The NASP Connection

May, 2025

Happy Spring! I hope your school year is coming to a close nicely and that you have some wonderful plans for the upcoming summer months! As for me, I will be terming off as your Idaho NASP Delegate and ISPA Executive Board Member, and Karen Toerne will be your new Idaho Delegate as of July 1st. I’m leaving you in good hands!! I will continue to be involved in NASP as the Western Delegate Representative and member of the NASP Board of Directors for 2 more years, but Karen will be taking on the role and responsibilities as your Idaho Delegate.

NASP is needing your support more than ever as we continue to advocate for education and school-based mental health grants through the NASP Advocacy Center (NASP Advocacy Center).  Currently, there are messages you can send to your U.S. Congressmen related to supporting a fully funded & staffed U.S. Department of Education, urge members of Congress to protect Medicaid, support critical federal public education investments in FY2026, keep public funds in public schools, and tell Congress to support efforts to address workforce shortages. It is so crucial that we raise our voices on these important issues that impact us and the students and families we serve.

ISPA’s GPR Committee and I have been working side by side with Rep. Sonia Galaviz in pursuing the Interstate Compact School Psychologists (ICSP) agreement for Idaho, and we will continue to do so. This agreement will allow school psychologists, particularly military spouses, to have another pathway to credentialing here in Idaho that is quick and efficient. We worked to get “a qualified exam/PRAXIS” added to Idaho’s credentialing criteria (currently making its way through the Idaho Department of Education), which was one criterion we needed added before we could join the ICSP.  We will continue to advocate on issues related to school psychology to improve our recruitment and retention of school psychologists in Idaho.

This leads me to my next point as I have been working with Idaho State University in applying for and obtaining a federally funded school-based mental health grant which consists of almost $5M over the next five years. ISU School Psychology Graduate Program professors are currently in the first year of the grant and have obtained the first bit of money to start developing this grow-your-own program. ISU is offering a 2-day summer opportunity to learn more about ISU’s program, become trained in supervision of school psychologist graduate students, and collaborate with other professionals and earn credits and CPDs. Contact Dr. Erika Coles (erikacoles@isu.edu) for more information. IMPORTANT NOTE: Congress recently halted this school-based mental health grant, so we need to contact our U.S. Congressmen and let them know we desperately need this grant funding to continue (see NASP Advocacy Center).

Lastly, please consider joining NASP, if you are not a member already, as this organization works daily/weekly to promote and advocate for our profession, collaborate with numerous other organizations for school-based mental health issues, and support school psychologists from across the entire U.S. May is the best time to become a member. Join now to unlock 2 bonus months. Start using resources and discounts this spring. Plus, choose the installment plan for financial flexibility (Join NASP Today).

Take care of yourselves and each other! Reach out if you have any questions for me or if there is a way I can support you in your work.

Teresa

Teresa Stivers Fritsch, Psy.S., NCSP

School Psychologist-retired

National Association of School Psychologists (NASP)

Board of Directors

Western Delegate Representative

Idaho Delegate