Advocacy means to publicly support or suggest an idea, development, or way of doing something (Cambridge Dictionary, 2015). Advocating for issues and practices that support student learning and the profession of school psychology is the responsibility of all school psychologists, including IASP and its leadership. Engaging in advocacy takes many forms – from simply sharing information with school administrators to involvement in the legislative process – and occurs at the local, state, and national level.

Advocating for educationally and psychologically healthy environments for all children and youth is a key part of IASP’s mission. Our Advocacy and Collaboration Committee is working to fulfill that mission through a variety of activities, including ensuring that IASP has an active presence at the State House and collaborating with other professionals and key stakeholders. Explore these pages to learn more about IASP’s collaborative partnerships and legislative advocacy. 

NASP Public Policy Institute
One way that IASP leaders prepare for and stay abreast of advocacy issues is annual involvement in NASP’s Public Policy Institute (PPI). Each year, IASP’s President selects one or two board members to attend PPI to learn more about effective advocacy strategies, as well as current issues in education. The 2015 PPI was attended by Debby Cross, IASP President-Elect, and Debbie Freburg, Co-Chair of IASP’s Advocacy and Collaboration Committee. The topic of this year’s PPI was Creating Trauma Sensitive Schools: Supportive Policies and Practices for Learning. To learn more about PPI, visit the NASP website at http://www.nasponline.org/advocacy/ppi/index.aspx.

Get Involved!
Interested in getting involved? Click here to learn more about IASP’s Advocacy and Collaboration Committee and check out the advocacy resources page to learn more about what you can do to advocate for students and the profession of school psychology. Be a voice for school psychology in Indiana!