There's a lack of school psychologists, not just in our area, but across the state and country.

But a new program at Youngstown State University could help solve the shortage problem.

Melanie Shipman of Greene, Ohio, is a mother of three who has been a math teacher for the past 10 years at a school in Ashtabula County. She's now also one of 12 students in the first-ever graduate class of the new school psychology program at YSU.

"It's kind of nerve-wracking, but I'm excited because it's a new program and something new to get involved in and be a part of," Shipman said.

This will be the first program at YSU offering an Education Specialist degree, which is just a notch below a Ph.D. The 12 students will complete a three-year program that at the end will award them a master's degree in intervention services and an Education Specialist degree in school psychology.

"This is the first school psychology program in Ohio in over 40 years and we want to be able to promote school psychological services as well as programming for students with low incidence disabilities for not only the region, but also throughout the state of Ohio," said Richard VanVoorhis, assistant professor of school psychology.

The Mahoning Valley was the only metropolitan region in the state lacking a program of this type.

But like the other nine programs in Ohio, class-size is limited because the state pays students for their year-long required internship.

"There are just not enough school psychologists being trained and recently, school psychology was just voted as one of the best professions to go into," said Audrey Ellenwood, director of the YSU program.

While looking to bridge the employment gap, the new graduate program is also prestigious for the university.

"I think it's extremely prestigious for the Youngstown area to have their own school psychology program and we would be filling the need for school psychologists, particularly in the Youngstown area," Ellenwood said.

School districts are required to have one psychologist on staff per 1,500 students.

For Shipman, she just wants to take the plunge and make a change.

"It's very important to me to go back to school and just to show my kids that learning never stops, that we just need to keep going and I'm just really looking forward to really helping out students that need my help," Shipman said.

Classes officially begin next month.