School Psychologist - Chattanooga TN - $6k Signing Bonus
ABOUT THRIVE THERAPIES
Thrive Therapies Group is a pediatric healthcare organization on a mission to revolutionize the care of children with disabilities and those facing barriers to access. We provide results-driven services and intelligent tools to support children’s development, well-being, and health. At the heart of this mission are the people who change the trajectories of children’s lives. We work for them.
We work exclusively in K–12 schools — because school is where clinical care becomes transformative. Roughly half of all children identified with a disability receive their services in schools, not in healthcare settings. For many of those children, the school-based clinician is the care. Thrive is built around that reality.
We work exclusively with historically under-resourced, neurodiverse K–12 communities. Equity isn’t a tagline — it’s the core of why we exist. Our school partners request Thrive by name because they want better outcomes for students with disabilities.
WHAT MAKES THRIVE THERAPIES DIFFERENT
OUR MISSION
There are organizations that place clinicians in schools. Thrive is something different. We are a pediatric healthcare organization built around a singular belief: that school is where clinical care becomes transformative — that a therapy goal in a clinic is a therapy goal, but a therapy goal in a school becomes a friendship on the playground, a kid who feels they belong, a child who gets to participate in the full arc of childhood. Everything we build — our technology, our workload model, our clinical community — exists to protect that work and the clinicians who deliver it.
THE WORKLOAD MODEL
Thrive uses a workload model scoped around evaluation volume and timelines — so assessments are thorough and deadlines are met without an impossible load.
THE TECHNOLOGY
Our AI-powered tools were built by clinicians who were tired of losing evenings to documentation. They handle evaluation report generation, session notes, paperwork, and progress summaries — and they give our clinicians 10+ hours back every week. The tools are continuously improved based on clinician feedback. They belong to you as much as anyone.
THE CLINICAL COMMUNITY
You have a community here and are never alone. You have clinical supervision through a role-alike leader, quarterly professional development, monthly role-alike communities of practice for case conferencing, and peers across the organization you can reach every day.
WHAT YOU'LL DO
As a Thrive School Psychologist in the Greater Chattanooga, TN region, you will conduct comprehensive psychoeducational evaluations, contribute to eligibility determinations, provide crisis intervention and mental health consultation, and support RTI/MTSS frameworks within K–12 school settings. You are a full member of the community.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
PSYCHOEDUCATIONAL EVALUATION & ELIGIBILITY
-
Conduct comprehensive psychoeducational evaluations to assess cognitive ability, academic achievement, social-emotional functioning, and adaptive behavior using standardized instruments (WISC, WJ-IV, KTEA, BASC, Vineland, and others)
-
Evaluate for a range of eligibility categories including SLD, Intellectual Disability, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Emotional Disturbance, and Other Health Impairment
-
Write psychoeducational evaluation reports that are clinically rigorous, legally defensible, and clearly written for IEP team members, families, and administrators
-
Lead or participate in eligibility determination meetings, translating assessment data into educational planning recommendations
-
Conduct re-evaluations (triennials) within IDEA-required timelines
CRISIS INTERVENTION & MENTAL HEALTH CONSULTATION
-
Serve as a primary responder for student mental health crises, including suicidality, self-harm, acute behavioral escalation, and trauma-related presentations
-
Conduct structured threat assessments for students who have made threats or exhibited behaviors of concern; develop and document safety plans
-
Provide mental health consultation to teachers, parents, and school leaders on student social-emotional needs and appropriate referral pathways
-
Support students with 504 plans for mental health-related accommodations alongside IEP students on your caseload
RTI/MTSS & SYSTEMS-LEVEL SUPPORT
-
Contribute to school-wide RTI/MTSS frameworks at Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3 levels — including universal screening, progress monitoring, and problem-solving team participation
