Careers & Training
Boston is one of four districts in the nation to hold NASP Exemplary Recognition for its school psychological services. We are seeking long-term substitute school psychologists for the 2026–27 school year, and we train the next generation from pre-practicum through post-doctoral fellowship.
Current Opportunities
We are currently seeking long-term substitute school psychologists for the 2026–27 school year.
Long-term substitutes carry a school assignment for an extended period, working alongside the department's school psychologists, with the same coaching, professional development, and supervision structure. Openings are posted on the Boston Public Schools SchoolSpring portal. Search "school psychologist" in the Search Jobs field to see the positions currently available.
Contact Jon Mari, Assistant Director of Behavioral Health Services, at jmari@bostonpublicschools.org.
School psychologists in Boston Public Schools are members of the Boston Teachers Union, whose contract covers salary, benefits, and working conditions for school years 2024–2027. BTU salary grid · Teacher salary schedule 2024–2027
Why Boston
BPS trainees learn in diverse school communities, work alongside experienced supervisors, and build skills across the full scope of school psychology practice.
Training Programs
Practicum students, interns, and doctoral fellows train inside a department recognized nationally for its comprehensive school psychological services.
A unique training opportunity within Behavioral Health Services. We have trained students from pre-practicum through internship since 2007, and many of our current staff began here as students themselves.
ApplyCoordinated through the APPIC Match process. The second cohort of APPIC interns graduated in 2025–26. The program is uniquely suited to an urban district that qualifies as a health service setting and meets criteria for licensure as a Psychologist in Massachusetts. Interns receive a minimum stipend of $25,000.
Apply Through APPICPaid internships, mentorship, and field supervision for school psychology, social work, and school counseling trainees, designed to increase the number, quality, and racial and linguistic diversity of BPS's mental health workforce.
About Project PROVIDEDownload and print a copy of our internship program brochure.
Current and former interns on what the year is really like.
The Internship Experience
Interns engage in the special education evaluation process and gain exposure to all NASP and APA competency areas, with training focused on trauma-sensitive practices, confronting issues of equity and anti-racist practices, teacher consultation, mental health supports, and systems-level support.
From the department's 2026 School Psychology Training brochure.
Interns receive high-quality training within a unique service model. Our goal is to provide an extraordinary learning experience that helps school psychology interns become highly skilled practitioners. We provide training in a wide variety of settings with a diverse group of students and professionals, giving trainees a solid foundation in the essential skills while also providing the wide range of experiences and specialized training that allow interns to develop into confident professionals. The program uses the competencies developed by NASP and APA as guides and evaluation tools, and interns improve through general experience and individualized growth plans created in consultation with their supervisors.
Doctoral interns and post-doctoral fellows gain experience managing caseloads, engaging in behavior consultations, functional behavior assessment, developing behavior support plans, direct interventions such as group or individual counseling, standardized assessments, reviewing data for eligibility determinations, consulting with school teams, and utilizing a system of tiered supports. Other common activities include participating in school-based teams such as Student Support Teams, child study teams, data teams, and CBHM/climate and culture teams, and providing professional development for teachers and other school personnel.
The program is in compliance with the Massachusetts Board of Registration of Psychologists requirements and NASP/CDSPP internship requirements. Supervision is provided by Licensed Psychologists, with increased support when new or challenging tasks are assigned. Toward the end of the year, supervision is aimed at supporting the intern as an independently functioning school psychologist. Interns receive didactic trainings throughout the year on special education, assessment methods, team facilitation, leadership training, applied research, and the intersection of social justice and school psychology.
Interns are encouraged to work with specialized staff and students with a wide variety of needs, including early childhood, multi-tiered systems of support, students on the Autism spectrum, students with developmental disabilities, complex emotional impairments, learning disabilities, and post-secondary transition. Trauma-sensitive training and practice is embedded throughout. For school psychologists in BPS, there is a strong emphasis on leadership experiences, participation in district research and implementation teams, and involvement with community mental health initiatives.
In 2020, we welcomed our first class of pre-doctoral interns to a training program that meets criteria for both certification through the Massachusetts Department of Education in School Psychology and licensure as an independently practicing psychologist through the Board of Registration of Psychologists as a Health Service Provider. This one-year internship provides a wide array of training experiences and ongoing support to prepare you for a successful career as a leader within the profession.
Questions?
