Fordham University’s Graduate School of Education (GSE) formally opened the New York State Bilingual School Psychology Support Center on Thursday, November 15, at a ceremony at Duane Library on the Rose Hill campus.
The center, funded by a five-year, $675,000 grant from the state of New York, will serve as a central repository of information for both aspiring bilingual school psychologists and those currently working in the system. It is estimated that the New York City school system has 200 vacancies for school psychologists who speak both English and Spanish. In addition to the 14-member staff in the Bronx, the center will also feature a website that will direct psychology students to English as a second language and certification programs throughout the city, including those offered by colleges and universities other than Fordham.
“We’re very pleased at that fact that we’re regarded in such esteem, that we advertise equally for everyone, but we’re the hub,” said Anita Batisti, Ph.D., associate dean of the GSE’s Center for Educational Partnerships. “The center is housed at Fordham, but we’re advocating for the profession.”
