School counselors' attitudes regarding statewide comprehensive developmental guidance model implementation.

The pilot study in this article identified facilitators and barriers to implementing the Massachusetts Model for Comprehensive School Counseling Programs. The Concerns-Based Adoption Model served as a framework to understand how school counselors perceive the Massachusetts Model's impact on their professional roles, and how those perceptions indicate varying levels of adoption of the model. The majority of respondents indicated that their concerns were "personal," such as how the model will change their day-to-day lives and how working under the new model is different from their current roles as school counselors. Results of this study suggest directions for professional development regarding state and ASCA National Model[R] implementation.

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Over the past several years, the Massachusetts School Counselor Association (MASCA) has carried out an extensive and rigorous process to develop the Massachusetts Model for Comprehensive School Counseling Programs (MASCA, 2006). The Massachusetts Model incorporates all the components of the ASCA National Model[R] (American School Counselor Association, 2005) but also emphasizes career development objectives that are specific to Massachusetts' curriculum frameworks. As the Massachusetts Model is implemented across the state, MASCA has become interested in understanding the process of change and supporting school counselors through the change process. This pilot study sought to understand the perceptions of school counselors in the state of Massachusetts regarding the significant changes in their daily work roles prescribed by the Massachusetts Model.

The Concerns-Based Adoption Model (CBAM) is a widely applied and empirically grounded theory and method to study the process of change in schools (Hall & Hord, 1987, 2001). The CBAM authors have contended that an understanding of the affective and behavioral dimensions of change is critical to facilitating the change process. CBAM suggests that over time, people experiencing change evolve in terms of their concerns about change and how they use innovations. CBAM presents several assumptions about change: (a) Change is a process, not an event; (b) change is accomplished by individuals; (c) change is a highly personal experience; (d) change involves developmental growth in feelings and skills; and (e) change can be facilitated by interventions directed toward individuals and contexts.

CBAM examines the change process in three ways: Stages of Concern (SoC), Levels of Use (LoU), and Innovation Components (IC). SoC explores how people feel about doing something new and different; LoU describes what people are actually doing when making the transition to doing their work differently; and IC identifies the specific parts of change. Because MASCA was primarily interested in school counselors' perceptions and concerns about the new Massachusetts Model as a possible springboard for professional development purposes, this study focused on the Stages of Concern component of CBAM (Horsley & Loucks-Horsley, 1998). SoC is a framework that describes the feelings and motivations that a school counselor may have about the Massachusetts Model at different points during its implementation. CBAM incorporates the Stages of Concern as a developmental progression in which a counselor implementing the Massachusetts Model may have different concerns and/or different intensity at different points in the change process.

To measure the SoC of counselors in the state, we used a shortened version of the Stages of Concern Questionnaire (SoCQ) developed by Bailey and Palsha (1992) to minimize the burden of completing the questionnaire on respondents, and to ensure that the informed consent, demographic questions, and SoCQ questions would fit on a single sheet of paper. Bailey and Palsha provided evidence for the use of a five-level Stages of Concern model (Table 1):

1. Awareness: The counselor has little knowledge or interest in the Massachusetts Model but is concerned about it.

2. Personal: The counselor has concerns regarding whether the Massachusetts Model is better than the current system, about resources available to assist with model implementation, and about how the counselor's role is different in the model.

3. Management: The counselor begins implementation and has concerns about the logistics of putting the Massachusetts Model into practice.

4. Impact: The counselor is concerned about the impact the Massachusetts Model will have on students, families, and the process of evaluating outcomes.

5. Collaboration: The counselor is concerned about developing and maintaining professional relationships within and outside of the school to implement the Massachusetts Model.

We chose 27 of the original 35 SoC items for use in our survey (see Appendix A) based on evidence of validity and reliability provided by Bailey and Palsha and on the information needs of MASCA.

DISTRIBUTING THE SURVEY AND ANALYZING RESULTS

To distribute the questionnaire to the MASCA membership (approximately 1,400 members), the survey was provided via three venues: online, in MASCA's monthly newsletter, and at the annual MASCA conference. Distribution of the survey online consisted of developing the survey on www.counselingsurveys.org, a free Web site for hosting online surveys; creating a link to the survey from the MASCA home page (www.masca.org); and sending an e-mail to the MASCA listserv to solicit participation. The online version of the survey yielded 110 usable responses. A paper version of the survey also was printed in the Counselor's Notebook, a monthly publication of MASCA mailed to all members, which yielded 16 usable surveys. Finally, a paper version of the survey was provided to each registrant at MASCA's spring conference, which yielded 14 usable surveys. Taken together, the three methods used for soliciting participation in the survey yielded 140 participants, which is approximately 10% of the MASCA membership.

