, even with repeated exposure. This skill is crucial for learning, as it allows students to stay engaged, process information, and complete tasks efficiently. However, for...
Updated (2025) Supporting Students in Building Stress Tolerance
In today’s fast-paced and demanding learning environments, students are constantly faced with academic challenges, social pressures, and unexpected changes. While some students adapt with ease, others struggle with managing stress, often reacting impulsively, avoiding...
Updated (2025) Helping Students Develop Cognitive Flexibility
Cognitive flexibility is the ability to shift between tasks, adapt to new situations, and adjust responses based on changes in the environment. In essence, it’s how well a student can modify their thinking and behavior when faced with new or unexpected challenges. For...
Updated (2025) What is Working Memory and How Does it Impact Student Success?
Working memory is a vital cognitive skill that enables individuals to hold and manipulate information in their minds while engaging in complex tasks. It involves recalling information and processing, organizing, and acting on that data. Additionally, it requires...
Updated (2025) What Is Emotional Control and Why Does It Matter in the Classroom?
What is Emotional Control? Emotional control is a crucial executive functioning skill that refers to the ability to manage emotions in a way that prevents them from negatively affecting behavior, task completion, or goal attainment. A student who has developed this...
Celebrating One Year of Podcasting: Reflections and Lessons from My Journey as a School Psychologist
This week marks a significant milestone—one year since I launched my podcast! When I began, I had no idea what to expect. Would anyone listen? Would the content resonate with the audience? I’ve been blown away by the response, with more listeners tuning in each week....
Updated (2025): Supporting Students with Task Initiation: Strategies for Educators
Do you work with students who struggle to start tasks independently? Task initiation, a critical executive functioning skill, involves the ability to begin tasks promptly and without unnecessary delays. For students with executive functioning challenges, initiating...
Updated (2025) Spotlight: Understanding Response Inhibition
What is Response Inhibition? Response inhibition is a foundational executive function, enabling individuals to pause and think before acting. In early childhood, impulsive behavior is common, as children often rely on supportive adults to model and guide appropriate...
The Key to Supporting Complex Cases in Special Education
When navigating the complexities of special education, especially in smaller districts or with unique cases, collaboration and a fresh perspective can make all the difference. As special educators, we often encounter situations that challenge our traditional...
Four Tips for Navigating Difficult Conversations
Educators are skilled at supporting students, but navigating interactions with adults—teachers, administrators, and parents—can present challenges. From emotionally charged IEP meetings to tough conversations, managing these situations with confidence and empathy is...
The Power of Creating Agreements
As school psychologists, we navigate a demanding landscape of report writing, assessments, and collaboration with team members. While the work is fulfilling, the constant juggling of responsibilities can feel overwhelming. One simple yet transformative strategy to...
Beyond the Clipboard: A School Psychologist’s Guide to Meaningful Classroom Observations
As school psychologists, we're constantly juggling multiple assessments, from eligibility evaluations to behavior consultations. At the heart of many of these assessments lies one crucial skill: conducting meaningful classroom observations. Whether you're completing...
Facing Difficult Conversations: Strategies for School Psychologists
As school psychologists, we inevitably face challenging conversations. Whether responding to a teacher’s impromptu hallway question, addressing an administrator’s concerns about a behavioral issue, or returning an emotional call from a parent, these moments require...
Are You Overtesting? Key Practices for Effective Assessments in School Psychology
As school psychologists, balancing thorough assessments with efficient practices is vital, especially when managing heavy caseloads. Over-assessing can lead to unnecessary stress and misdirected resources, while under-assessing risks overlooking critical student...
3 Key Takeaways from a Trauma-Informed Approach for School Psychologists
A recent event organized by the California School-Based Health Alliance gathered professionals from across California to explore trauma-informed practices and their impact on student behavior and learning. Dr. Martha Merchant, a leading expert from UCSF’s HEARTS...
