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  • WCCUSD school psychologists face burnout due to consistent staff shortages

    WCCUSD school psychologists face burnout due to consistent staff shortages


    A group of WCCUSD school psychologists at a union contract rally in 2023.

    Courtesy of John Zabala

    West Contra Costa Unified School District’s school psychologist internship program once flourished. The district recruited from substantial applicant pools from local universities and provided a strong start for beginning school psychologists entering the workforce, often retaining them after the internships ended. 

    Now, however, in the years since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, WCCUSD is struggling to recruit interns and fill vacant school psychologist positions. This means psychologists, considered essential pieces of school environments, are carrying larger case loads and working longer hours, leading to burnout.

    WCCUSD, like other districts across the state, is no stranger to staff shortages — the district started the 2023-24 academic year with more than 200 special education paraprofessional vacancies. The shortages have persisted, and on Jan. 31, Public Advocates, a nonprofit civil rights law firm, filed three complaints with the district, alleging some schools failed to provide students with qualified teachers because of problems related to staffing shortages.  

    School psychologists fill a critical role in school communities, collaborating with administration, teachers and parents to ensure students are succeeding academically, emotionally and behaviorally. 

    West Contra Costa has struggled with five to seven school psychologist vacancies for the past couple of years. Halfway through the current school year, the district is still dealing with three.

    “We’re going to weather, this obviously, but we still have a couple of years in which we are going to have a really significant shortage, and we’re going to have a really significant increase in the demand for services, so we’re kind of in for a little bit of a scary period,” said John Zabala, a school psychologist in the district and the president of United Teachers of Richmond. 

    California is generally facing a critical shortage of school psychologists. According to the California Association of School Psychologists, the National Association of School Psychologists recommends a ratio of 1 school psychologist for 500 to 750 students. However, California schools on average have 1 per 1,000 students. Some schools have 1 per 3,000 students.

    Although WCCUSD’s ratio falls into the recommended range at around 1 school psychologist per 500-550 students, school psychologists in the district still face large caseloads and longer work days, contributing to burnout.

    Some districts compensate for shortages by hiring contractors or traveling school psychologists. Emily Springhart, department co-chair of psychology at West Contra Costa, however, said the district has preferred increasing the caseload of school psychologists and extending their work days to deal with the shortage.

    “A lot of the report writing and the case management — those things just go home with people,” Springhart said. “I’m sure it’s not great for their own personal health.”

    Schools have seen a substantial increase in the number of students requiring mental health and behavioral resources in recent years. In April 2022, 69% of public schools reported that the percentage of students seeking mental health services had increased since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. Covid-19 disrupted early intervention for many students, leading to an increase in the number of students needing support, while the staff who would be able to support them, like school psychologists, have not. 

    Mary Campbell, a WCCUSD school psychologist and former department chair, said she worries about what the shortages and the resulting burnout could mean for the longevity of the profession. 

    Springhart said the school psychologist shortage seems to be caused by the same factors triggering shortages of other school staff: inevitable events like retirement, but also financial hardship, forcing people to move out of parts of California with high costs of living. 

    But another cause lies in the declining number of incoming applicants from universities that typically feed into districts like WCCUSD. Springhart said the number has steadily declined, despite the district having a long and strong history of hiring school psychologists from those programs.

    “It seems like all of the districts are kind of fighting over everybody right now, just because there’s not enough people coming out of programs,” Springhart said.

    Oanh Tran, school psychology program coordinator for California State University, East Bay, said she’s actually seen an increase of applicants to the program in recent years. But because the Bay Area is home to so many school districts, there aren’t enough school psychologists to go around.

    “We have so many districts, so many schools, and just a handful of students are graduating with their PPS (Pupil Personnel Services) credential to service those schools and districts,” Tran said. 

    Tran said new school psychologists are also experiencing burnout earlier in their careers. Not only are they dealing with more assessment caseloads, but they’re also spending their days putting out fires likely caused by a lack of early intervention.

    The best districts, Tran said, prioritize monitoring the needs of their school psychologists, ensuring they have access to helpful mentors, have a manageable caseload, and feel supported by their team. Students are being strategic about finding districts that provide these resources, Tran explained. 

    “In West Contra Costa, I do remember there was a time where they did have a lot of our practicum and interns,” Tran said. “But now, I think because there are so many districts that are recruiting our students, it’s competitive. It’s so competitive. We only have so many students in our cohort, but we have over 50 districts now participating in our recruitment fair for our students.”