The respondents represented a cross section of the MASCA membership; 75% were female, 90% were from public schools, and 97% were school counselors and/or school counseling administrators. Three school adjustment counselors (commonly known as school social workers in other states) and one school psychologist also were included in the sample, as these certified professionals often provide school counseling programs and services in elementary schools that do not have any school counselors. The respondents had an average of 12.13 years of experience counseling (SD = 9.8) and 15.72 years of experience in education (SD = 11.7). The average reported caseload for our sample was 267 students for each counselor (SD = 85.9).

According to the testing manual that accompanies the SoCQ (Hall, George, & Rutherford, 1998), an effective method for interpreting the SoCQ results is to determine the primary, secondary, and lowest stage of concern for each respondent. To calculate each of the five SoCs for each respondent, average scores were created to summarize all of the questions that are indicative of each SoC (mean scores were used instead of total summed scores to account for the different number of items in each SoC). If the average score for a respondent did not yield a primary, secondary, or lowest SoC because there was a tie, it were excluded from subsequent analysis and summary. Eight respondents had a tie for their primary concern, 17 respondents had a tie for their secondary concern, and 6 respondents had a tie for their lowest concern.

Given the very low response rate (approximately 10%) and the likelihood of a self-selection bias influencing the results (e.g., only people strongly in favor of the Massachusetts Model took the time to complete the survey), the selected findings provided below should be viewed tentatively.

As is depicted in Figure 1, 45% of the respondents indicated their primary concern was the Personal SoC, with each of the remaining SoCs listed as the primary concern for 17% of the sample or less. The secondary concern of our sample was less clear; 39% of the sample indicated their secondary concern was the Impact SoC, while 27% indicated their secondary concern was the Personal SoC. The lowest Stage of Concern of our sample was the Awareness SoC (49% of sample). Twenty-six percent of the sample indicated their lowest SoC was Collaboration, while 21% indicated their lowest SoC was Management.

In spite of the limitations of this pilot study, these findings provided useful information for MASCA, and initial, tentative support for applying CBAM theory to the field of school counseling with respect to ASCA National Model or state school counseling model implementation. CBAM theory asserts that as an educational innovation such as the Massachusetts Model is implemented, the level of adoption of the innovation can be ascertained by the primary SoC reported by the participants. The level of adoption is sequential; participants move through each stage (Awareness, Personal, Management, Impact, and Collaboration) over time. Therefore, Figure 1 is a snapshot of where our sample of Massachusetts counselors were in the CBAM process.

As the graph illustrates, our sample was in the second phase of the CBAM process--the primary concern of counselors was most often in the Personal SoC. The most frequently occurring secondary concern was the Impact SoC, which likely is due to the emphasis on evaluation and the use of data as an integral part of the Massachusetts Model and the ASCA National Model. The Awareness SoC was the lowest concern among our respondents, and this is congruent with what is known about implementation of the Massachusetts Model in the state--counselors are well aware of what the Massachusetts Model is but may not have taken any steps to begin implementation. Taken together, these findings indicate that our sample of Massachusetts counselors were in the early stages of Massachusetts Model adoption.

IMPLICATIONS

This pilot study offers insight into how school counselors perceive the Massachusetts Model, and it indicates varying levels of adoption across our sample. As school districts across the nation implement the ASCA National Model or a state school counseling model, consideration of what facilitates, hinders, and blocks change is significant for school counseling leaders at the state and district levels, and for professional associations guiding model implementation.

CBAM (Hall & Hord, 1987, 2001) suggests that awareness is the first step toward eventual change. In this study, the results indicated that about half of the respondents were least concerned with awareness of the Massachusetts Model. The Massachusetts state school counseling association (MASCA) piloted the model, publicized the model through newsletter articles, and offered presentations about the model at several conferences. To highlight adoption of the model, the commissioner of the State Department of Education, administrators from schools that piloted the Massachusetts Model, and the ASCA president delivered a special conference presentation for school administrators. Informing and educating both school counselors and school administrators appear to be two critical action steps essential to development of awareness.

While about half of the respondents were least concerned with awareness of the Massachusetts Model, about half of respondents ranked the Personal SoC as their primary concern. Ongoing professional development may aid counselors and administrators in their understanding of the Massachusetts Model, as well as how implementation would work in their schools. At this stage in the change process, it would be important for an individual school counselor or department to develop a draft plan to use the Massachusetts Model, and to partner with a mentor who has experienced the change process required to implement a school counseling model. This mentorship or partnership could provide ongoing consultation and direction throughout the implementation process. Having a consultant who is further along with the process of model implementation also could educate both counselors and administrators about how the model impacts the school counselor roles and functions, to understand and address concerns about change.

