The ASCA National Model: a framework for school counseling programs.EXECUTIVE SUMMARY School counseling programs are collaborative col·lab·o·rate intr.v. col·lab·o·rat·ed, col·lab·o·rat·ing, col·lab·o·rates 1. To work together, especially in a joint intellectual effort. 2. efforts benefiting students, parents, teachers, administrators and the overall community. School counseling programs should be an integral part of students' daily educational environment, and school counselors A school counselor is a counselor and educator who works in schools, and have historically been referred to as "guidance counselors" or "educational counselors," although "Professional School Counselor" is now the preferred term. should be partners in student achievement. Unfortunately, school counseling has lacked a consistent identity from state to state, district to district and even school to school. This has led to a misunderstanding of what school counseling is and what it can do for a school. As a result, school counseling programs are often viewed as ancillary Subordinate; aiding. A legal proceeding that is not the primary dispute but which aids the judgment rendered in or the outcome of the main action. A descriptive term that denotes a legal claim, the existence of which is dependent upon or reasonably linked to a main claim. programs instead of a crucial component to student achievement, and school counselors have not been used to their fullest. The question has often been posed, "What do school counselors do?" The more important question is, "How are students different because of what school counselors do?" To help answer this question, the American American, river, 30 mi (48 km) long, rising in N central Calif. in the Sierra Nevada and flowing SW into the Sacramento River at Sacramento. The discovery of gold at Sutter's Mill (see Sutter, John Augustus) along the river in 1848 led to the California gold rush of School Counselor Association (ASCA ASCA American School Counselor Association ASCA Australian Shepherd Club of America ASCA Arab Society of Certified Accountants ASCA American Swimming Coaches Association ASCA American Society of Consulting Arborists ASCA Association of State Correctional Administrators ) created The ASCA National Model: A Framework for School Counseling Programs. By implementing a school counseling program based on ASCA's National Model, schools and school districts can: * Establish the school counseling program as an integral component of the academic mission of the school. * Ensure every student has equitable equitable adj. 1) just, based on fairness and not legal technicalities. 2) refers to positive remedies (orders to do something, not money damages) employed by the courts to solve disputes or give relief. (See: equity) EQUITABLE. access to the school counseling program. * Identify and deliver the knowledge and skills all students should acquire. * Ensure that the school counseling program is comprehensive in design and is delivered systematically to all students. The ASCA National Model supports the school's overall mission by promoting academic achievement, career planning and personal/social development. It serves as a framework to guide states, districts and individual schools in designing, developing, implementing and evaluating a comprehensive, developmental and systematic school counseling program. The ASCA National Model consists of four interrelated in·ter·re·late tr. & intr.v. in·ter·re·lat·ed, in·ter·re·lat·ing, in·ter·re·lates To place in or come into mutual relationship. in components: foundation, delivery system, management systems and accountability The traceability of actions performed on a system to a specific system entity (user, process, device). For example, the use of unique user identification and authentication supports accountability; the use of shared user IDs and passwords destroys accountability. . Infused throughout the program are the qualities of leadership, advocacy The act of Pleading or arguing a case or a position; forceful persuasion. and collaboration Working together on a project. See collaborative software. , which lead to systemic systemic /sys·tem·ic/ (sis-tem´ik) pertaining to or affecting the body as a whole. sys·tem·ic adj. 1. Of or relating to a system. 2. change. Historically, many school counselors spent much of their time responding to the needs of a small percentage of students, typically those who were high achievers or who were high risk. ASCA's National Model outlines a program allowing school counselors to direct services to every student. As educators who are specially trained in childhood and adolescent ad·o·les·cent adj. Of, relating to, or undergoing adolescence. n. A young person who has undergone puberty but who has not reached full maturity; a teenager. development, school counselors can take a leadership role in effecting systemic change in a school. However, a successful school counseling program is a collaboration of parents, students, school counselors, administrators, teachers, student services personnel and support staff working together for the benefit of every student. The ASCA National Model: A Framework for School Counseling Programs keeps the development of the total student at the forefront of the education movement and forms the needed bridge between counseling and education. FOUNDATION Like any solid structure, a school