There’s a demand for school psychologists and their services in Wayne County.
At this week’s Wayne County Board of Education meeting, Assistant Superintendent for Student Services and Innovative Programs Dr. Marcia Manning presented an agreement to allow WCPS school psychologists to work on Saturdays and outside of regular work hours.
Dr. Manning says they’ve investigated finding additional school psychologists, but they’re scarce and unavailable.
The school psychologists conduct psychological evaluations required for students in order to be identified for potential services through the Exceptional Children’s Department.
Like other school districts across the nation, WCPS is experiencing a backlog in this area due to the impacts of COVID-19.
WCPS currently has about 260 referrals for psychological evaluation waiting.
Even with the additional hours, that backlog will still not be cleared by June 19th, the end of the new agreement.
Under the agreement, there is a cap on the C.A.R.E.S. Act funding that has been allotted to cover the additional school psychologist services.
The agreement has provisions to provide safety for the psychologists during the Saturday hours.
The school board passed the agreement unanimously.