Effective Strategies for Data Collection and Progress Monitoring with Behavioral Interventions
Effective data collection is essential in determining whether a behavior intervention plan is working and guiding us toward necessary adjustments. Here are three key takeaways to streamline and enhance your approach to behavior data collection and progress monitoring....
3 Takeaways from Our AI Roundtable Discussion for School Psychologists
In our recent discussion about AI in school psychology, we revisited the pressing questions around integrating artificial intelligence into our practice. School psychologists today face the dual challenge of utilizing AI effectively while ensuring ethical standards....
3 Key Tips for Using a Neurodiversity-Affirming Lens in School Psychology Assessments
As school psychologists, we have a unique opportunity to shape how we assess and support neurodiverse students. By using a neurodiversity-affirming lens, we can approach each evaluation in a way that acknowledges the value of every individual's unique brain wiring. In...
Understanding Nonverbal Assessments in School Psychology
Using nonverbal assessments can be an essential tool in the practice of school psychology, especially when working with diverse student populations. Let’s discuss three main takeaways from a recent discussion on nonverbal tests, focusing on their application, best...
3 De-Escalation Strategies to Use When Challenging Student Behaviors Arise
De-escalation techniques are essential for school psychologists, educators, and support staff working with students facing challenging behavior. I want to share three key takeaways that can make a difference when calming a distressed student. Understanding and...
Using AI to Make Psych Reports More Parent-Friendly
If you are interested in learning more about how AI tools like ChatGPT and Google Bard can assist school psychologists in creating more parent-friendly reports, then this is the blog for you. Keep reading for several strategies for making complex assessment results...
What’s the Difference Between an IEP and a 504 Plan?
School psychologists often find themselves navigating the world of special education, particularly when understanding the difference between an Individualized Education Program (IEP) and a 504 Plan. Both plans support students with disabilities but are governed by...
Low-Incidence Disabilities: IEEs, Specialized Assessments, and Eligibility Classification
School psychologists and IEP teams frequently navigate intricate evaluations in the complex world of special education. The following blog will share three important takeaways from my insightful discussion on navigating IEEs, specialized assessments, and the multiple...
Trusting Your Expertise When Assessing Low-Incidence Disabilities
As a school psychologist, the challenges of managing complex cases, including low-incidence disabilities, can seem overwhelming, but you're more equipped than you realize. The following blog will share three important takeaways from an insightful discussion I...
Writing Parent-Friendly Reports with AI: 3 Key Takeaways for School Psychologists
As school psychologists, we know how crucial it is to present information in our reports that parents can easily understand. During a previous office hours, I discussed how AI tools like ChatGPT and Google Gemini can assist in making our reports more parent-friendly....
Understanding the Complexities of Preschool Evaluations
When it comes to assessing preschool-aged children for learning disabilities, the complexity of determining specific eligibility is often compounded by the child's developmental stage.. The stories and observations shared in this blog post highlight the nuanced and...
Conquering Impostor Syndrome: Insights for School Psychologists Part 2
School psychologists often face unexpected questions and high-pressure situations that test our knowledge and composure. In a recent podcast episode, Imposter Syndrome: The Uninvited Guest in Every School Psychologist's Office, I shared some valuable insights that can...
Conquering Impostor Syndrome: Insights for School Psychologists Part 1
Impostor syndrome is a pervasive issue that can affect school psychologists at every stage of their careers. Whether you're just starting out or have been in the field for decades, feelings of self-doubt can emerge and impact your confidence and effectiveness. In a...
Navigating Divergent Scores in Psych Assessments
As school psychologists, we often encounter divergent scores within a single processing area, leaving us with the question: What do we do next? Whether we have access to a variety of tools or are limited to just a few tests, our role remains crucial in uncovering the...
Understanding the Meaning Behind “Requiring Special Education
You know that feeling at the end of the school year? Exhausted, overloaded, and maybe a little unsure about the next year? As the school year wraps up, many of us reflect on our practices, particularly those crucial IEP meetings. A key area is...