It is important to note that what is most needed is not necessarily more implementation. Widespread adoption and implementation of the ASCA National Model or a state school counseling model will likely be most easily achieved when more counselors understand how model implementation changes their day-to-day work. Until this understanding is achieved by the majority of counselors, model implementation efforts should be focused on addressing the "personal concerns" of counselors.

The most prominent secondary concern of the respondents fell into the Impact SoC, which deals with perceptions of ability to assess outcomes of the educational innovation. An important part of both the Massachusetts Model and the ASCA National Model is that counselors need to assess how their work impacts students and families, something that many counselors report is not valued or expected in their work (Bauman, 2004). The findings regarding reported secondary concerns also are congruent with the CBAM framework, and what is known about the reported professional development needs of counselors in the state with regard to Massachusetts Model implementation, and the United States as a whole with regard to ASCA National Model implementation. To quell concern over the impact of operating under the ASCA National Model or a state school counseling model, more research is needed in the form of quantitative studies that demonstrate positive outcomes for students, and qualitative studies that provide rich and revealing stories of school counselors' journeys through implementation.

Beyond Massachusetts, CBAM offers a viable conceptual framework to study the change process as the ASCA National Model is implemented across the country. This approach is sensitive to the questions that school counselors, parents, and other school personnel may be asking about new practices and why they are asking these questions. Implications from this study point to a comprehensive professional development agenda and research to address those concerns.

APPENDIX A
Stages of Concern Items Used in Survey

                                                      Not true
                                        Irrelevant   of me now

 1. I don't even know what the
    Massachusetts Model is.                 0          1   2

 2. I am concerned about not
    having enough time to
    organize myself each day.               0          1   2

 3. I would like to help other
    counselors in their use
    of the Massachusetts Model.             0          1   2

 4. I have a very limited
    knowledge of the
    Massachusetts Model.                    0          1   2

 5. I would like to know the
    effect of reorganization
    on my professional status.              0          1   2

 6. I am concerned about conflict
    between my interest in the
    Massachusetts Model and my
    responsibilities to my school/
    district.                               0          1   2

 7. I am concerned about
    changing the way I work
    as a school counselor.                  0          1   2

 8. I would like to develop
    working relationships with
    both our faculty and outside
    faculty using the
    Massachusetts Model.                    0          1   2

 9. I am concerned about how
    the Massachusetts Model
    affects students.                       0          1   2

10. I would like to know who
    will make decisions in the
    new system.                             0          1   2

11. I would like to know what
    resources are available if we
    decide to adopt the
    Massachusetts Model.                    0          1   2

12. I am concerned about my
    inability to manage all that the
    Massachusetts Model requires.           0          1   2

13. I would like to know how my
    work as a counselor is
    supposed to change.                     0          1   2

14. I would like to familiarize
    parents and faculty with the
    progress of this new approach.          0          1   2

15. I am concerned about
    evaluating my impacton
    students.                               0          1   2

16. I am completely occupied
    with other things.                      0          1   2

17. Although I don't know about
    the Massachusetts Model,
    I am concerned about having
    a statewide model for
    school counseling.                      0          1   2

18. I am concerned about time
    spent working with non-
    academic problems related to
    the Massachusetts Model.                0          1   2

19. I would like to know what
    the use of the Massachusetts
    Model will require in the
    immediate future.                       0          1   2

20. I would like to coordinate
    my efforts with others to
    maximize the Massachusetts
    Model's effects.                        0          1   2

21. I would like to have more
    information oil time and
    energy commitments required
    by the Massachusetts Model.             0          1   2

22. I would like to know what
    other counselors are doing
    with the Massachusetts Model.           0          1   2

23. At this time, I am not
    interested in learning about
    the Massachusetts Model.                0          1   2

24. I would like to use feedback
    from students to change
    the counseling program.                 0          1   2

25. I would like to know how my
    role will change when I am
    using the Massachusetts Model.          0          1   2

26. Coordination of tasks and
    people is taking too much
    of my time.                             0          1   2

27. I would like to know how the
    Massachusetts Model is better
    than what we have now.                  0          1   2

                                        Somewhat true   Very true
                                          of me now     of me now

 1. I don't even know what the
    Massachusetts Model is.               3   4   5       6   7

 2. I am concerned about not
    having enough time to
    organize myself each day.             3   4   5       6   7

 3. I would like to help other
    counselors in their use
    of the Massachusetts Model.           3   4   5       6   7

 4. I have a very limited
    knowledge of the
    Massachusetts Model.                  3   4   5       6   7

 5. I would like to know the
    effect of reorganization
    on my professional status.            3   4   5       6   7

 6. I am concerned about conflict
    between my interest in the
    Massachusetts Model and my
    responsibilities to my school/
    district.                             3   4   5       6   7

