Effects of Special Education Teams on School Psychology Services

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to examine assumed differences in workload, service provision and professional quality evaluations in school psychology services (SPS) to schools with and without special education teams (SETs). Inclusion in the respective school samples was based on information from a survey completed by the school administrations about the schools' special education systems. SPS professionals recorded the case process and evaluated the case service quality. The results supported the hypotheses of different service patterns and workload in the two samples: SET schools compared to schools without SETs have: (1) a reduced number of referrals to SPS; (2) fewer referrals of behaviour cases; (3) more indirect work by the SPS and (4) more SPS collaboration with home and school and other services, institutions and authorities. The SPS professionals evaluated the service quality of the cases in the SET sample highest, as assumed. There is no significant difference in the mean number of work operations per case between the samples. The results are discussed with reference to quality indicators of the SPS and practical implications.