Practices in School Psychology seem to be increasingly restricted to referrals/diagnosis of children for the sub-system of special education instead of being focused on the design and implementation of interventions for students with specific problems. The apparent dissatisfaction of school psychologists with this trend and the difficulties dealing with categorical diagnostic models within the school context have stimulated a movement toward the implementation of alternative assessment and intervention models, such as Response to Intervention, Curriculum-Based Measurement and Problem-Solving. However, the controversy about the true alternative nature of these models seems far from being exhausted. The aim of this paper is to discuss the benefits and limitations of the different models according to the best evidence available. We also consider the implications for practices in School Psychology.
Assessment; Diagnosis; Intervention; Learning disabilities; Special education