Abstract

There is currently a national shortage of school psychologists (National Association of School Psychologists (NASP), 2021c). This shortage has created a job market that favors the job seeker, meaning employers must find ways to actively attract potential candidates to hire enough professionals to meet the needs of their students. However, there is little research on the factors that school psychologist practitioners consider when choosing a district to work in. This research study examined what factors non-doctoral-level school psychologist interns consider when deciding which district to intern in. Likewise, it examined what an ideal working environment looks like for non-doctoral interns. Project Design: A total of 78 participants from a nationwide sample of non-doctoral school psychologist interns were asked to respond to a survey where they rated the importance of various factors that went into their decision on where to intern. Participants were then asked to rank these important factors. Questions asking participants to describe their internship were also included. They were then asked open-ended questions that explored specific areas that may have influenced their internship decision (e.g., practicum experiences, practicum supervisors, university faculty). Finally, participants were asked to describe what an ideal working environment looks like for them. With the quantitative data, descriptive statistics were used to describe the specific factors that non-doctoral school psychologist interns are looking at when making their decision on where to intern. Content analysis was used to summarize the open-ended responses (Brantlinger et al., 2005; Smith & Osborn, 2003). Results: Perceived level of support to be given, geographic location of the internship, perceived friendliness of the interviewer, commute time, and salary were the prominent factors that influenced interns' decisions about where to complete their internship. Respondents also rated these factors as very important: salary, commute time, perceived level of support to be given, geographic location, and proximity to family. Qualitative data supported these findings and indicated a high level of concern over the amount of support that interns would receive. These results can help school psychology trainers and school district leaders help prospective interns prepare for interviews. The results can also provide a framework for interns as they consider their priorities for selecting an internship.

Degree

EdS

College and Department

David O. McKay School of Education; Counseling Psychology and Special Education

Rights

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