Picture a school where nearly half the students speak a language other than English at home. Now imagine there’s only one psychologist available—and they only speak English. This is the reality for many US schools today. The national ratio stands at one school psychologist per 1,119 students, more than double the National Association of School Psychologists’ (NASP) recommended 1:500 ratio.1 Even more troubling, 92% of these professionals are fluent only in English. As multilingual learners (MLLs) rapidly become the fastest-growing student population in the US—projected to comprise one in four students in classrooms by next year—the need for more bilingual school psychologists is glaring. This shortage in culturally and linguistically diverse services creates a widening gap, leaving many MLLs without the academic and emotional support they need to succeed. Their academic success depends not only on understanding course materials but also on receiving psychological and cultural support that resonates with their backgrounds and unique needs.
The Role and Impact of Bilingual School Psychologists
Research consistently reveals what many of us know instinctively: mental health support and counseling are most effective when they connect with the individual— when they can acknowledge and resonate with a student’s background. In many cultures, mental health issues are often misunderstood, leading to negative attitudes, fear, and discrimination. This stigma can make it even more challenging for students to share their concerns openly or seek help, especially if they feel their cultural or ethnic backgrounds can lead to judgment or unfair treatment. To understand the significance and impact of bilingual professionals, it’s important to consider how their expertise extends beyond mere language proficiency.
• Cultural competency: Multilingual school psychologists bring a nuanced understanding of how cultural values, traditions, and communication styles shape a student’s perception of mental health and their willingness to seek help. This cultural competency allows them to develop and implement interventions that are not only linguistically appropriate but also resonate with the student’s lived experiences.
• Accurate assessments: The integrity of psychological assessments is compromised when cultural and linguistic factors are not considered. Bilingual psychologists mitigate this risk by conducting assessments that account for these variables to ensure that evaluations are both accurate and equitable. This can lead to more informed decisions regarding student support and placement.
• Facilitating communication: Effective communication is the foundation of a successful educational experience, especially in diverse school settings. Bilingual school psychologists are the connectors who make sure that everyone—students, parents, teachers, administrators—is on the same page. By speaking the same language as students and their families, they help build strong, trusting relationships that contribute to the students’ well-being and academic success.
Top Factors Contributing to the Workforce Shortage
The shortage of bilingual or multilingual school psychologists is a longstanding issue, exacerbated by several key factors:
• Limited diversity: The demographic makeup of school psychologists does not reflect the increasingly diverse student population. Currently, 76.4% of school psychologists are White, while Hispanic or Latino professionals make up 10.4%, Black or African American professionals represent 6.2%, and 3.4% are of unknown ethnicity.2 This lack of representation can hinder the development of culturally responsive services, as students may struggle to connect with professionals and practitioners who don’t share or understand their backgrounds
• Regional disparities: The shortage of school psychologists is more acute in regions such as the Northwest, Rocky Mountain, and Southern states, with rural areas experiencing the most severe shortages compared to their urban counterparts. This disparity means students in underserved districts—especially those with diverse populations—are less likely to receive the support they need.
• Ongoing high stress and burnout: The intense stress of school environments contributes to substantial burnout among school psychologists, with up to 90% reporting burnout at some level.3 Key factors include heavy workloads, inadequate support, challenging interactions with administrators, and insufficient resources. This persistent issue not only depletes the current workforce but also discourages new professionals from entering the field.
• Worsened retention issues: Retention of school psychologists is a growing concern, exacerbated by poor working conditions, lack of professional development, and insufficient peer mentoring. Addressing these issues is crucial to maintaining a stable and effective workforce capable of supporting all students.
Addressing the Urgent Needs of a Growing, Vulnerable Student Population
The path to becoming a school psychologist is lengthy, often taking six years or more to complete, while producing only a small number of graduates each year. To effectively recruit and retain bilingual school psychologists, schools and districts must explore proactive approaches that go beyond conventional hiring methods.
1. Enhance training programs and professional development.
Investing in the training of current school professionals, including bilingual professionals, can be essential to effectively supporting MLLs. Ongoing professional development in cultural competence and linguistic skills not only helps retain school psychologists but also ensures they’re equipped to handle language barriers with students who speak less common languages. Offering dual language certification or specialized training in culturally responsive practices can impact their ability to better connect with and support students with diverse backgrounds. School psychologists can also explore credit-bearing opportunities through organizations like their state’s school psychology association, NASP, or universities with strong TESOL programs to continue honing their skills.
2. Strengthen early outreach and recruitment initiatives.
School psychology often suffers from a lack of visibility. Many are unaware that it is a career option, which hinders interest in the profession. Building and supporting a diverse future workforce starts with engaging multilingual students early in their educational journeys. Schools should implement outreach programs starting as early as high school to inspire interest in school psychology as a career path, especially among students who are passionate about serving diverse communities. Providing access to mentoring opportunities and available scholarships can also help attract and support a steady pipeline of future professionals.
3. Leverage external resources and expertise to fill roles proactively.
School districts are often confined to professionals within their regions, limiting their access to a wider, more diverse talent pool. This has prompted many districts to turn to external resources, such as staffing firms and educational placement services, to ensure service continuity and compliance and alleviate strain on existing staff. External resources often provide a broader talent pool that enables districts to swiftly deploy professionals to cover unexpected vacancies and planned absences, like parental leave. These partners typically offer flexible arrangements, including short-term contracts that serve as “working interviews” leading to longer-term assignments tailored to the school or district’s specific needs.
4. Support systematic incentives.
Effective policy advocacy should focus on creating systemic incentives for both recruitment and retention. This could include advocating for state-level funding that supports bilingual certification for school psychologists, making it more accessible to current professionals who desire to expand their skill sets. Another approach could be to push for policies that integrate mental health services into the curriculum, with a focus on cultural competency to ensure that future professionals are well prepared to support diverse student populations. Additionally, policy changes that reduce the administrative burdens on school psychologists—such as simplifying reporting requirements and streamlining referral processes— can help reduce burnout and improve job satisfaction, allowing them to focus more on direct student support.
Ensuring that every child, regardless of their background, feels safe and supported when seeking help is not just a goal—it’s a necessity. We can build a more inclusive and sustainable future for students, their families, and the schools and professionals who serve them by implementing proactive and holistic strategies today. Every action we take now is a step toward a future where every student can thrive without fear or barriers.
Resources
1. www.nasponline.org/about-school-psychology/state-shortages-data-dashboard
2. www.zippia.com/school-psychologist-jobs/demographics
3. www.apa.org/monitor/2024/01/trends-more-school-psychologists-needed
Lesley Slaughter, SVP of Soliant (www.soliant.com), has nearly two decades of experience connecting dedicated education and healthcare professionals with school districts and hospitals nationwide. Through fostering meaningful relationships across diverse specialties, Lesley and her team at Soliant are dedicated to addressing the expanding demand for services by ensuring qualified professionals are positioned to positively impact the lives of students and patients daily.
