School psychologist mentoring teachers

Empowering Educators: How School Psychologists Can Transform Early Career Teachers

Lena Kashyap in Mind & Education October 2026 • 4 min read.

"Discover how school psychologists are expanding their roles to support early career teachers, creating a ripple effect of positive change in classrooms and beyond."

The early years of a teaching career can be incredibly challenging. New teachers often face a whirlwind of classroom management issues, struggle to keep students engaged, and feel isolated from their colleagues. These challenges can lead to burnout and high turnover rates, particularly in high-poverty urban schools where resources are often stretched thin. The impact of teacher turnover extends beyond the individual educator, affecting student outcomes and overall school stability.

Traditionally, school psychologists have focused on assessment and eligibility determination for special education services. However, their expertise in consultation, group dynamics, and evidence-based interventions positions them perfectly to support early career teachers (ECTs). By expanding their role, school psychologists can provide invaluable assistance in classroom management, student engagement, and fostering a positive school environment. This proactive approach not only benefits new teachers but also enhances the learning experience for all students.

A recent study published in School Psychology Review sheds light on how school psychologists can effectively support early career teachers through a mixed-method intervention. This innovative approach combines group seminars, professional learning communities (PLCs), and coaching to equip ECTs with the skills and support they need to thrive. The findings offer practical insights into how schools can leverage the expertise of school psychologists to create a more supportive and effective learning environment for both teachers and students.

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History

A Field Shaped by History and Collaboration

School psychology has roots associated with Witmer and has evolved alongside education and child development, according to a historical overview. NASP describes school psychologists as key members of teams that include teachers, family members, and administrators, working to enhance student growth, health, and safety. Their roles are varied, and their consultation expertise has also been studied as a resource for early career teachers: a 2016 mixed-method study developed and pilot-tested an intervention focused on classroom management, learner engagement, and connection with colleagues.

What are the Key Strategies School Psychologists Can Use?

The study highlights several key strategies that school psychologists can employ to support early career teachers:

These components were carefully designed to address the unique challenges faced by ECTs:

Group Seminars: These sessions disseminate evidence-based classroom management and student engagement strategies. They also provide a platform for ECTs to connect with one another, reducing feelings of isolation and fostering a sense of community.
Professional Learning Communities (PLCs): PLCs offer ongoing professional development and collaborative learning opportunities. These communities cultivate ECT social networks and promote shared norms in classroom management and student engagement, creating a cohesive and supportive school culture.
Coaching: Coaching provides individualized support and guidance, allowing for modeling and co-teaching of specific evidence-based strategies. This personalized approach helps ECTs implement new techniques in their classrooms and refine their skills over time.

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Latest Research

School Culture and Peer Networks

A systematic review of international research on induction and mentoring reports that a developmental culture across a school, in addition to formal mentors, can help integrate beginning teachers into the teaching community. Research in Chicago Public Schools used key opinion leader dissemination models in which teachers nominated by peers through sociometric procedures shared information about evidence-based practices with colleagues. A community-science study gathered social-network nominations, satisfaction surveys, interviews, meeting records, and field notes from 85 educators across three elementary schools in two Central Ohio districts.

Counterpoints

Promising Models, Limited Evidence

The National Institute of Teaching's rapid evidence review says findings on mentoring and coaching for early career teachers are promising, but rigorous evidence connecting these approaches to pupil achievement and teacher retention remains limited. A related professional-development project aimed to develop and iteratively refine a model for early career teachers while considering a broader school psychologist role supporting teachers as well as students. The mixed-method study associated with this work included 15 early career teachers and 57 school personnel in three high-poverty urban schools, so its sample was specific to those settings.

Comparison

Effectiveness and Measurement Gaps

A meta-analysis identified 17 studies and found that school-based consultation and coaching were effective in promoting teachers' generalization of evidence-based practices (LRRi = 0.82) and target outcomes (LRRi = 1.15). The authors also called for researchers to collect generalization data in consultation and coaching research. Separately, a scoping review of eight peer-reviewed journals found that, among 5,048 articles published from January 1998 through September 2018, 90 (1.78%) explicitly referred to measuring effects of school psychological services in their title or abstract, while 22 (0.43%) defined those effects or described evaluation outcomes in the full text.

The intervention's success hinges on several key factors. The study found that facilitators to effectiveness and connectedness included:

The Future of Teacher Support: A Call to Action

The study provides compelling evidence for expanding the role of school psychologists to support early career teachers. By leveraging their unique skills and expertise, school psychologists can create a more supportive and effective learning environment for both teachers and students. As the education landscape continues to evolve, it is crucial to embrace innovative approaches that empower educators and foster a thriving school community. Allocating time and resources to support ECTs through targeted interventions is not just an investment in individual teachers; it is an investment in the future of education.

