Robertta: I am a school psychologist, working for a private company who has placed me in a private school. I have a Ph.D. and more than 25 years of experience. I have done assessments on several children here and, as part of that, have interviewed teachers. In my reports, I have included quotes from the teachers (never anything that is “damaging” or risky), so that the teachers’ voices come through, instead of being filtered by me. The teachers are okay with this. The principal, however, wants no quotes from teachers. I have never had a principal…or anyone else…try to dictate what I can or cannot write in a report. I’ve never heard of that before. I never thought I would have to ask this question but… Who has …decision making over what I write in my own psychological report??
While I have never had an administrator tell me what can/can’t be included in my reports, as a school psychologist I am interested in answers to this as well.
As the evaluator, you are responsible for what you include in your report. You can advise the principal that (1) teacher observations are an integral part of any evaluation, and (2) your Principles for Professional Ethics do not allow you to change a report because of administrative pressure.
Suggest that you review the Professional Ethics for help. This article, “Preventing and Resisting Administrative Pressure to Practice Unethically,” published by the NASP, offers strategies to deal with this problem: http://www.nasponline.org/Documents/Administrative_Pressure.pdf