NAU Expands School Psychology Training to Serve Rural Arizona
A new grant-funded, distance-delivery graduate program will help prepare school psychologists to support students and families in northern Arizona communities. Applications are open for the January 2027 cohort.
For many rural Arizona schools, finding qualified school psychologists is a persistent challenge. These professionals play an essential role in supporting students’ academic success, behavior, and mental health, yet many rural districts lack access to a full-time school psychologist.
Northern Arizona University is working with state and county partners to address that need through Arizona Project CAN – Cultivating School Psychologists for Rural Northern Arizona.
The initiative introduces Arizona’s first distance-delivery Educational Specialist (EdS) program in School Psychology, designed specifically to help aspiring school psychologists from rural communities pursue graduate training while remaining connected to the places they call home.
Supported by funding from the U.S. Department of Education through a grant partnership with the Arizona Department of Education and the Coconino County Education Service Agency, Project CAN aims to strengthen the school psychology workforce and expand access to student mental and behavioral health services across northern Arizona.
Arizona Project CAN brings together Northern Arizona University and state and county partners to expand school psychology training and strengthen student support services in rural communities.
Addressing a critical need in Arizona schools
School psychologists help students succeed by supporting learning, behavior, social-emotional development, and mental health. They work with educators, families, and school systems to identify student needs and connect young people with appropriate resources and services.
Yet access to these professionals is especially limited in many rural northern Arizona communities.
Arizona produces only a few dozen newly credentialed school psychologists annually, making the development of additional preparation pathways an important part of addressing the state’s workforce shortage.
Project CAN seeks to help close this gap by preparing new school psychologists while also supporting professionals already serving in rural schools.
In addition to graduate training, the federally funded initiative will provide mentoring for practicing school psychologists, professional development, and infrastructure support for rural school systems.
Together, these efforts are intended to strengthen schools’ capacity to assess student needs and provide effective academic, behavioral, social-emotional, and mental health supports.
Graduate education designed for rural communities
For aspiring school psychologists who live and work outside Flagstaff, relocating or regularly traveling to campus can create significant barriers to earning a graduate degree.
The new distance-delivery option addresses those challenges while maintaining the comprehensive preparation offered through NAU’s existing School Psychology EdS program.
The program includes:
- Primarily online coursework that allows students to complete much of their graduate education without relocating to Flagstaff.
- Tuition assistance and stipends to help reduce financial barriers.
- Funded summer residencies at NAU’s Flagstaff campus for intensive hands-on learning and opportunities to connect with faculty and peers.
- Fieldwork placements in or near students’ home communities, helping residents build relationships with the schools and families they may eventually serve.
- A 3.5-year pathway to the EdS degree, including the culminating internship experience.
The model recognizes that preparing professionals to serve rural communities requires more than simply increasing the number of graduates.
It also means creating educational opportunities that allow students to develop professional expertise and lasting relationships in those communities.
Building partnerships for lasting impact
Project CAN reflects the importance of collaboration in addressing complex educational challenges.
Through its partnership with the Arizona Department of Education and the Coconino County Education Service Agency, NAU is connecting university-based graduate preparation with the workforce and student-support needs of rural schools.
The project also recognizes that expanding access to school psychology services requires investment in both new professionals and the systems where they will work.
By combining graduate education, mentoring, professional learning, and school-system support, Project CAN seeks to build a more sustainable network of services for children and families across northern Arizona.
Applications are open for January 2027
The first distance-delivery cohort will begin in January 2027, with applications due December 1, 2026.
The grant-funded program is intended for eligible applicants who live or currently work in one of seven Arizona counties:
Coconino, Yavapai, Mohave, Navajo, Apache, Gila, or La Paz.
Prospective students are encouraged to attend a virtual information session to learn about program requirements, financial support, eligibility, and the application process.
Upcoming virtual information sessions
DateTime (Arizona)Wednesday, October 14, 20264:15–5:15 p.m.Wednesday, October 28, 20265:30–6:30 p.m.Thursday, November 12, 20264:15–5:15 p.m.Tuesday, November 17, 20265:30–6:30 p.m.
Register for a virtual information session
Apply for the grant-funded School Psychology program
For additional information, contact ProjectCAN@nau.edu.
Preparing professionals where they are needed most
By making school psychology training more accessible to residents of rural Arizona, NAU and its partners are investing in both the next generation of school psychologists and the communities they will serve.
Project CAN demonstrates how university partnerships, innovative graduate education, and targeted financial support can work together to address pressing needs in Arizona schools.
For prospective students, it creates a pathway to a meaningful profession. For rural schools and families, it represents an investment in the professionals and services that help children learn, grow, and thrive.