School psychologists and autism identification: Present challenges and potential solutions

Abstract

Although federal law has provided guidelines for autism eligibility for special education, school-based autism assessment and eligibility vary widely across states and identification continues to lag behind national prevalence data. The main role of the school psychologist continues to be conducting evaluations for special education eligibility, and given current barriers, some school psychologists do not feel equipped to make a recommendation for autism eligibility. This article summarizes the barriers school psychologists face when conducting autism assessments in the schools, including systemic barriers, lack of training or professional development, resulting lack of confidence, among others. We conclude by highlighting recommendations for multipronged systemic changes that will improve the capacity of special education teams and specifically support the pivotal role of the school psychologist in conducting autism eligibility evaluations in the schools.

Criterion Validity of the Autism Spectrum Rating Scales Teacher Report

“…The school environment is an important area of identification for children with exceptionalities under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), including ASD. With the large number of referrals and lengthy wait lists for ASD evaluations, school psychologists are increasingly being called upon to evaluate children with a potential Autism IDEA identification (Margiano et al, 2023). Teacher input is an essential component of any psychoeducational evaluation, including those where ASD is a potential concern.…”