Level Up Your Communication Skills: 2 Practical Tips for Sharing Scores Succinctly
Today, I'm excited to offer some tips on effectively communicating evaluation results to parents. Whether you have remaining meetings this school year or are planning ahead for the next, these strategies can help streamline your approach. Streamlining Verbal...
Executive Functioning Takeaways for School Psychs
Executive functioning is a topic close to my heart, and I’m excited to share insights gleaned from fellow school psychologists in the field. If you didn’t get to see my recent chat with Dr. Amy Merenda on the socials, check out some takeaways below. If you want to...
Understanding Cognitive Score Decline: Key Considerations and Solutions
Today, I'm delving into a common concern many of school psychs encounter: cognitive score declines during student reevaluations. It's a topic close to my heart because, like many of you, I've faced this challenge firsthand. When confronted with declining scores, it's...
Mastering Executive Functioning: Insights for School Psychologists
In our ongoing quest to support our students' development, one area that warrants our attention is executive functioning skills. These skills, often the unsung heroes of academic success, play a pivotal role in helping students plan, organize, and navigate their...
Understanding Tier 1 Intervention Strategies and Behavior Support
As school psychologists, we play a pivotal role in supporting students and teachers in creating positive learning environments. Classroom management is a cornerstone of effective teaching and learning, and understanding how to navigate it is essential for school...
Understanding Executive Functioning: Key Moments for Evaluation
As school psychologists, we are always seeking to identify and address challenges that may impact student academic success and social-emotional well-being. One area that warrants our attention is executive functioning skills – the cognitive processes that help...
Supporting Students with School Attendance Issues
School psychologists play an important role in supporting students with school attendance issues, and it's essential to be proactive and strategic in our approach. In this blog post, let’s explore three key takeaways to guide your efforts in coordinating support for...
The Art of Explaining Results Succinctly
As school psychologists, one of our greatest responsibilities is communicating evaluation results effectively to families, students, and colleagues. It's a form of communication that requires empathy and a clear use of language. In this blog post, I'll share three key...
Embracing Neurodiversity: Transforming Report Writing Practice
As school psychologists, our role extends beyond assessment; we are entrusted with the responsibility of understanding and advocating for the diverse needs of every student. One area where our impact is deeply felt is in the realm of report writing. Today, I am...
Explaining Results Succinctly: Part 1
For school psychologists, data is the bedrock of our practice. We gather information from a myriad of sources, from standardized tests to classroom observations, to paint a holistic picture of each student. But here's the thing: data alone doesn't tell the whole...
Interviewing Tips: Part 2
School psychologists play a vital role in supporting student well-being and academic success. If you're looking to land a great school psych position, standing out from the crowd is a must! By using these three key strategies, you can make a good impression on the...
Interviewing Tips: Part 1
Your interview is your chance to shine and show districts the knowledge and skills you have. But with so much to prepare, where do you even begin? Don't worry; we've got you covered. Here are 3 key strategies that will boost your interview confidence! Become a...
Why I Started The Prepared School Psych Podcast: Building Community, One Episode at a Time
I am thrilled to share some exciting news with you! I've started something new —a podcast named "The Prepared School Psych Podcast," and it officially dropped this week! Like many of you, I love the field of school psychology because I love the impact on...
The Vital Role of Community in School Psychology
School psychologists: you know the feeling. You navigate the complex ocean of social-emotional learning, academic struggles, and family dynamics, all while feeling strangely alone on your island. Sure, you have colleagues, but let’s face it, you are probably the only...
Preschool Assessments: Strategies, Tools, and Rating Scales
Building Preschool Assessment Skills Navigating the realm of preschool assessments can feel overwhelming for newer school psychs or even seasoned psychologists with little preschool experience. What are some strategies school psychs can use to enhance their skills?...
Understanding The Three Prongs of Eligibility
Understanding the intricacies of eligibility criteria is important for school psychs. In a recent live episode, I discussed the three prongs of eligibility, emphasizing the need for a student to have a disability adversely impacting their education and requiring...
