This is the second of two articles on the implementation of a prereferral intervention model. The first article provided a rationale and description of the prereferral intervention model as the first phase in the special education services delivery system. In this article, the implementation of the model is described and data are presented on consultation, referral, testing, and placement rates before, during, and after implementation. Issues in implementation, including school system variables and barriers to implementing a consultation model, are also discussed.

Implementing a Prereferral Intervention System: Part II. The Data

Questionnaires asking for actual and ideal perceptions of the role of the school psychologist were completed by 80 school psychologists, 37 directors of pupil personnel services, and 29 superintendents in Virginia public schools. Administrators and school psychologists are in substantial agreement regarding the amount of time the psychologist actually devotes to different job activities. Approximately 75% of the psychologist's time is spent in Meyers' Level I activities (Meyers, 1973). All groups desire a reduction in the time spent in assessment, but they differ as to what intervention levels should be increased. Psychologists see the saved time most appropriately spent in interventions at the system level. Discrepancy between actual and desired roles is discussed in terms of the impact of P.L. 94–142. The consistency of psychologists' actual and ideal perceptions correlated significantly and negatively with their job satisfaction. This relationship is discussed in terms of role conflict, and a comparison is made of actual roles with the emphasis in two professional journals.

Consistency of administrators' and psychologists' actual and ideal perceptions of school psychologists' activities

A national survey of 335 school psychologists, asking them to record their activities on a specific school day, found that assessment activities comprised nearly 40% of the work time, and consultative activities another one-third of the day. Data were collected on a number of other work activities, as well as characteristics of the respondents: age, ethnic status, graduate degrees held, languages spoken, and characteristics of district served.

Barbara Clancy

Papers

Priority roles for school psychologists as seen by superintendents