SSSP Scientific Advocacy Initiative
In 2026, the SSSP Scientific Advocacy Initiative (SAI) was formed to enhance the SSSP’s mission by strengthening the visibility, dissemination, application, and impact of school psychology research. Soon after its formation, the SAI promoted SSSP’s membership in the Federation of Associations in Behavioral and Brain Sciences(FABBS). With FABBS membership, the SSSP joined an influential coalition of 35 leading scientific societies and nearly 60 academic departments dedicated to advancing knowledge for the betterment of society through the sciences of mind, brain, and behavior.
About SAI
The SAI seeks to strengthen the SSSP’s role as a national voice for the science of school psychology by emphasizing how research – and in particular, school psychology research – improves student learning, development, and well-being. Broadly, the SAI works to ensure that the science of school psychology is accessible, understandable, and valued in public discourse. Its broadest goals are as follows:
Goal 1. Promote the importance of the science of school psychology to education and the well-being of students, families, and schools.
Goal 2. Monitor and communicate policy developments that affect research funding, data access, and scholarly activity in school psychology.
Goal 3. Support SSSP members in developing research advocacy, communication, and leadership skills that enhance the visibility and impact of their research.
The SAI maintains a strict nonpartisan stance and does not engage in political endorsements, lobbying for specific candidates, or issuing statements unrelated to scientific evidence.
More details about the rationale, structure, and specific goals are available here.
SAI Membership
In 2026, the SAI co-chairs are Stacy Overstreet and Randy Floyd. SAI members include Robin Codding, Stacy-Ann January, Lyndsay Jenkins, Sue Sheridan, Karen Stoiber, and Frank Worrell.
Membership on the SAI was initially limited to SSSP members, and efforts were made by the SAI co-chairs (in coordination with the SSSP Director of Operations, who monitors SSSP service assignments) to compose the committee with a balance of later-career, late mid-career, and early mid-career SSSP members. Members serve three-year staggered terms, which may be renewed once. As needed, recruitment of new SAI members will target SSSP members through email invitations.
Beginning in 2027, SAI co-chairs will invite early-career and early mid-career scholars who are not SSSP members to apply for and join the SAI as SAI Fellows. This approach is intended to promote cross-generational collaboration and synergy, and to enhance the preparation of future SSSP leaders. It also aligns with the mentoring goals of the SSSP. Invitations will be distributed primarily to early-career scholars who participated in recent School Psychology Research Collaboration Conferences. Following review of applications by SAI members, early-career or early mid-career SAI Fellows will be selected. One SAI member, who is an SSSP member, will be designated as the primary mentor for the SAI Fellows.
Resources
As a Federation of Associations in Behavioral and Brain Sciences (FABBS) member society, the SSSP significantly strengthens its national visibility, scientific influence, and capacity for advocacy. SSSP members also gain access to policy updates, advocacy resources, federal briefings, and opportunities to engage with agencies such as the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation, the Institute of Education Sciences, and the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health.
FABBS Newsletter:
In this (mostly) semi-monthly newsletter, FABBS provides updates on:
Federal appropriations, legislation, and agency activities related to our sciences
FABBS initiatives and advocacy updates
Profiles of Early Career Impact Award winners and interviews with leaders in the field
Relevant meetings, opportunities, and policy developments
Sign up for the FABBS newsletter here.
Advocacy:
Download this Advocacy Handbook
FABBS is currently supporting scientists to engage with their members of Congress and providing both general and targeted training in eight strategic states: Alabama, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, West Virginia, South Dakota, and Pennsylvania. If you are interested in getting involved, please complete [this form].