May 19, 2020
With respect to all services, including psychometric testing, it is advised that school psychologists follow the advice and direction from the Provincial Health Officer (PHO), the BC Centre of Disease Control (BC CDC), Worksafe BC, districts guidelines, and our professional standards as school psychologists.
The BC Association of School Psychologists takes the position that school psychologists should resume all non-contact aspects of assessment as usual, as this can occur within an environment that respects physical distancing.
If there is a significant need for in-person one-on-one assessment, BCASP recommends developing a safety or operational plan for your site that outlines how you have designed the environment and improved procedures to mitigate the risk of transmission of COVID-19. BCASP is not in a position to approve safety or operational plans and recommends the development of these plans through consultation with administrators and other associated professionals working within your school district.
Lastly, resuming one-on-one assessment would need to be done in a planful, measured manner where the benefit outweighs the risk. As students begin to return to schools, school psychologists should be alert to the adjustments that need to be made for the comfort and consistency of learners and the learning environment. Ongoing consultation for the social/emotional and academic adjustments would be priority activities of school psychologists during this period.
For more information, please see the more detailed information from the communication delivered to all members on May 19, 2020.
