Examining bilingual school psychologist demographics, training experiences, and multicultural competencies

The number of emergent bilingual (EB) students in U.S. schools is growing rapidly; as a result, many have explicitly looked to bilingual school psychologists (BSPs) to meet their needs. Often, there is an assumption that being bilingual also equips one with the appropriate competencies for bilingual school psychology practice. BSPs, like monolingual ones, still require specific training in the competencies needed to meet EB students’ unique needs. However, little is known about their training experiences, and much variability in credentialing requirements and coursework directly impacts how EB students are served in schools. Thus, utilizing the National Association of School Psychologists’ Bilingual School Psychologist Directory, the present study sought to better understand BSPs across the United States (N = 235) using questionnaires to gather their demographic information, training experiences and needs, and self-reported multicultural competencies. Results indicated marked variability in how BSPs are trained, with many university training programs lacking the coursework, supervision, and/or practical experiences necessary to obtain appropriate practice competencies. Relatedly, participants reported a high level of multicultural competency overall, but more in regard to theory than skills and knowledge for practice, indicating the need for further training. Recommendations and implications for the training and supervision of BSPs are provided.