Topeka district highlights school psychologists, leader describes staffing shortages and contractor use

Topeka Public Schools honored its school psychology staff during the board meeting and heard details about staffing and service scope from department leader Dr. Carrie Sheets.

Sheets said the district currently has 21 school psychologists serving students across academic and mental-health needs. “I really have 15 school psychologists that are working full time with me. Two of them are contractors ... I still have one vacancy,” she told the board, describing the nationwide shortage in the field and the district’s use of contractors (some working hybrid schedules) to meet testing and evaluation needs.

Sheets outlined school psychologists’ responsibilities — from evaluations and special-education compliance to counseling, crisis response and behavior supports — and explained how the team supports more than 3,200 students on individualized education plans. She said contractors are used for in-person testing when needed and retirees sometimes help for a few days a week to handle evaluation workloads.

Board members asked about vacancies, competition from other districts and workload; Sheets said competition is strongest from other districts that can assign a single psychologist to one building, while Topeka psychologists often cover two buildings. Members and staff praised the team’s work and thanked them for supporting student needs.