The Three Prongs of Special Education Eligibility: A Guide to Navigating the Assessment Process
Understanding the Three Prongs The foundation of special education eligibility rests on three prongs: the presence of a disability, an adverse impact on educational performance, and the requirement for special education and related services. Collectively, these prongs...
Navigating the AI Landscape in School Psychology
In the rapidly evolving landscape in the school psych field, integrating artificial intelligence (AI) presents opportunities and challenges for school psychologists. As we eagerly await official guidelines from professional organizations, it's crucial for...
Dysgraphia: Tips for Comprehensive Evaluation and Collaboration
Dysgraphia is a term that often sparks questions and concerns among parents, teachers, and school psychs. Let's unravel the intricacies of dysgraphia and explore two essential tips for navigating dysgraphia evaluations. If you want to watch the recording where I...
Mastering Progress Monitoring in School Psychology
Welcome to our exploration of progress monitoring in school psychology! Let’s delve into the important aspects of understanding, implementing, and refining progress monitoring techniques. Join us as we uncover the why, how, and what of progress monitoring, emphasizing...
Navigating Dyscalculia Evaluations: Insights for School Psychologists
When parents or teachers mention the word Dyscalculia, it's essential to grasp their specific concerns. Unlike Dyslexia, which has well-defined guidelines in many states, Dyscalculia's definition varies. School psychologists must first clarify what the term means to...
Embracing and Celebrating Neurodiversity
This school year, we started something new! All Prepared School Psychologist members have access to our exclusive mini-courses, where members can earn CEUs or a certificate of completion for learning about specific topics related to the field of school psychology!...
Writing Parent-Friendly Psych Reports: Part 2
In the field of school psychology, effective communication is paramount. That's where parent-friendly reports come into play. In this blog, we are going to explore the art of crafting reports that bridge the gap between complex assessments and how parents, teachers,...
Writing Parent-Friendly Psych Reports: Part 1
One of the most important ways school psychs can help students succeed is by writing and communicating assessment results to families in a parent-friendly manner. However, many psych reports are written with confusing jargon and acronyms that can be difficult for...
Navigating Emotional Control in Children: Insights From a Behavior Psychologist
Let’s talk about the executive skill known as emotional control! In the realm of elementary and middle school campuses, the term "emotional control" encompasses a wide spectrum of behaviors. Understanding these expressions, from temper tantrums to defiance and...
Quality Preschools and Nurturing Complex Play
This school year, we started something new! All Prepared School Psychologist members have access to our mini-courses where members can earn CEUs or certificates of completion for learning about specific topics. All of our courses are two hours or less (hence the...
What is the Reason for Referral?
Welcome to our latest blog post, where we dive into the important topic of the "Reason for Referral" in special education evaluations. Today, let’s explore why understanding the exact reason for referral is essential and how it directly influences the assessment...
Staying Ahead: How to Keep Up to Date with New Content
The school psych world is forever evolving; staying updated with the latest content is crucial. Whether it’s new regulations, emerging trends, or groundbreaking resources, staying in the loop is essential. Let’s discuss three practical strategies to help you stay...
Best Practices for an Effective English Language Learner Evaluation
Summer Boot Camp has since passed, but today, we will take some time to reflect on one of the topics presented: Best Practices for Evaluating English Learners! Let’s take a look at 3 key takeaways from the perspectives of a bilingual and monolingual school psych on...
3 Tips to Kick Off Your School Year
Welcome to the 2023-2024 school year! Today, we're diving into my top three tips to kick off your school year and make it your best one yet. Whether you're already back in the swing of things or still enjoying those last moments of summer break, these strategies will...
3 Takeaways from Summer Boot Camp – Explaining Results Succinctly Session
During Summer Boot Camp 2023, we had sessions ranging from FBAs to Manifestation Determinations and more. One of the sessions that I was able to provide during this two-week period was a session focused on explaining evaluation results succinctly. My intent for this...
