The Historical Improvement of the School Psychology Service Ratio: Implications for Future Employment

A historical summary of estimated ratios of psychologists to school children for the years 1914 through 1986 is presented. The data provide a framework within which to judge the growth of the profession and, in combination with other sources, to estimate the demand for practitioners in the next several decades. The discussion describes the historical improvement of the service ratio, the potential problems associated with too large a supply-demand gap, the need to formulate a national position statement on provider-student ratios, and to establish strategies for training personnel, especially minorities, to meet predicted future needs.