-
Collaborate with school teams on early identification of students at risk for learning disabilities, emotional disturbance, or developmental concerns
-
Support equitable referral practices and culturally responsive evaluation methodology to reduce bias in eligibility determination
COLLABORATION & IEP TEAMING
-
Partner with SLPs, OTs, PTs, BCBAs, mental health clinicians, and special education teachers as a core member of the multidisciplinary IEP team
-
Communicate findings and recommendations to families in a way that is clear, respectful, and free of jargon
-
Maintain accurate evaluation records, service logs, and eligibility documentation in compliance with IDEA and state requirements
QUALIFICATIONS
REQUIRED
-
Ed.S., Ph.D., or Psy.D. in School Psychology from a NASP-approved or APA-accredited program
-
NCSP credential from NASP; or active state certification/license in good standing
-
Active state school psychologist certification or license in good standing, or documented initiation of transfer prior to start date
-
Knowledge of IDEA, Section 504, psychoeducational evaluation methodology, and legal requirements for special education eligibility determination
PREFERRED
-
1+ years of school-based school psychology experience (internship year in a school setting counts)
-
Training or experience in structured threat assessment
-
Familiarity with culturally responsive evaluation practices and bilingual assessment methodology
-
Experience with RTI/MTSS data systems and progress monitoring tools
COMPENSATION STRUCTURE
Compensation is paid over 10 months, aligned to the school-year calendar. All figures below reflect the Greater Chattanooga, TN market.
|
Base Compensation |
||
|
W-2 Base Salary |
$78,000 – $91,900,based on experience |
A salary that reflects the expertise you bring. W-2 employment means full benefits, paid time off, retirement match, disability coverage, and malpractice insurance — all on us. Your total compensation is built to reflect what this work is worth. |
|
1099 Contractor Rate |
$58-$72/hr/hr |
If flexibility is what fits your life, we built that in. Our 1099 option puts you in control of how you work — with a competitive hourly rate, full professional supports, and your career mobility fully intact. |
|
Additional Earning Potential! |
||
|
Sign-On Bonus |
$6,000 —paid 25% at 30 days,25% at 90 days,50% at 6 months |
Our sign-on bonus is a signal: we’re committed to you from the moment you say yes, and we want you to feel that. |
|
Longevity Structure |
Up to $2,000 —paid after completing your first full school year |
We’re building Thrive around the people who commit to this work and to each other over the long haul — because that’s who our kids and schools depend on. Every year you come back, we reward it. And it grows with you. |
|
CEU Stipend |
$750 your first year →growing up to $2,000after five years |
Your practice is the whole thing. The more you grow as a clinician, the better the care our kids get. We put real dollars behind your continuing education, and it grows with your tenure. Investing in your expertise is investing in our mission. |
|
Performance Bonus |
Paid annually afterexceeding performancemetrics |
When you go above and beyond for students, we notice. Our performance bonus is how we say we see you, we value what you’re doing, and this work matters. |
BENEFITS OFFERINGS
HEALTH COVERAGE — AT NO COST TO YOU (W-2 Employees Only)
-
Medical, dental, and vision insurance — Thrive covers 100% of employee premiums
-
Coverage begins day one
-
Choice of HSA-eligible high-deductible plan or traditional PPO; nationwide PPO network
-
Dependent and family coverage available
-
401(k) with up to 5% company match
-
Optional voluntary benefits: supplemental life, accident, critical illness, hospital indemnity, and FSA
TIME OFF & SCHEDULE (W-2 Employees Only)
-
School-year calendar — school holidays off, amounting to 30+ paid days annually
-
3 PTO and 3 Sick days
ADDITIONAL PROFESSIONAL SUPPORTS (All Employees)
-
Malpractice and professional liability insurance — fully covered by Thrive; no personal policy required
-
Quarterly professional development led by clinical leadership — school-based, substantive, and paid
-
Paid Summer Intensive — pre-year clinical PD that brings the full Thrive team together annually
-
No non-compete agreement — your professional mobility is yours to keep
-
State school psychologist licensure renewal and NASP dues reimbursed annually; NCSP renewal fees covered
APPLY TODAY
careers@thrivetherapiesgroup.com · thrivetherapiesgroup.com/careers · 615-652-2344