How the teacher-support pilot fits alongside other research

A longitudinal study of mathematics and science professional development found that training focused on particular instructional practices was associated with teachers using those practices more often; this is a separate study, not a result of the school-psychologist pilot.^[1]

In a separate classroom trial, researchers compared training plus consultation or coaching with training alone, examining classroom interactions and child functioning over a school year.^[2]

A mixed-method pilot of support for early career teachers

Sample size	15 ECTs and 57 school personnel^[3]
Setting	Three high-poverty, urban schools^[3]
Main outcome	ECTs' effectiveness and connectedness^[3]
Times cited	47^[3]

Reading the findings as an early test

The findings suggest that participants saw possible gains in both doing the work of teaching effectively and feeling connected to colleagues. Those are related but distinct aspects of early-career experience.^[3]

Because the work was iterative development and pilot testing, its contribution is evidence about a developing support approach and how participants experienced it, not proof that it produces lasting changes in classrooms or schools.^{[3] [4]}

What the pilot leaves unresolved

Would the promising trends in teacher effectiveness and connectedness be observed in schools with different structural conditions or training needs?^{[3] [4]}

Sources

Effects of Professional Development on Teachers’ Instruction: Results from a Three-year Longitudinal Study (Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 2002)
Teacher consultation and coaching within mental health practice: classroom and child effects in urban elementary schools. (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
Expanding the Role of School Psychologists to Support Early Career Teachers: A Mixed-Method Study (Informa UK Limited, 2016)
Expanding the role of school psychologists to support early career teachers: A mixed-method study - Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey (www.researchwithrutgers.org)

About this Article -

Written with AI assistance from published research, and reviewed by the Mystum team. See our About page for more information.

This article is based on research published under:

DOI-LINK: 10.17105/spr45-2.226-249, Alternate LINK

Title: Expanding The Role Of School Psychologists To Support Early Career Teachers: A Mixed-Method Study

Subject: Developmental and Educational Psychology

Journal: School Psychology Review

Publisher: Informa UK Limited

Authors: Elisa S. Shernoff, Stacy L. Frazier, Ané M. Maríñez-Lora, Davielle Lakind, Marc S. Atkins, Lara Jakobsons, Bridget K. Hamre, Dulal K. Bhaumik, Michelle Parker-Katz, Jennifer Watling Neal, Mark A. Smylie, Darshan A. Patel

Published: 2016-06-01

Everything You Need To Know

How can school psychologists support early career teachers, and what key areas do they address to enhance their effectiveness and well-being?

School psychologists are uniquely positioned to support early career teachers through strategies like facilitating group seminars focused on classroom management and student engagement. Professional Learning Communities offer continuous development and build teacher networks. Individualized coaching provides tailored support, helping teachers implement specific strategies and refine their skills, ultimately leading to improved classroom environments and student outcomes. Areas for development include strategies for adapting these interventions for teachers with diverse learning styles and needs, and methods for measuring the long-term impact on teacher retention.

What are the main elements of the mixed-method intervention that helps school psychologists support early career teachers, as highlighted in the study?

The mixed-method intervention study leveraged three core components. First, group seminars disseminate evidence-based strategies for classroom management and engagement while creating a community for early career teachers. Second, Professional Learning Communities provide continuous professional development and build supportive social networks. Finally, individualized coaching allows for modeling and co-teaching of specific strategies tailored to the teacher's needs. A future study could also include a mentorship component where seasoned teachers provide peer support, complementing the expertise of the school psychologist.

What are the primary challenges faced by early career teachers, and how do these challenges affect both the teachers and the school environment?

Challenges such as classroom management, student engagement, and feelings of isolation contribute to burnout and turnover among early career teachers. These issues disproportionately affect high-poverty urban schools where resources are limited. Teacher turnover negatively impacts student outcomes and school stability. Addressing these challenges through comprehensive support systems involving school psychologists is crucial for retaining talented educators and fostering positive learning environments. Further exploration should examine the systemic factors contributing to these challenges, such as inadequate pre-service training and lack of administrative support.

How is the role of school psychologists evolving, and why are they now considered essential in supporting early career teachers beyond special education services?

Traditionally, school psychologists have been primarily involved in assessment and eligibility determination for special education services. However, their skills in consultation, group dynamics, and evidence-based interventions make them well-suited to support early career teachers. By expanding their roles, school psychologists can address challenges related to classroom management, student engagement, and school environment, benefiting both teachers and students. Expanding the roles could include leading workshops, modeling best practices in the classroom, and providing resources for new teachers to feel empowered.

What makes interventions with school psychologists successful in supporting early career teachers, and how can schools ensure these supports are effective and sustainable?

The success of interventions hinges on creating a supportive environment. Facilitators include effectiveness and connectedness. Prioritizing time and resources for targeted support is an investment in both individual teachers and the future of education. To build on the success include strategies for ongoing assessment of teacher needs, adaptation of interventions based on feedback, and promotion of sustainability through leadership buy-in and resource allocation. Explore sustainable funding models, collaborative partnerships with universities, and policy changes to recognize and support the expanded role of school psychologists.