Beverly Kirby's journey into school psychology quickly evolved from understanding individual assessments to a mission of transforming educational systems. With a bachelor's in psychology from Rutgers University and a master's in special education from Johns Hopkins, Kirby entered Temple University's College of Education and Human Development (CEHD) as a school psychology doctoral student, motivated to drive change for often-overlooked students.

Kirby considers herself a non-traditional student. Before coming to Temple, she was already a Board Certified Behavior Analyst and a licensed behavior analyst. She built an extensive career for herself through The SPARKS Group, a company she founded to provide home-based behavior analysis services. "Most of my work has been with children with autism across schools, homes, clinics and hospitals," she says.

After years of working within behavior analysis frameworks, Kirby pivoted to apply her expertise in new areas and decided to pursue a doctoral degree in school psychology.

"What drew me to Temple was that in addition to the social justice component, it also focuses on multiculturalism," she shares. "There is also an emphasis on behavior analysis strategies. Given my background, I appreciate the fact that I can take classes related to behavior analysis under the umbrella of the program."

Kirby's journey in school psychology began like many others in her field: through learning the principles and doing fieldwork with students in real-world settings. She quickly realized that true understanding comes from experience. For her practicum this semester, Kirby works at Upper Darby High School, under the supervision of the school psychologist there. Besides that, she also works at Temple's Psychoeducational Clinic once a week, under direct supervision of CEHD faculty, which she says she finds a very unique benefit.

"I'm a hands-on learner," she admits. "A lot of the concepts were overwhelming at first, but seeing them in practice, I understand how they apply in real-life situations. When I look at assessment scores now, it's not just numbers on a page—they represent the lives of the children that we serve."

Kirby believes that school psychologists are agents of change, helping to improve outdated systems that no longer fulfill the diverse needs of today's students.

"Our job is to advocate for the best interests of the populations we work with," she explains. "That means identifying where things can be done differently, even if we can't disrupt the entire system all at once."

This philosophy has shaped Kirby's approach to both her studies and her practicum work. She respects the long-standing structures of education, and at the same time, she is not afraid to look for ways to push beyond the status quo.

"You can't just walk into a school and change everything," she says, "but you can identify small improvements that make a big difference in how students are supported."

As someone who returned to school after many years away, Kirby has faced her own struggles, from balancing full-time education with personal commitments to battling burnout. "Last year, it was just school all the time," she recalls. "Over the summer, I made a conscious effort to carve out time for my friends and family, and that has helped me recharge." These challenges have only made her more resilient and deepened her commitment to creating meaningful change.

Kirby is steadfast in her belief that the key to systemic change in education lies in collaboration and leadership. Her personal experiences have shaped her views on what leadership truly means. "It's about more than just managing tasks," she says. "True leadership is about working collaboratively, understanding the perspectives of others, and finding ways to bridge the gaps between what's happening and what should be happening."

This mindset has been particularly important in her work with students. Kirby has seen firsthand how structural inequalities, such as underfunded schools and lack of resources, affect the psychological and academic well-being of students.

"I saw kids who weren't just falling behind academically—they were dealing with deep-rooted emotional issues that were being overlooked," she recounts. "That's when I knew I had to do more than just provide assessments. I needed to advocate for these kids."

Kirby's advocacy often involves pushing back against rigid systems that focus heavily on testing and data, while sometimes missing the bigger picture.

"It's easy to get lost in the numbers, but behind those numbers are kids with real struggles," she explains. "You can't just label a child based on test scores. You have to look at the whole picture—family, community, mental health—and address those issues to make a real impact."

Kirby further adds, "I want to be the voice that challenges schools to rethink how they support their students." She also emphasizes the importance of creating support systems for students that go beyond the classroom. "While looking at academic success, we also need to look at emotional and behavioral success," she says. "You have to address the whole child if you want to see real progress."

Looking to the future, Kirby's vision is to take her advocacy further. Her goal is to become a leader in education and drive changes that prioritize mental health and emotional well-being alongside academics. "Recently, I've been working to disseminate the science of behavior analysis in other ways, focusing on sport, health and fitness through a business called TeamABA, which I co-founded with my husband," Kirby shares. She says her work with TeamABA is deeply connected to her goal as an upcoming school psychologist, noting, "Both roles allow me to focus on creating environments where children can thrive, academically, emotionally and behaviorally."

As she continues to balance her roles as a student, business owner and advocate, Kirby remains driven by her unwavering belief that school psychologists have a responsibility to do more than assess. She believes we have to lead, advocate and challenge the system.

"Change doesn't happen overnight," she says. "But I'm committed to being part of the solution, no matter how long it takes."