3 Takeaways from Summer Boot Camp – Q&A Session
It’s hard to believe Summer Boot Camp 2023 has come and gone! It was two weeks filled with lots of learning and sharing of ideas. For those that were not with us, we kicked things off with an open Q&A session in which participants had the opportunity to ask any...
How Many Manifestation Determinations Did You Have This Year?
At the end of each school year, I love reflecting on how things went. What areas were challenging for me? I don’t know about you, but manifestation determinations are one of those processes I sometimes find challenging. How confident are you with the process? Are...
Am I Doing This Right?
Whether you are an intern or a seasoned psychologist, we have all asked ourselves, “Am I doing this right?” Whether you’re conducting an FBA, completing a bilingual evaluation, or explaining results in a way that benefits all members of the IEP team, all school...
Organizing Tips for Fall 2023
I get a lot of questions about organization from interns, students, and seasoned psychologists alike. Now I know some of you are winding down your school year or already relaxing on the beach, but I want to share three of my favorite organization tips with you today!...
Oral Expression Tools and Interpretive Support
What is Oral Expression? Students with a disability in oral expression have difficulty putting their thoughts into speech. Astudent may also have difficulty remembering a word when needed, or being able to recall theformal names of objects. These students tend to...
Dyslexia, Dyscalculia and Dysgraphia
Over the last couple of years, terms like dyslexia, dyscalculia, and dysgraphia have been used more frequently within our school settings. How comfortable are you discussing these terms with families and staff members? Let’s discuss my go-to tips that I have found...
Comprehensive and Succinct Evaluation Results Explanation
School psychs know a lot of special education jargon and are required to explain these terms to parents. What’s the best way to synthesize our evaluation results and present our findings to families in a meaningful and helpful way? Let’s explore some ways we can...
Summer Preparation for Fall 2023
My motto for every school year is “harmony.” Every year I work on organizing myself and determining my non-negotiables. Let’s walk into next school year knowing that your boundaries will give you peace of mind in the chaos of a school psych’s life! If you want to...
Frustrated About Exclusionary Factors?
Have you ever found yourself feeling frustrated about exclusionary factors? Don’t worry, you are not alone! Let’s discuss some tips about exclusionary factors related to specific learning disabilities and ease some of your frustrations! If you want to watch a replay...
When Do I Call This an Attention Problem
Many teachers and parents seem to be concerned with student attention problems. Do these concerns warrant an evaluation? If this is an attentional problem, what is the underlying cause? Let’s chat about this topic together! If you want to watch a replay of the live...
What to Ask Your Supervisor Before the End of the Year
Congratulations! You are almost there! The end of your internship or practicum hours is fast approaching, and the relationship with your supervisor may soon be ending. What final questions can you ask your supervisor to help you feel more prepared as you begin the...
3 Tips for Evaluating Low Incidence Disabilities
Low-incidence disabilities typically refer to students who are deaf and hard of hearing, have visual impairments and orthopedic impairments. When assessing low-incidence disabilities, the process can often differ from what school psychologists are used to. Let’s...
Supporting Students’ Metacognition Skills
What is Metacognition? Have you noticed a student who struggles with monitoring their progress when completing tasks? You may see these students struggle with self-reflection and utilizing problem-solving skills to complete challenging assignments or tests. All...
3 Tips for Efficient Report Writing
Are you feeling the extra pressure of meeting deadlines and completing reports before spring break? Let’s discuss easy-to-implement tips guaranteed to make your report writing more efficient. Tip #1: The Art of Batching Tasks We all have our go-to rating scale,...
Spotlight: Supporting Students with Goal-Directed Persistence
The Executive Functioning Skill of Goal-Directed Persistence Have you consulted with a teacher about a student who struggles to meet goals related to assignments or projects? Have you observed students who are too distracted by preferred activities to complete tasks?...