 7. I am concerned about
    changing the way I work
    as a school counselor.                3   4   5       6   7

 8. I would like to develop
    working relationships with
    both our faculty and outside
    faculty using the
    Massachusetts Model.                  3   4   5       6   7

 9. I am concerned about how
    the Massachusetts Model
    affects students.                     3   4   5       6   7

10. I would like to know who
    will make decisions in the
    new system.                           3   4   5       6   7

11. I would like to know what
    resources are available if we
    decide to adopt the
    Massachusetts Model.                  3   4   5       6   7

12. I am concerned about my
    inability to manage all that the
    Massachusetts Model requires.         3   4   5       6   7

13. I would like to know how my
    work as a counselor is
    supposed to change.                   3   4   5       6   7

14. I would like to familiarize
    parents and faculty with the
    progress of this new approach.        3   4   5       6   7

15. I am concerned about
    evaluating my impacton
    students.                             3   4   5       6   7

16. I am completely occupied
    with other things.                    3   4   5       6   7

17. Although I don't know about
    the Massachusetts Model,
    I am concerned about having
    a statewide model for
    school counseling.                    3   4   5       6   7

18. I am concerned about time
    spent working with non-
    academic problems related to
    the Massachusetts Model.              3   4   5       6   7

19. I would like to know what
    the use of the Massachusetts
    Model will require in the
    immediate future.                     3   4   5       6   7

20. I would like to coordinate
    my efforts with others to
    maximize the Massachusetts
    Model's effects.                      3   4   5       6   7

21. I would like to have more
    information oil time and
    energy commitments required
    by the Massachusetts Model.           3   4   5       6   7

22. I would like to know what
    other counselors are doing
    with the Massachusetts Model.         3   4   5       6   7

23. At this time, I am not
    interested in learning about
    the Massachusetts Model.              3   4   5       6   7

24. I would like to use feedback
    from students to change
    the counseling program.               3   4   5       6   7

25. I would like to know how my
    role will change when I am
    using the Massachusetts Model.        3   4   5       6   7

26. Coordination of tasks and
    people is taking too much
    of my time.                           3   4   5       6   7

27. I would like to know how the
    Massachusetts Model is better
    than what we have now.                3   4   5       6   7

Note. See Table 1 for assignment of question numbers to individual
Stages of Concern.

References

American School Counselor Association. (2005). The ASCA national model: A framework for school counseling programs (2nd ed.). Alexandria, VA: Author.

Bailey, D. B., & Palsha, S. A. (1992). Qualities of the Stages of Concern Questionnaire and implications for educational innovations. Journal of Educational Research, 85, 226-232.

Bauman, S. (2004). School counselors and research revisited. Professional School Counseling, 7, 141-151.

Hall, G. E., George, A. A., & Rutherford, W. A. (1998). Measuring the stages of concern about the innovation: A manual for the use of the SoC questionnaire. Austin, TX: Southwest Educational Development Laboratory.

Hall, G. E., & Hord, S. M. (1987). Change in schools: Facilitating the process. New York: State University of New York Press.

Hall, G. E., & Hord, S. M. (2001). Implementing change: Patterns, principles, and potholes. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.

Horsley, D. L., & Loucks-Horsley, S. (1998). CBAM brings order to the tornado of change. Journal of Staff Development, 19(4). Retrieved February 22, 2008, from http://www.nsdc.orgllibrary/pubiications/jsd/horsley194.cfm

Massachusetts School Counselor Association. (2006). The Massachusetts school counselor comprehensive programs. Retrieved October 14, 2007, from http://www.masca.org

Timothy A. Poynton, Ph.D., is an assistant professor and director of the School Counseling Program, Education and Human Services Department, Suffolk University, Boston. E-mail: [e-mail]. Rebecca A. Schumacher, Ed.D., is an assistant professor and Felicia L. Wilczenski, Ed.D., is a professor in the Graduate College of Education, Department of Counseling and School Psychology, University of Massachusetts, Boston. The authors gratefully acknowledge the support of the Massachusetts School Counselor Association and members of its Research and Evaluation Committee for the implementation of this research.

Figure 1. Primary, secondary, and lowest stage of concern of
respondents.

Stage of Concern by Reported Level of Concern

                Primary   Secondary   Lowest

Awareness          4%         4%         49%
Personal          45%        27%          1%
Management        11%         8%         21%
Impact            17%        39%          0%
Collaboration     17%        10%         26%

Note: Table made from line graph.

Table 1. Survey Questions Indicative of Each Stage of Concern

Stage of Concern   Survey Question Numbers

Awareness          1, 4, 17
Personal           5, 7, 10, 11, 12, 13, 19, 21, 25, 27
Management         26, 16, 23, 26
Impact             9, 15, 18, 22, 24
Collaboration      3, 8, 14, 20