counseling program is built on a strong foundation. Based on the school's goals for student achievement, what every student should know and should be able to do, the foundation determines how every student will benefit from school counseling. Beliefs and Philosophy--The philosophy is a set of principles guiding the program development, implementation and evaluation. All personnel involved in managing and implementing the program should reach consensus on each belief or guiding principle. Mission--A mission statement describes the program's purpose and goals. A school counseling program mission statement aligns with and is a subset A group of commands or functions that do not include all the capabilities of the original specification. Software or hardware components designed for the subset will also work with the original. of the school and district's mission. ASCA National Standards--All school counseling programs should help students develop competencies in academic achievement, career planning and personal/social development. DELIVERY SYSTEM Based on the core beliefs, philosophies and missions identified in the foundation, the delivery system describes the activities, interactions and methods to deliver the program. Guidance Curriculum--The guidance curriculum is structured developmental lessons designed to assist students in achieving the desired competencies and to provide all students with the knowledge and skills appropriate for their developmental level. The guidance curriculum is infused throughout the school's overall curriculum and is presented systematically through K-12 classroom and group activities. Individual Student Planning--School counselors coordinate Belonging to a system of indexing by two or more terms. For example, points on a plane, cells in a spreadsheet and bits in dynamic RAM chips are identified by a pair of coordinates. Points in space are identified by sets of three coordinates. ongoing systemic activities designed to assist students individually in establishing personal goals and developing future plans. Responsive Services--The traditional role of school counselors, responsive services are activities meeting individual students' immediate needs, usually necessitated by life events or situations and conditions in the students' lives. These needs require counseling, consultation, referral, peer helping or information. Systems Support--Like any organized activity, a school counseling program requires administration and management to establish, maintain and enhance the total counseling program. MANAGEMENT SYSTEM Intertwined with the delivery system is the management system, which incorporates organizational processes and tools to ensure the program is organized, concrete, clearly delineated de·lin·e·ate tr.v. de·lin·e·at·ed, de·lin·e·at·ing, de·lin·e·ates 1. To draw or trace the outline of; sketch out. 2. To represent pictorially; depict. 3. and reflective Refers to light hitting an opaque surface such as a printed page or mirror and bouncing back. See reflective media and reflective LCD. of the school's needs. This is a relatively new concept for administrators and school counselors who traditionally have not viewed counselors as "managers." Agreements--Management agreements ensure effective implementation of the delivery system to meet students' needs. These agreements, which address how the school counseling program is organized and what will be accomplished, should be negotiated with and approved by designated administrators at the beginning of each school year. Advisory Council--An advisory council is a group of people appointed to review counseling program results and to make recommendations. Students, parents, teachers, counselors, administration and community members should be represented on the council. Use of Data--A comprehensive school counseling program is data driven. The use of data to effect change within the school system is integral to ensuring every student receives the benefits of the school counseling program. School counselors must show that each activity implemented as part of the program was developed from a careful analysis of students' needs, achievement and/or and/or conj. Used to indicate that either or both of the items connected by it are involved. Usage Note: And/or is widely used in legal and business writing. related data. Action Plans--For every desired competency COMPETENCY, evidence. The legal fitness or ability of a witness to be heard on the trial of a cause. This term is also applied to written or other evidence which may be legally given on such trial, as, depositions, letters, account-books, and the like. 2. and result, there must be a plan outlining how the desired result will be achieved. Each plan contains: 1.competencies addressed 2. description of the activity 3. data driving the decision to address the competency 4. timeline
Timeline may refer to:
5. who is responsible for delivery 6. means of evaluating student success 7. expected results for students Use of Time--ASCA's National Model recommends that school counselors spend 80 percent of their time in direct service (contact) with students and provides a guide to school counselors and administrators for determining the amount of time their program should devote to each of the four components of the delivery system. Because resources are limited, school counselors' time should be protected; duties need to be limited to program delivery and direct counseling services, and non-counseling activities should be reassigned whenever possible. Use of Calendars--Once school counselors determine the amount of time necessary in each area of the delivery system, they should develop and publish master and weekly calendars to keep students, parents, teachers and administrators informed. This assists in planning and ensures active participation in the program. ACCOUNTABILITY School counselors and administrators are increasingly challenged to demonstrate the effectiveness of the school counseling program in measurable terms. To evaluate the program and to hold it accountable, school counseling programs must collect and use data that link the program to student achievement. Results Reports--Results reports, which include process, perception and results data, ensure programs are carried out, analyzed an·a·lyze tr.v. an·a·lyzed, an·a·lyz·ing, an·a·lyz·es 1. To examine methodically by separating into parts and studying their interrelations. 2. Chemistry To make a chemical analysis of. 3. for effectiveness and modified as needed as needed prn. See prn order. . Sharing these reports with stakeholders Stakeholders All parties that have an interest, financial or otherwise, in a firm-stockholders, creditors, bondholders, employees, customers, management, the community, and the government. serves to advocate for the students and the program. Immediate, intermediate and long-range long-range adj. 1. Of, suitable for, or reaching long distances: long-range missiles. 2. Requiring or involving an extended span of time: long-range planning. results are collected and analyzed for program improvement. School Counselor Performance Standards--The school counselor's performance evaluation Performance evaluation The assessment of a manager's results, which involves, first, determining whether the money manager added value by outperforming the established benchmark (performance measurement) and, second, determining how the money manager achieved the calculated return contains basic standards of practice expected of school counselors implementing a school counseling program. These performance standards serve as both a basis for counselor evaluation and as a means for counselor self-evaluation. Program Audit--The primary purpose for collecting information is to guide future action within the program and to improve future results for students. ASCA National Standards for Student Academic, Career and Personal/Social Development ASCA's National Standards outline competencies that are the foundation for ASCA's National Model. Student competencies define the knowledge, attitudes or skills students should obtain or demonstrate as a result of participating in a school counseling program. Academic Development A. Students will acquire the attitudes, knowledge and skills contributing to effective learning in school and across the lifespan lifespan Longevity Epidemiology The genetically endowed limit to life for a person, if free of exogenous risk factors. See Average lifespan, Life expectancy. . B. Students will complete school with the academic preparation essential to choose from a wide range of substantial post-secondary options, including college. C. Students will understand the relationship of academics to the world of work and to life at home and in the community. Career Development A. Students will acquire the skills to investigate the world of work in relation to knowledge of self and to make informed career decisions. B. Students will employ strategies to achieve future career goals with success and satisfaction. C. Students will understand the relationship between personal qualities, education, training and the world of work. Personal/Social Development A. Students will acquire the knowledge, attitudes and interpersonal skills "Interpersonal skills" refers to mental and communicative algorithms applied during social communications and interactions in order to reach certain effects or results. The term "interpersonal skills" is used often in business contexts to refer to the measure of a person's ability to help them understand and respect self and others. B. Students will make decisions, set goals and take necessary action to achieve goals. C. Students will understand safety and survival skills. School Counselor Responsibilities School counselors have many duties and responsibilities related to designing and implementing a comprehensive school counseling program. Therefore, programs should free school counselors to do what they do best and what only they can do. Most school counselors have a master's degree master's degree n. An academic degree conferred by a college or university upon those who complete at least one year of prescribed study beyond the bachelor's degree. Noun 1. and are typically the only people in a school with formal training in both mental health and education. Although school counselors are team players who understand fair-share responsibilities within a school system, they cannot be fully effective when they are taken away from essential counseling tasks to perform noncounseling activities such as: * Master schedule duties--In many schools, the function of building the school's master schedule is performed by a school counselor instead of an administrator, when this is clearly an administrative role. School