Shane Jimerson, a professor in the Department of Counseling, Clinical, and School Psychology at UC Santa Barbara’s Gevirtz School, will deliver the invited keynote address at the 2012 California Association for School Psychologists (CASP) Convention in Costa Mesa, CA, October 25-26. The lecture will be entitled “Speak Up! School Psychologists Advocating to Enhance Students and Schools.”
Advocacy has been defined as “the act or process of advocating or supporting a cause or proposal.” However, actualizing advocacy within the context of educating students requires a more thorough and thoughtful conceptualization and understanding of advocacy. Advocacy is an essential element to enhance student outcomes. Indeed, it is imperative that school psychologists understand the importance and utility of advocacy. School psychologists have an opportunity to provide essential leadership and advocacy in their efforts to bridge the confluence of science/practice/policy in order to promote the social and cognitive competence of all students. Various emphases and understandings of advocacy related to the field of school psychology will be presented, in addition to experiences to illustrate key considerations. During this presentation, Dr. Jimerson will highlight the importance of leadership, advocacy and science informing educational practice and also advancing understanding of critical issues aimed toward helping students and staff in the school context.
As a distinguished leader and advocate, with over 250 publications, Dr. Jimerson is currently the president of Division 16 (School Psychology) of the American Psychological Association, editor of the School Psychology Quarterly (APA) journal, the lead-editor of The Handbook of School Violence and School Safety: International Research and Practice 2nd Edition (2012, Routledge), co-editor of Best Practices in School Crisis Prevention and Intervention 2nd Edition (2012, National Association of School Psychologists), lead-editor of The Handbook of Bullying in Schools: An International Perspective (2009, Routledge), The Handbook of International School Psychology (2007, SAGE Publishing), the lead editor of The Handbook of Response to Intervention: The Science and Practice of Assessment and Intervention (2007, Springer Science), and co-author of Promoting Positive Peer Relationships: Bullying Prevention Program. Having received numerous awards for his scholarship, including from the Society for the Study of School Psychology, the National Association of School Psychologists, the American Educational Research Association, California School Psychologists, and the Division 16 (School Psychology) of the American Psychological Association, his leadership, advocacy, and scholarship continue to highlight the importance of early experiences on subsequent development and emphasize the importance of research informing professional practice to promote the social and cognitive competence of children.