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November 7, 2005

Update on School Psychology (to Peter Molloy, BCASP President)

Dear Peter:

We met with our colleagues in the Ministry of Health again today to discuss the latest communication with the College of Psychologists. As you requested, I am providing you with a few notes to describe the work to date at your executive meeting this week.

On the agenda of today's meeting were the following topics:

1) Status of the recommendations of the Health Professions Council and other types of psychology;
2) School boards as employers of school psychologists, associated accountabilities;
3) Importance of stabilizing the profession and training programs;
4) Complexity associated with membership in the College;
5) The latest communication from the College of Psychologists; and other topics.

As a result of today's discussions, you can have confidence that the views of BCASP members are well understood. This includes the fact that many practicing School Psychologists are already members of the College of Teachers.

We are confident that the Ministry of Health staff responsible for professional standards has indeed heard the concerns both of your members and of the Ministry of Education. I believe that we are one step closer to a resolution. Both Ministries have set a goal of spring 2006 to have information for school boards and practising School Psychologists.

Our next meeting with Ministry of Health is in January 2006, allowing their staff to address a number of details associated with their work on this file. I will endeavour to report back to you at that time.

Susan Kennedy,
Director, Diversity, Equity and Early Learning
Accountability Department
Ministry of Education



September, 2005

UPDATE: The following letter was recently received by BCASP President, Peter Molloy:

Dear Peter:

Members of BCASP will be pleased to know about changes in the requirements for Graduation Program Exam adjudication that go into effect this school year. By now, I am sure most of you have been informed that any student may take up to 3 hours to write a 2-hour exam without adjudication. There is no need to have documentation of a special need to grant this extra time. In addition, schools may determine whether any student may use computer technology (without spell check and grammar functions) to write a Graduation Program Exam. Please check the Handbook of Procedures for this year to be sure on this and any other details about adjudication.

I also want to update BCASP on the state of the discussions with the College of Psychologists and the Ministry of Health regarding changes to the Psychologists Act and membership in the College for persons practising school psychology. As you know, we have reassured school districts that no removal of the exemption from the Act will take place affecting your members' ability to conduct psycho-educational assessments this school year. It is our hope to have this matter concluded as soon as possible so that all parties will be able to plan for next school year.

We understand that some matters associated with other types of psychology will be moving forward during this school year; your members should not misinterpret this to mean that matters affecting school psychology will shift before the end of school year 2005/2006. We also appreciate that your members are justifiably anxious to see a resolution to whether or not one must be a member of the College of Psychologists in order to carry out psych-educational assessments and "diagnosis" of conditions such as learning disabilities or intellectual disabilities.

In mid-May, representatives of the two ministries met again with the Registrar of the College of Psychologists to try to reach a compromise position that would respect the professional experience of your members. The Ministry of Education was asked to provide further information to help the College better understand the nature of the practice of school psychology and the functions that school psychologists typically provide in school districts, including the role BCASP plays in setting standards. We expect to receive a response from the College soon, and are confident that further meetings will help in resolving issues.

I hope to be able to contact you very soon to further involve BCASP in discussions.

Have a great year!

Susan Kennedy,
Director Accountability Department
Ministry of Education



SEPT. 2005:

On September 24th, 2005, the BCASP Executive endorsed the following "core" position statement formulated by the special AD HOC Advisory Committee on Political Action (AHACOPA):

1.) We [BCASP] retain the use of the title "school psychologist" as this clearly identifes to the public who we are, what we do, and our area of experitse.

2.) We retain the right to use Level C tests that are part of the practice of school psychology.

3.) We retain the right to diagnose, identify, and classify students in a manner that is consistent with school psychology practice and with the classification system used by the Ministry of Education and school districts in BC.

4.) If the status quo is not possible and we must have regulation of the practice of school psychology then:

a.) BCASP could be granted the regulatory role for school psychology in the province by the BC Gov't, if that is not possible:

b.) A separate College of School Psychology is formed for that purpose and we are instated as members. If that is not possible:

c.) The College of Teachers would be assigned the regulatory role for school psychology, and we would be instated as members. If that is not possible:

d.) The BC Gov't would grant or instate membership in the College of Psychologists for all of us with the designaton of the specialty of "School Psychology" with the title of "School Psychologist", and with the rights and privileges of registered psychologists.