School Psychologists
What Does a School Psychologist Do?
School psychologists help students do well in school by using assessments, observations, and data to understand what may be getting in the way of learning or behavior. They work with families and school partners including teachers, administrators and support staff to determine supports that fit for the individual—like behavior plans, coping strategies, or academic interventions—and then track those supports to ensure they are working. When a student may need special education, they help with the evaluation process and share findings with the team in plain language. They also support school-wide efforts like prevention, positive behavior supports, and crisis response to strengthen student well-being.
Overall, School psychologists help the school improve academic achievement, promote positive behavior and mental health, support diverse learners, help to create a safe and positive environment, and they strengthen the partnership between families and schools.
A School Psychologist helps students learn, manage behavior, and feel supported. They use assessments, data, and observations to guide supports, explain results, assist with special education evaluations, and strengthen family-school partnerships.
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Explore Careers as a School Psychologist in Michigan
If you’re interested in helping to advance students with disabilities and building a meaningful career in education, becoming a school psychologist may be a strong fit.
OPTIMISE connects individuals with information, resources, and pathways to explore special education careers across Michigan.
A strong school psychologist combines people skills with data-based decision-making to support students’ learning, behavior, and well-being.
Skills and Qualities of an Effective School Psychologist
A strong school psychologist combines people skills with data-based decision-making to support students’ learning, behavior, and well-being.
Key Skills include:
- Student-centered communication: builds trust with students and families through active listening and clear, respectful conversations
- Assessment & observation: uses interviews, record review, classroom observation, and evaluation tools to understand needs accurately
- Data-based problem solving: turns concerns into a plan with measurable goals and checks progress over time
- Intervention planning: helps teams choose supports that fit—academic strategies, behavior plans, and mental health supports
- Consultation & collaboration: works smoothly with school Partners, including special educators, paraeducators, and administrators
- Plain-language reporting: explains results and recommendations without jargon so teams can act quickly
- Organization & documentation: keeps timelines, paperwork, and follow-through on track
Qualities That Help You Succeed
- Empathy with boundaries: caring and supportive while staying consistent and professional
- Calm under pressure: steady during difficult meetings, conflict, or crisis situations
- Curiosity and fairness: avoids assumptions and looks for root causes and patterns
- Cultural responsiveness: adapts communication and supports to fit different backgrounds and experiences
- Ethics & confidentiality: protects student privacy and makes decisions responsibly
- Patience and persistence: keeps supporting progress for individuals with disabilities, Birth to 26 years—even when growth takes time
Education and Training Requirements for School Psychologist
Bachelor’s degree
(Degree isn’t strictly specified in the rule, many choose Psychology, Education, or related field
Graduate Degree in School Psychology
- Preliminary School Psychologist Certificate = valid 3 years
- 45 graduate semester credit hours in approved program
- 600 click-hour supervised practicum
- School Psychologist Certificate = valid 5 years
- a specialist-level degree (ED.S. or equivalent) with at least 60 graduate semester credits hours + 1,200 cli-hour internship from an approved Educator Preparation Institution
To Become a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA)
- Requires a Master’s Degree or higher
- Complete fieldwork – 2,000 hours (supervised) or 1,500 hours (concentrated supervised)
- Pass the BCBA exam
- Obtain BCBA Michigan State Licensure through LARA
Michigan Colleges Offering Psychology Degrees
Click a orange pin to pursue an advanced career
Behavioral Specialities
Board Certified Behavior Analyst
Behavior Consultant
A behavior consultant, often a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA), helps individuals and organizations understand and address challenging behaviors using principles of applied behavior analysis (ABA) to improve skills and overall quality of life.
Behavior Specialist
Behavioral Specialists assess, diagnose, and treat mental and emotional disorders of individuals through observation, interview, and psychological tests. Help individuals with distress or maladjustment understand their problems through their knowledge of case history, interviews with patients, and theory. Provide individual or group counseling services to assist individuals in achieving more effective personal, social, educational, and vocational development and adjustment. May design behavior modification programs and consult with medical personnel regarding the best treatment for patients.
Behavior Support
Research-based positive behavioral supports should be readily available in natural settings including the family home. Families, caregivers, educators, direct support personnel, and other professionals and paraprofessionals should be provided with training and support in implementing effective positive behavioral interventions and supports in all environments.
Internship & Apprentice Postitions
Financial Resources to Pursue a School Psychologist Degree
Michigan Scholarships & Grants
Michigan Reconnect Program
Michigan Reconnect is a scholarship program that pays you to attend your in-district community college tuition free or pays up to the in-district rate if you attend a community college where you’re considered out-of-district. Applicants must be 25 years old to apply.
Michigan Promise Zones
Thirteen Promise Zones have already begun awarding scholarships. Educators, businesses, families and civic leaders are also striving to embed a pervasive culture of learning in these communities – an essential ingredient in any recipe for education success.
High School Graduate Michigan Achievement Scholarship
Amount: $2,000 – $5,500
NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program
Amount: $37,000 annually for 3 years
National Institute of Health Fellowship Portal
Michigan Psychological Association Scholarship Portal
American Psychological Association Scholarship Portal
The American Psychological Association of Graduate Students Scholarship Portal
American Psychological Foundation Scholarship Portal
Psi Chi Scholarship Portal
Federal Scholarships & Grants
File Your FAFSA
Colleges and career schools use the FAFSA form to determine how much financial aid you’re eligible to receive, which could include grants, scholarships, work-study funds, and loans.You must apply for aid every year.
Federal Student Aid Estimator
The Federal Student Aid Estimator provides an estimate of how much federal student aid the student may be eligible to receive. These estimates are based on the Student Aid Index (SAI), an index to determine federal student aid eligibility.
Subsidized/Un-Subsidized Loans
Direct Subsidized Loans and Direct Unsubsidized Loans are federal student loans offered by the U.S. Department of Education (ED) to help eligible students cover the cost of higher education at a four-year college or university, community college, or trade, career, or technical school.
Pell Grant
A federal grant for undergraduate students with financial need.
Teacher Loan Forgiveness*
Amount: up to $17,500
Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF)*
If you’re employed by a government or not-for-profit organization, you might be eligible for the PSLF Program. The PSLF Program forgives the remaining balance on your Direct Loans
*Borrowers can’t receive credit toward TLF and Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) for the same period of service. That means, if you seek and receive TLF, the five-year period of service that supported your eligibility will NOT count toward PSLF. We recommend that you consider whether you’re interested in PSLF before deciding to pursue TLF, because we can’t make changes once you receive forgiveness.
Graduate or Professional Direct PLUS Loan
Direct PLUS loans can help pay for education expenses not covered by other financial aid. The U.S. Department of Education makes Direct PLUS Loans to eligible graduate or professional students through schools participating in the Direct Loan Program.
Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)
Grant for undergraduate students with exceptional financial need, administered directly by financial aid office at each participating school, not all schools participate
Federal Work-Study
part-time employment while enrolled in school, available to undergrad, grad, and professional students with financial need, available to full and part-time students, administered by participating schools, emphasizes employment in civic education and work related to course of study or civic education, on or off campus
Flushing Community Schools
Aaron, from Flushing Community Schools, is helping children with disabilities, Birth to 26, excel in school!