History of the Society

The Society for the Study of School Psychology (SSSP) has a unique role among school psychology organizations, a mission that is devoted exclusively to recognizing and promoting scholarship and research. Although the total amount of funding varies annually, SSSP will distribute approximately $100,000 annually to support school psychology research activities. Major SSSP initiatives include the Early Career Research Award, Dissertation Grant Award, International Research Award, School Psychology Research Collaboration Conference, and Shapiro Mid-Career Award. This funding, coupled with the firm commitments of scholars and practitioners toward validating effective practices and expanding the scope and effectiveness of school psychological services, can become a significant force in the design and implementation of school psychological services in the 21st century.

SSSP is the direct descendant of the group that established the Journal of School Psychology (JSP) in the early 1960s. Over the past four decades, JSP has grown and prospered under the leadership of JSP editors (Donald Smith, Jack I. Bardon, Beeman N. Phillips, Thomas D. Oakland, Raymond S. Dean, Joel M. Meyers, Robert C. Pianta, Edward J. Daly III, Randy G. Floyd, Michelle K. Demaray, and Craig Albers (current)) and the progressive guidance of the JSP corporation. By the late 1980s, JSP was generating some profit each year, but only limited funds were available to invest in activities associated with promoting school psychology as a discipline and profession. Richard Abidin brought this fact to the attention of the Board and additionally informed the Board that the contract they had with the publisher was not favorable to JSP Inc. He then proposed that JSP Inc. be converted into a not-for-profit society and that a more favorable contract be sought at the next renewal of the publication contract for JSP. The rationale is that the increase in funds would enable the new non-profit to have resources to benefit the profession. Richard Abidin made a number of proposals to the Board of Directors urging the change in status and then persuaded its members to donate their shares to the new SSSP. The original shareholders were given a cash settlement and a tax deduction as part of these arrangements. The process was an enormous undertaking with key roles played in the transition from the old JSP Inc. to the SSSP by Richard Abidin, James Eikeland, Michael Curtis, Thomas Oakland, and Emanuel Mason.

A narrative history of SSSP and the Journal of School Psychology appeared in the Journal of School Psychology.