History of the Association
CASP History
Founded in 1950 and located in Sacramento, the California Association of School Psychologists (CASP) has and continues to be the largest and strongest voice for school psychologists in California.
In addition to liaising with various state boards and commissions, CASP actively represents the profession to legislative audiences, governmental officials, and other policy-making bodies. We provide continuing professional development to members through regional training programs, webinars, and yearly conferences. Our publications include quarterly newsletter, CASP Today, and quarterly, peer-reviewed research journal, Contemporary School Psychology.
The CASP membership is comprised of individuals who work in school districts, and in private practice throughout the state, helping school personnel–teachers, administrators, and counselors–support student education and solve related learning, social, and adjustment difficulties. Working also with parents of students, school psychologists link homes, classrooms, and school systems to promote the mental health, learning, and welfare of California’s children and youth.
Our governance structure is reflected in a 15-member Executive Board and an appointed slate of committee chairs and members who, together, complete the Board of Directors. The Executive Board is charged with policy-making for the organization and takes input and recommendations from committee chairs and the Executive Director. The day-to-day work is carried out through the efforts of CASP staff and volunteers, coordinated on a daily basis by the Executive Director.
To know where our association is headed, it’s important to know where we’ve been. While so much has changed in the past 70 years, our core values remain the same. We won’t rest until every one of California’s student’s mental, emotional, and academic needs is met.
Landmark Events in the History of CASP
- 1950 – First Conference of Psychologists and Psychometrists, sponsored by the California Department of Education and College of the Pacific
- 1951 – CASPP established in the Spring of 1951
- 1953 – First California Association of School Psychologists and Psychometrists (CASPP) committees established; inaugural issue of the newsletter
- 1963 – First affiliate established in Orange County
- 1967 – Statewide office established in Burlingame, California
- 1968 – CASPP representatives meet with Ohio School Psychologists Association to discuss a new national school psychologist association, ultimately leading the creation of the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP)
- 1968 – First staff member, Sandra Goff, hired
- 1968 – The same week Senator Robert Kennedy announced his candidacy for the presidency, an anti-war protest broke out at the 1968 CASPP Convention. Several CASPP Board members faced the threat of arrest!
- 1985 – CASPP becomes CASP
- 1985 – CASP band, the “Severe Discrepancies” play the Convention
- 1994 – First non-school psychologist executive director hired, Chris Otis
- 1994 – CASP headquarters moves from Burlingame, CA to Sacramento, CA
- 1998 – California School Psychology Foundation established
- 2003 – Certified Advanced Training Certificate Program in School Crisis Prevention, Response and Intervention is established. This program was the basis for the National Association of School Psychologists’ PREPaRE program.
- 2019 – Larry P. comes to Convention
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