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Psychological Services Department
School Psychologists provide services to schools by working with students, school staff, and parents/guardians to offer services to help children and youth succeed academically, socially, behaviorally and emotionally. School psychologists collaborate with educators and parents to create safe, healthy and supportive learning environments for all students.
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All LAUSD school psychologists are credentialed by the State of California.
School psychologists provide a variety of services to student and families, as well as support to the staff at the schools. These include, but are not limited to:
- Confer with teacher, school staff and parents regarding strategies for the solution or amelioration of group or individual student learning or adjustment problems and participate in prevention and intervention approaches for individual students
- Conduct psycho-educational assessments and develop case studies of individual students to determine educational needs, learning characteristics, social-emotional needs and behavioral needs relevant to educational placement, instructional planning and services
- Interpret evaluation results to parents and school staff, as appropriate
- Provide counseling to students individually or in groups
- Serve as a member of the Individualized Education Program (IEP) team
- Collaborate with community agencies to provide services required by students and families
- Provide parent counseling and training, as appropriate
- Provide crisis intervention and counseling
For more information, refer to the Psychological Services Brochure
English or Spanish (Español)
- Employment
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School Psychologists
Primary DutiesProvides psychological services to general education students and students with disabilities; conducts psycho-educational assessments to assist in determining eligibility for special education services and the development of educational programs; consults with school personnel, parents and others concerned with the progress of students; provides individual and group counseling services. When qualified, provides such services in the student's primary language or to deaf children using communication skills for the deaf when appropriate.
Minimum Qualifications
An earned master's degree or advanced degree of equivalent standard from a regionally accredited college or university. Candidates must also possess a Pupil Personnel Services Credential authorizing service as a school psychologist.
Contact InformationFor information regarding employment in Psychological Services, please contact Jose Gonzalez, Administrative Coordinator, at jose.j.gonzalez@lausd.net, or Randy Murphy, Talent Acquisition Specialist, at randy.murphy@lausd.net. The District continually accepts School Psychologist applications.
If you would like information regarding how to become a paid or an unpaid INTERN, please contact Susan Mora, Intervention Coordinator, at susan.mora@lausd.net.
Qualified candidates are invited to complete the online application.
Related Websites California Commission on Teacher Credentialing
- DIS Counseling Framework
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What is Social Emotional Learning (SEL)?
Social and emotional competence is the ability to understand, manage, and express the social and emotional aspects of one's life in ways that enable the successful management of life tasks such as:
- learning
- forming relationships
- solving everyday problems
- adapting to the complex demands of growth and development
It includes self-awareness, control of impulsivity, working cooperatively, and caring about oneself and others.
Social emotional skills can be integrated into school climate initiatives, general education instruction, and/or be part of targeted interventions. As with academic skills, in order to support students, it is essential to identify the skill deficit and, to determine the appropriate level of intervention. Schools which systematically teach and promote social emotional skills experience improved academic achievement, attendance, school climate and a reduction in discipline referrals.LAUSD SEL Framework
Research has identified social and emotional skills critical for student success, and has informed the development of evidenced based programs that designed for all levels of intervention.
As with academic skills, it is through the identification of specific competencies and instruction target at these competencies that we ensure our students are obtaining the skills they need and identifying when remediation is required.To approach Social Emotional Learning in a systematic manner, there is a need for a learning framework and identified benchmarks. The Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning (CASEL) has identified five sets of cognitive, affective and behavioral competencies found to be critical for student successfully functioning. LAUSD Psychological Services has adopted a model developed in Anchorage School District (ASD) which consolidates the CASEL model and serves as the foundation for Social Emotional Learning Benchmarks which guide Psychological Services’ counseling practice:
CASEL Framework
LAUSD Psychological Services Framework The Four Domains of Social Emotional Learning
Successful social emotional functioning can be thought of in four domains of competence. The following grid represents the goals and objectives for each domain.
AWARENESSSELF
SOCIAL
1. Self-Awareness
3. Social-Awareness
Students demonstrate a strong sense of self-awareness.
1a: Students identify and manage emotions and behavior.
1b: Students recognize personal qualities and external supports.
Student will show a strong sense of social awareness.
3a: Students demonstrate awareness of other people’s emotions and perspectives.
3b: Students recognize group similarities and differences.
MANAGEMENT2. Self-Management
4. Social-Management
Students will demonstrate self-management skills.
2a: Students use effective decision-making skills and goal setting skills.
2b: Students will demonstrate an ability to prevent, manage, and resolve internal conflicts in constructive ways.
Students will demonstrate social management skills.
4a: Students use positive communication and social skills to interact effectively with others.
4b: Students develop and contribute to the well-being of their school and community.
SEL - RTI and School Based Counseling Overview
Social Emotional competencies can be addressed in school-wide programs that contribute to positive school climates, the explicit teaching of classroom behavior, social skills and citizenship, targeted interventions for at-risk students and more focused interventions for students not responding to the aforementioned supports.
Targeted supports include evidence based practices for group and individual students based on need. Interventions at the Tier I, II & III level may be implemented through the collaborative efforts of school staff, counselors, school psychologists and mental health providers, as well as through community based agencies working with school-based professionals.
For students eligible for Special Education, counseling is a related service under federal law, and a Designated Instruction Service (DIS) under state law. However, LAUSD policy is that schools are to assure that students with disabilities have access to regular guidance and counseling programs to the same extent as their non-disabled peers. When an assessment determines counseling is needed, Designated Instructional Service (DIS) Counseling and Psychological Services Educationally Related Intensive Counseling Services (ERICS) can be provided to students who have Individualized Education Plans (IEP). Students and their families may also be referred to mental health services in the community, as appropriate.
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CASEL FrameworkLAUSD Psychological Services Framework
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Contact Us
Sergio Aviles
DirectorBrenda Ramirez, Senior Secretary
333 S. Beaudry Avenue, 17th Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90017
Phone (213) 241-8303
Fax (213) 241-8431
Professional Organizations