Tips When Evaluating Traumatic Brain Injury
Tip #1: Consult With The Experts Assessing a student who has suffered a traumatic brain injury can be a unique and complex process, especially since many of these students have never received special education. How can school psychs be more prepared to complete a...
Helping Students Develop Time Management Skills
The Executive Functioning Skill of Time Management Have you worked with students who need help planning and organizing their time effectively? They may need help estimating how long it takes to complete a task and may need help prioritizing tasks and activities based...
The Executive Functioning Skill of Planning
The Executive Functioning Skill of Planning Have you ever worked with a student who struggles to make decisions about what part of a task is important to focus on and what part isn’t? Or what about students who struggle to create mental roadmaps in their mind when...
The Executive Functioning Skill of Task Initiation
The Executive Functioning Skill of Task Initiation Do you find yourself consulting with teachers frequently about students who struggle to start tasks independently? Or what about students who are unable to plan and decipher when a task will be completed? How can...
My Key Learnings From The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People
Our book club inside the Prepared School Psychologist membership community is reading The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People (Covey). Today, I want to share my takeaways from the first three habits and how they can be applied to your personal life and as a school...
Synthesizing Results Across Assessors
Your Assessment Tool Measures What? As school psychs, we often collaborate with special education assessors such as speech and language pathologists on a regular basis. Now imagine you receive an SLP’s report and as you glance it over, you realize you have little to...
Explaining Eligibility at an IEP Meeting
Explaining the Classification of Intellectual Disabilities = Overwhelm School psychologists play an integral role in explaining eligibility to parents. The weight of this responsibility can feel heavy on a school psych's shoulders, especially when discussing an...
3 Tips When Evaluating Intellectual Disabilities
Tip #1: Understanding Regulation Language Assessing a student who may have an intellectual disability can be a complicated process. Did you know that states have different languages as it pertains to intellectual disabilities, particularly adaptive functioning? Some...
Explaining Social-Emotional Results Succinctly
So Many Rating Scales… So Much Data… Have you ever sat down to write a psychoeducational report only to find yourself staring at your computer screen for what seems like an eternity? Do you find it difficult to start your report? Do you struggle with how to discuss...
3 Student Behavior Tips
Tip #1: Behavior Expectation Reminders Have you noticed that students struggle with behavior expectations once they return to school from winter break? Our students seem to forget classroom rules they once followed with ease! Let’s face it, our teachers are making...
What Has Been Working For You?
Ringing in the New Year with Self-Reflection It’s hard to believe 2023 is right around the corner! There is no better time like the new year to engage in self-reflection and get honest with yourself about what’s been working well in your school psych practice and what...
The Cognitive Capacity of Sustained Attention
Sustained attention refers to the ability to maintain attentional focus on relevant stimuli with repeated presentation over extended periods of time. It is the ability to direct and focus cognitive activity on specific stimuli. In children with attention difficulties,...
My Results From Applying the Feedback Fix
The Feedback Fix Book I don't know about you, but I have a stack of unread books on my shelf. If you’re anything like me, you may have at least read the first chapter but then get distracted because let’s face it, school psychs are extremely busy! A couple of years...
Evaluating Students for Dyslexia
Evaluating Dyslexia Many times throughout the school year, school psychologists find themselves evaluating for reading disabilities and maybe even for dyslexia specifically. There seem to be many questions about the term dyslexia and whether it’s appropriate for a...
To Report Write or Not Over the Holidays?
Should We Work Over Holiday Breaks? This topic can bring up a lot of questions about our own balance and harmony, or whether using holiday breaks is a good time to accomplish important tasks such as report writing. Just like everything in our field, there is never a...
5 Tips for Private School Evaluations
Private School Evaluations School psychologists are asked to evaluate students for special education who attend private schools, and this situation can require different approaches than the typical evaluations we conduct through the public school system. Since we are...
Do You Need Better Boundaries?
Working Outside Your Regular Hours Setting boundaries can be difficult to follow as a school psych, especially when our workloads are high and we want to help children. Are you one of the many psychs that take work home with them? Are you spending evenings and...