    Although West Contra Costa offers competitive pay, especially after salary increases last year, Springhart agreed the shortage has been a regional issue, extending beyond the district. She said more education and recruitment about the profession may be necessary to increase the number of applicants to school psychologist programs. 

    “I think there are ways that we know that we can attract and keep people in these jobs, which can be very rewarding jobs,” Campbell said, “but not when we’re so under-resourced.”





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  • A healthy work-life balance can prevent college student burnout

    A healthy work-life balance can prevent college student burnout


    Jazlyn Dieguez in the newsroom at San Diego State University, where she spent some of her non-studying college time.

    Credit: Jazlyn Dieguez / EdSource

    I am a workaholic, and naturally, I made this realization at 4 on a Sunday morning.

    I had been working on a 15-page research paper on artificial intelligence in hopes of making more progress before the approaching deadline. But instead of working in study-friendly silence, I was engulfed by the sound of Pitbull’s “Time of Our Lives” blaring from my neighbor’s backyard.

    Amid the sound of friends laughing and singing together, I paused to reflect on how I felt.

    My eyes were groggy and sore, my mouth was dry, and my body had fused to the living room couch. Not only did I feel physically sick, I also had a lingering sense of stress and anxiety that inhibited me from taking a break from my classwork.

    This lingering feeling robbed my life of joy. It pressured me to say “no” to spending time with friends and loved ones out of fear of falling behind in school and extracurriculars. 

    And I know I am not alone in these sentiments.

    According to a Gallup survey of more than 2,400 college students at four-year U.S. institutions, 66% reported experiencing stress and 51% reported feeling worried in the spring 2023 semester. 

    It’s difficult to witness many of my peers struggle to cope with these emotions. I have also experienced this struggle by pouring too much of my time and energy into school-related activities: joining new clubs, taking on editorial roles, starting ambitious group projects, and more.

    While achieving these milestones brought temporary satisfaction, the pressure to overachieve intensified my anxiety, ultimately leading to mental exhaustion throughout the year. It was a clear case of burnout, a state of feeling fatigued and overwhelmed by ongoing pressure at work. 

    In a study examining psychological distress and burnout among first-year college students, reports found that 27% of students who reported psychological distress in their first semester were at increased risk of depression, depersonalization and higher levels of burnout.

    As a first-generation college student, there’s something I wish I knew before starting college: how to find a work-life balance. It’s taken my whole college experience to realize that I am at fault for applying so much pressure on myself to achieve more. But, recognizing this was the first step toward making a positive change.

    Here are some strategies that have helped me improve my work-life balance as a student:

    1. Reduce screen time: Use specific app features to control and monitor screen usage. This approach can help enhance work productivity and physical well-being by reducing eye strain and improving sleep quality. Additionally, scheduling designated times for phone use can minimize aimless time spent online.
    2. Embrace social opportunities: Say “yes” to quality time with friends, or communicate your interest in spending time with others. Swapping study sessions for casual dinners, coffee dates or game nights nurtures emotional and physical well-being through meaningful social interactions. This approach motivated me to attend my first San Diego State University basketball game — although not until my senior year — and enjoy more concerts in San Diego.
    3. Set clear goals: Identify three to five realistic daily goals using a to-do list application or a notepad to track progress. Setting short-term goals can provide focus and motivation, further guiding individuals toward achieving personal and academic milestones.

    As I began to wrap up my time at San Diego State, I wanted to make the most of my college experience before I walked across the graduation stage. I refused to be consumed by the stress and anxiety of pending coursework; I wanted to remember college for the memories shared with people I care about, not the late-night study sessions spent alone. 

    Implementing these methods helped me remove the pressure I place on myself and gain a stronger sense of control over my responsibilities. Knowing that I can progress toward my goal through these small adjustments brings me relief.

    I’m most proud of myself for making this change, as I have been able to experience more in the last few months than in previous years. 

    Incoming students embarking on their college careers need significant support to navigate through intensified stressors. But it’s important to remember that a life beyond academics is a life set up for success. It is possible to have the best of both worlds.

    •••

    Jazlyn Dieguez is a member of EdSource’s California Student Journalism Corps. She graduated in May with a journalism degree from San Diego State.

    The opinions expressed in this commentary represent those of the author. EdSource welcomes commentaries representing diverse points of view. If you would like to submit a commentary, please review our guidelines and contact us.





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