With school psychologist shortages at a crisis level—particularly in rural areas—innovative pathways are needed to grow professionals from within our school communities. This session will introduce the University of Wisconsin–La Crosse’s online graduate program in school psychology, designed specifically for current educators seeking to retrain and transition into this high-need field. Attendees will hear a brief overview of the program’s unique structure.

The presentation will be followed by a panel discussion featuring current fourth-year students completing their internships in small and rural districts across Wisconsin. Panelists will share insights about balancing graduate work with professional and personal responsibilities, building relationships in rural communities, and how their classroom backgrounds uniquely prepared them for school psychology.

This session is ideal for educators, administrators, and district leaders looking to explore sustainable, homegrown solutions to the school psychologist shortage.