3 Tips When Evaluating Emotional Disturbance
Tip #1: Understanding Internalizing Behaviors It’s a fact that school psychologists are seeing a steady climb in the number of students with anxiety and depression. Have you ever found yourself having a conversation with a teacher about a student and when the topic of...
5 Tips When Evaluating Non-Traditional Students
Assessing Nontraditional Students Who are nontraditional students? Nontraditional students might include those who are attending an at-home school program, an independent study program, or something similar. Since these students are not attending an actual school site...
3 Tips When Evaluating Autism
Tip #1: Understand Your State’s Critera for Autism When school psychs are evaluating students and Autism is being considered, one tip to keep in mind is understanding your state’s eligibility criteria, regulations, or any additional requirements your state has....
Explaining Evaluation Results Succinctly
Psych Jargon As school psychs, we learn a lot of high-level vocabulary such as fluid reasoning, atypicality, crystallized intelligence, and psychosomatic; let’s face it, the list goes on and on! Have you ever been in an IEP meeting, and the parent asks you to explain...
Does This Student Require Special Education?
Benefiting From Special Education vs. Requiring Special Education You have just finished assessing a student and have found that he or she meets the eligibility criteria! Great news, right? Regardless of which eligibility category the IEP team is considering, one...
Dyslexia in the School Setting
Dyslexia or Lack of Appropriate Instruction? Working as a school psychologist in the middle of a pandemic created many challenges in our practice. For instance, when concerns about a student’s ability to read are brought to our attention, nowadays we begin to question...
My Top Takeaways for Summer Bootcamp
Data-Driven Decisions or Data-Informed Decisions? We recently finished our 3rd annual summer boot camp which was a two-week program, custom-designed to provide resources, learning opportunities, and professional development for school psychologists. One takeaway from...
Am I Doing This Right? And Other Questions We Ask Ourselves
Shouldn’t I Know All the Answers? After all, I am the School Psychologist! A frequent thought that enters every school psychologist’s mind may sound like this, “I should have a correct answer to every question asked of me, right?” Sound familiar? The field of school...
Providing Feedback to a Colleague When You’re Not the Boss
School psychologists wear many hats throughout their careers: assessor, counselor, consultant, mediator, and much more! We enjoy working with others and thrive on being part of a successful team! But what happens when we recognize compliance issues in a colleague's...
What to Expect During Your Internship Year
Your internship is here! What should you expect? Congratulations! You made it this far and you are officially a school psych intern! This is an exciting time in your journey to becoming a school psychologist. But with all the excitement comes many questions and maybe...
More Tips to Kick Start Your School Year
For many of you, the 2022-2023 school year has already begun! Let’s talk about three additional tips to help kick start your school year and help you become a more prepared school psychologist. We will take a closer look at how school psychs can combat challenging...
What to Expect in Your First Year
Congrats on Graduating, School Psych... Now What? Congratulations, you made it! Give yourself a round of applause! Now that you are a full-fledged school psychologist, questions may start to swirl in your mind, “what should I expect during my first year?” Keep reading...
2 Tips to Kick Off the School Year
Summer break is quickly coming to a close, and another school year is about to begin! Let's discuss two tips to help you become a more prepared school psychologist. I get a lot of questions when I talk to interns, psychs starting their first or second year, or even...
Report Writing Tips for Documenting Listening Comprehension Difficulties
Listening is the interpretation of spoken language and includes three skills:1) the recognition of discourses of sounds,2) the understanding of the meaning of individual words, and3) the understanding of the syntax of sentences This complex skill requires a...
Sample Goals for Students that Struggle with Flexibility
Flexibility is generally considered to be the behavior of switching between tasks and demands in response to changes in the environment. In essence, it's one’s ability to change one’s behavior to different contexts or stimuli in the world. Students who experience...
