UTC School Psychology students Misty Edwards, left, and Stephanie Hood are teachers in the Scott County (Virginia) Schools system. Photo courtesy of Misty Edwards.
Dr. Amanda Hardin acknowledged she was in disbelief when she first heard the news.
Hardin, an assistant professor in the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga’s School Psychology program and its director since August, had learned about an initiative created by Scott County Public Schools in Virginia.
The school district, located in the far southwestern portion of that state, has approximately 4,000 students from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade—but only one full-time school psychologist.
With a tremendous need for more school psychology professionals and difficulty filling those slots, Scott County Public Schools had a novel idea: offer to fully fund two district teachers to return to college to obtain their Educational Specialist (Ed.S.) degrees in School Psychology.
“I’ll be honest: my mind was blown,” said Hardin of the school district’s commitment to growing two of its own. “I literally reached out to some of my colleagues in different places and asked, ‘Have you ever heard of this?’ And everyone was like, ‘Oh my goodness, no. That’s amazing.’
“I’m hoping that Scott County Public Schools’ commitment will inspire and maybe get some other districts thinking about the possibility of doing this.”
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Misty Edwards and Stephanie Hood, both veteran teachers in the Scott County Public Schools system, are no strangers to long hours and hard work.
However, when the opportunity arose to pursue advanced degrees in school psychology, they embarked on a new challenge that would take their dedication to the next level—driving over 225 miles each way to attend classes at UTC.
Misty Edwards
UTC’s School Psychology program, housed in the College of Health, Education and Professional Studies, is designed to produce graduates who demonstrate proficient skills for working within a comprehensive and integrated service model as recommended by the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP). Graduates of the program are eligible to apply for licensure to practice in educational settings across the U.S. and can apply for the Nationally Certified School Psychologist credential through NASP.
The program caters to working individuals with all face-to-face class time occurring during the 5-7:30 p.m. time frame. In-person classes meet at least one night a week, as the program is a mixture of a traditional lecture format, hybrid courses and several classes that are entirely online.
Edwards, who recently completed her 25th year as an elementary school teacher, and Hood, a special education teacher since 2010, entered the three-year Graduate School program in fall 2023. They began Year 2 when UTC’s academic calendar opened in August.
“I’ve always wanted to use my psychology degree,” said Edwards, who earned a bachelor’s degree in that field from Clinch Valley College in Virginia in 1997. “As rewarding as teaching is, when our supervisor sent out that email saying the district wanted to grow their own school psychologists, I thought about it for a while and decided, ‘Yes, I’m going to try for this. And if I don’t get it, then it’s not meant to be.’”
Edwards, who teaches at Hilton Elementary School in Hiltons, Virginia, shares the commute with Hood, a special education teacher at Shoemaker Elementary School in Gate City, Virginia. The two didn’t know each other before being selected to participate in the UTC program.
“I couldn’t do this travel without her,” Edwards said. “She is an awesome driver.”
Stephanie Hood
Hood, who has been with the Scott County school system since 2015, holds a bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies and a master’s degree in special education from Radford University.
“When I received that email, I was actually in a classroom working with some kids,” Hood recalled. “I had already been looking at school psychology programs, so as soon as it came through, I excused myself from that class, went down the hall to put my name in, and told them why I was interested.”
The journey to UTC is no small feat given the demands of their teaching jobs and personal lives. While Edwards has a 21-year-old son, Hood is a mother of three—with children ages 13, 6 and 5. “My parents are both retired and live nearby,” Hood said, “so they have jumped in to help run the kids to their things.”
The commute takes over three hours each way and often requires them to stay overnight in Chattanooga for classes. But both teachers are quick to acknowledge the support they’ve received from their school district, the community and their families.
“When you’re a teacher, you have all of the putting in grades, grading papers, teaching, communicating with parents,” Edwards explained. “But I manage to get it all done with the support of my family and the school staff. My principal has been wonderful. The administrators have been so supportive. The school board members have been great. We’re just blessed that we have all this support.”
“The school district has been very supportive, reimbursing us for our classes and letting us take leave to drive to and from Chattanooga,” Hood said. “They’ve sent countless emails saying, ‘Anything you need, let us know.’”
Hood lauded the UTC program, calling it “comforting and accommodating.”
“I feel like all of our classes have been laid out really nicely,” she said. “The professors have been great in their lectures and the information that they’re providing. I feel like it’s very valuable and it’s going to be very helpful.”
Edwards said, “I want to add that this is an incredibly well-rounded program. The professors have been exceptional to work with and truly care about our learning.”
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Hardin said the School Psychology program’s flexibility was a critical factor in Scott County’s decision to support Edwards and Hood in pursuing their degrees at UTC.
Dr. Amanda Hardin
“Our program is unique, and it provides you with the opportunity to work if you need to,” said Hardin, a member of the UTC faculty since 2022 with 17 years of professional experience as a school psychologist. “We get teachers that can come in the evenings because it doesn’t interfere with their school schedule.”
Hardin said her two Virginia-based students are not only gaining new skills but also enriching the learning environment for their fellow students.
“One of the things I love about these teachers is they have that educational experience,” Hardin said. “Their ability to bring real-life experiences from their classroom and the students they’ve worked with not only helps them in their practice but also really enriches the environment for all the other students in their cohort.”
Edwards and Hood continue to commute during Year 2, but “they will do the hours that they need for practicum within their own schools,” Hardin said. “The third year of our program is the internship; people can go wherever they want and don’t have any in-person requirements.”
Hood laughed when looking ahead to next year, already relishing “less time driving.”
For Edwards, the journey to UTC and the School Psychology program has been rewarding.
“I’m the first in my family to graduate from a four-year school,” she said. “To think that this is really happening to a small-town girl—and that the people I work for have actually put out the money and have faith in me that I can do a good job and that they chose me to do this—is just overwhelming.”
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