GRADUATE STUDENT PERCEPTIONS OF THE IMPACT OF TRAINING FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE: DEVELOPMENT OF A TRAINING MODEL

A school psychology training model that translates social justice from an aspiration to a model of practice for school psychologists will be examined. The strategies used to incorporate principles of social justice into the school psychology graduate training program with the goal of preparing school psychologists as agents of change will be discussed as well as key areas of training that were targeted (i.e., program mission, student body, program courses, community partnering, and community-based projects). Evaluative data from three cohorts about the impact of their training experiences on integrating social justice into their professional practice will be presented. Graduate student perceptions, implications of the training model, and suggestions for programs that are considering embracing a philosophy of social justice in an explicit way will be discussed. Copyright © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.