counselors need to participate as consultants and experts in the process, but when they are required to carry the bulk of the responsibility in this area, their ability to provide school counseling services for students is diminished di·min·ish v. di·min·ished, di·min·ish·ing, di·min·ish·es v.tr. 1. a. To make smaller or less or to cause to appear so. b. . * Testing coordinators--In a world of increased high stakes High Stakes is a British sitcom starring Richard Wilson that aired in 2001. It was written by Tony Sarchet. The second series remains unaired after the first received a poor reception. testing, more and more school counselors are called upon to assist in the preparation for testing. The appropriate role for a school counselor is to interpret the results of these tests and to analyze an·a·lyze v. 1. To examine methodically by separating into parts and studying their interrelations. 2. To separate a chemical substance into its constituent elements to determine their nature or proportions. 3. them in conjunction with multiple measures of student achievement. * Detention The act of keeping back, restraining, or withholding, either accidentally or by design, a person or thing. Detention occurs whenever a police officer accosts an individual and restrains his or her freedom to walk away, or approaches and questions an individual, or stops an room coverage--In the absence of a teacher or other certificated staff, school counselors are often called upon to cover detention rooms. Their more appropriate role is to assist in appropriate and systemic preventive preventive /pre·ven·tive/ (pre-vent´iv) prophylactic. pre·ven·tive or pre·ven·ta·tive adj. Preventing or slowing the course of an illness or disease; prophylactic. n. measures that improve overall behavior and deter attendance in the detention room. * Discipline--School counselors are not disciplinarians and do not possess the appropriate credentials CREDENTIALS, international law. The instruments which authorize and establish a public minister in his character with the state or prince to whom they are addressed. If the state or prince receive the minister, he can be received only in the quality attributed to him in his credentials. for disciplining students. Their appropriate role is to provide counseling for students before and/or after discipline, to determine the causes of students' behavior leading to disciplinary action, to develop and deliver schoolwide Adj. 1. schoolwide - occurring or extending throughout a school; "schoolwide support for the team" comprehensive - including all or everything; "comprehensive coverage"; "a comprehensive history of the revolution"; "a comprehensive survey"; "a comprehensive education" curriculum for the deterrence deterrence Military strategy whereby one power uses the threat of reprisal to preclude an attack from an adversary. The term largely refers to the basic strategy of the nuclear powers and the major alliance systems. of behaviors leading to disciplinary action and to collaborate on school leadership teams to create policies promoting appropriate behavior on campus. * Classroom coverage--School counselors understand the need to assist when emergencies arise and classrooms need coverage. Problems arise when school counselors are regularly first in order to cover classes. This is an inappropriate use of counselors' time and skills. * Clerical responsibilities--School counseling programs require clerical assistance to perform functions outside the school counselors' appropriate job description. Many districts employ guidance assistants to provide this service so school counselors can spend their time in direct service to students. Although school counselors should be involved in many aspects of students' education, certain nonschool-counseling tasks should be eliminated or reassigned, if possible, so school counselors can use their skills and knowledge to focus on students' needs. A fine line sometimes separates appropriate from inappropriate activities. Following are some examples.
Inappropriate (noncounseling) Appropriate (counseling)
activities: responsibilities:
Registering and scheduling all Designing individual student
new students academic programs
Administering cognitive, Interpreting cognitive, aptitude
aptitude and achievement and achievement tests
tests
Signing excuses for students Counseling students with
who are tardy or absent excessive tardiness or
absenteeism
Performing disciplinary actions Counseling students with
disciplinary problems
Sending home students who are Counseling students about
not appropriately dressed appropriate school dress
Teaching classes when teachers Collaborating with teachers to
are absent present guidance curriculum
lessons
Computing grade-point averages Analyzing grade-point averages
in relationship to achievement
Maintaining student records Interpreting student records
Supervising study halls Providing teachers with
suggestions for better study
hall management
Clerical record keeping Ensuring student records are
maintained in accordance with
state and federal regulations
Assisting with duties in the Assisting the school principal
principal's office with identifying and resolving
student issues, needs and
problems
Collaborating with teachers to
present proactive,
prevention-based
guidance curriculum lessons
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