On April 8th, the National Alliance of Pupil Services Organizations (NAPSO), of which ACA is a member, held a briefing on Capitol Hill for House Education Committee staff on the critical role that Specialized Instructional Support personnel play in supporting the academic success of all students.

Education Committee staffers heard from a panel representing the three sectors of Specialized Instructional Support Services: (1) health and education-related therapy; (2) creative arts; and (3) school-employed mental health, as well as a school administrator.

Panelists discussed the need for, and collaboration among, special and general education staff, especially Specialized Instructional Support personnel, to meet the needs of all students throughout the school given the trend toward inclusion and the mandates for student achievement under NCLB.

Panelists included:

• Robyne Stone Davis, a Licensed Professional Counselor and an Advanced Registered Dance/Movement Therapist in Washington, DC.
• Heather Denhard, an elementary school nurse with Baltimore County Public Schools.
• Dr. Mary V. Kealy, Assistant Superintendent for Pupil Services in Loudoun County (VA) Public Schools.
• Judith Schoonover, a staff occupational therapist for Loudoun County Public Schools.
• Dr. Tori Stone, ACA/ASCA member, a middle school counselor at Bull Run Middle School in Prince William County, Virginia, and Assistant Professor of Education in the Department of Counseling and Development at George Mason University.

The National Alliance of Pupil Services Organizations (NAPSO) is a coalition of 20 national professional organizations whose members provide and support a variety of school-based prevention and intervention services to assist students in becoming effective learners and productive citizens. Chris Campbell, ACA’s Associate Director of Public Policy and Legislation, serves as co-chair of NAPSO.

NAPSO organizations represent over a million members, including school counselors, school nurses, psychologists, school psychologists, social workers and school social workers; occupational therapists, physical therapists, art therapists, dance/movement therapists, and music therapists; speech-language pathologists and audiologists; teachers, students, parents, and administrators.

NAPSO promotes interdisciplinary practice and collaboration and advocates for ensuring access to quality pupil services for all students.

For more information: visit www.napso.org.