Supporting Students with Written Expression Difficulties
One of the most complex academic skills is writing. Written expression and expressing thoughts and ideas through writing is a highly complex, cognitive, and self-directed process. Planning, drafting, reviewing, and revising are all components that make up diverse...
![Discovering a Niche in Your Education Job: Four Perspectives for Creatives in Education [Guest Post]](https://jennyponzuric.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Discover-a-Niche-in-Your-Education-Job-400x250.jpg)
Discovering a Niche in Your Education Job: Four Perspectives for Creatives in Education [Guest Post]
GUEST POST BY RYAN ESTRELLADO I used to worry about how all my hobbies and interests would advance my education career. They eventually did, but only after I let go of my expectations and started doing them for the right reasons. I’m not the only one who scrolls...
What is the Executive Functioning Skill of Working Memory?
Working Memory describes the ability to hold information in mind while performing complex tasks that involve remembering, processing, or acting on that stored information. It also incorporates the ability to draw on past learning or experiences, to apply to a present...
Math Problem Solving Strategies To Support Students
Problem solving is a mathematical process. It includes logic, reasoning, and communication skills. Mathematical problem solving is a critical skill for students because it helps students develop a generic ability to solve real-life problems and apply...
Organization Strategies To Support Students and School Teams
Organization describes the ability to design and maintain systems for keeping track of information or materials. Essentially it is the process in which one takes care of others’ belongings and their personal belongings while maintaining order in their personal...
Supporting Reading Comprehension Deficiencies & Strengthening Students’ Skills
Reading comprehension describes a student’s ability to process text, understand its meaning, and to integrate or synthesize that information with what the reader already knows. Reading comprehension is a complex skill that draws on a variety of essential skills....
Math Calculations
Math calculations describe one’s ability to count, group objects, and compute a wide range of mathematical facts and operations. Understanding numbers, basic facts, and operations is a skill that begins to develop in children as young as 1 year old. As children...
Supporting Students with Emotional Control Difficulties
What is emotional control? The executive functioning skill of emotional control refers to the ability to effectively manage emotions, so that they do not negatively impact behavior, prevent task completion, or hinder attaining goals. A student who has developed this...
Supporting Reading Fluency & Recognizing Difficulties
Reading fluency describes a student’s ability to read with speed, accuracy, and the correct use of expression. It is an essential skill required to be able to make sense of what they read, whether they are reading silently to themselves or aloud. A child who has...
Spotlight: What is Response Inhibition?
What is response inhibition? This crucial executive function is the ability to think before taking action. Young children can be impulsive and rely on caring adults to guide them and role-model response inhibition. For example, they might just step out into the road...
Testing Tips for Effective (and Efficient) Use of the WJ IV™ ACH
How many of these statements resonate with you? I am concerned about an increase in the number of referrals for special education assessments. Our school / district still has a backlog of assessments from the 2020-2021 school year. There are a lot of...
Beyond the Basic Battery: Increasing your Comfort Level with the WJ IV
There are many tools that school psychologists can use to help determine eligibility for special education as well as gather information on the whole child to support parents, teachers, and other caregivers in a child’s learning...
When (and How) Should I Dig Deeper with the Woodcock-Johnson IV Tests of Cognitive Abilities?
Beyond the Basic Battery: Digging Deeper with the Woodcock-Johnson® IV Tests of Cognitive Abilities Many school psychologists have their favorite assessment battery. If they are assessing a student with a suspected learning disability in reading, they likely have...
Jenny Ponzuric’s Interview on Let’s Be Honest Before We Start Pretending! The Podcast
Listen on Apple Podcasts or Spotify Today we are going to be talking with Jenny Ponzuric who is going to assist us with utilizing our time efficiently through planning and organization, and I know personally when implementing the strategies we talk about today, you...
Let's Stay Connected! Click the button to join my newsletter for updates and free resources sent weekly!
© 2026 Ponzuric Learning Solutions | Terms & Conditions | Privacy Policy | Cookie Policy | Site by Digiality Co.