Presented By: Linda Kopec Elizabeth Younce Understanding the ASCA National Model for School Counseling: Increasing Student Achievement and Counselor Accountability Presented By: Linda Kopec Elizabeth Younce

OVERVIEW The American School Counselor Association (ASCA) collaborated to create a National Model for School Counseling Programs to connect school counseling with the current educational reform movements that emphasize student achievement and success. ASCA saw a need to develop a standardized framework for school counseling programs. In the spring of 2001, ASCA gathered the leaders in the field of school counseling in Tucson, Arizona to collaborate and create a National Model for School Counseling Programs. Using the National Standards for School Counseling as a foundation, ASCA developed the model after extensive review and synthesis of guidelines from states, districts and individual school sites. The ASCA National Model for School Counseling Programs provides a framework to organize school counseling programs, with the school counselor serving as the program leader. School counselors switch their emphasis from service-centered for some of the students to program-centered for every student.

RATIONALE By aligning a school counseling program with the school/district mission and school improvement plan, school counselors: ….Partner as leaders in systemic change ….Ensure equity and access ….Promote academic, personal/social and career development for every student.

Goals of School Counseling Program The ultimate goal of the school counseling program is to support the school’s academic mission. Ensuring academic achievement for every student includes counselor initiated activities designed to meet the needs of under-served, under-performing and under-represented populations.

People have wondered…. WHAT DO SCHOOL COUNSELORS DO? Throughout history, people HAVE wondered…what just is it that school counselors DO? There has not been consensus on this issue.

Historical Problems in School Counseling Programs Lack of consistent identity Limited or no involvement in reform movements Variation in roles from state to state and site to site Non-school counselor responsibilities Classroom coverage, discipline, master scheduling, and test coordination interfere.

The ASCA National Model What is a school counseling program? Prevention education Developmental in nature A collaborative effort Driven by data Integrated into the Total Educational Program Academics, Career, Personal/Social Development

Data Driven What are some of your current data sources?

The old question was… What do counselors do? The new question is…. “HOW ARE STUDENTS DIFFERENT AS A RESULT OF THE SCHOOL COUNSELING PROGRAM?”

From Entitlement…To Performance From a Program that: Focuses generally on the number of activities Measures the amount of effort Attends to the process of doing work Works to maintain the existing system For school counseling programs, this means moving from programs that focus on the number of activities counselors perform, to focusing on the outcomes and results of these activities. OK, so you held 10 guidance lessons this week, eight groups and saw 15 individual students… SO WHAT??? Programs that focus on performance indicate the results of these activities. Collecting process data is important so that programs can see what they are doing and for whom, but the OUTCOMES of these programs are what stakeholders want to see

From Entitlement…To Performance To A Program That: Focuses on outcomes and improved results Measures impact related to goals Attends to goals, objectives, and outcomes Changes and adapts to be more responsive

From Entitlement…To Performance From counselors who: Focus on good intentions Talk about how hard they work Generally feel little need to change their behavior or approach

From Entitlement…To Performance To Counselors Who: Focus on accomplishments Talk about effectiveness Know their future rests on accomplishments Communicate goals and objectives

Implications What is the purpose of the school counseling program? What are the desired outcomes or results? What is being done to achieve those results? What evidence is there that the objectives have been met? Is the program making a difference? We need to ask ourselves….

School Counseling Programs Are About: Leadership Assessment Technology Managing Resources Teaming Collaboration Data-Driven Decisions Advocacy Most of these probably look very familiar to you. Data driven decisions is the newcomer to this list. Now before anyone has flashbacks to statistics or research classes, let me assure you that we are talking about very simple data, no controlling for variables, standard errors of measurement, etc.

School Counseling Programs Are About: RESULTS! HOW ARE STUDENTS DIFFERENT AS A RESULT OF THE SCHOOL COUNSELING PROGRAM? If we were to sum up the national model in one sentence, this would be it.

Comprehensive School Counseling A Comprehensive School Counseling program includes: Program Planning Individual and Group Counseling Consulting (students, parents, teachers, agencies) Coordinating Services Student Appraisal Professional Development

I will direct you to your one page handout, as I think that is easier to the small print. Notice how the arrows are pointing. The parts of the model are entertwined.

The ASCA National Model Addresses the Comprehensive School Program: FOUNDATION DELIVERY SYSTEM MANAGEMENT SYSTEM ACCOUNTABILITY SYSTEM IMPLEMENTATION

Themes Throughout the Model ADVOCACY LEADERSHIP COLLABORATION SYSTEMIC CHANGE

FOUNDATION Beliefs and Philosophy Mission ASCA National Standards and Competencies Domains: Academic Development Career Development Personal/Social Development Beliefs and Philosophy – “we agree” statements, guides the program development, implementation and evaluation, consensus from all personnel involved in the program Mission statement – Describes the program’s purpose, provides a vision of what every student should achieve, aligned with the school and district mission statements

Beliefs and Philosophy We “agree statements Guide the program development, implementation and evaluation Require consensus from all personnel involved in the program

Mission Statement Describes the program’s purpose Provides a vision of what every student should achieve Aligned with the school and district mission statements

Standards from the National Model Standard 1: Program organization Standard 2: School guidance curriculum delivered to all students Standard 3: Individual student planning Standard 4: Responsive Services Standard 5: Systems support Standard 6: School counselor and administrator agreement

Standards from the National Model, continued Standard 7: Advisory Council Standard 8: Use of data Standard 9: Student monitoring Standard 10: Use of time and calendar Standard 11: Results evaluation Standard 12: Program Audit Standard 13: Be a student advocate, leader, collaborator and systems change agent

Delivery System School Guidance Curriculum Individual Student Planning Responsive Services System Support I would like point out that ASCA recommends that counselors spend 80% of their time in curriculum, individual student planning, and responsive services and that the remaining 20% of the time be spent supporting the Counseling Program Guidance Curriculum – structured lessons delivered to all students, related to standards and competencies, and integrated with the academic curriculum. The NC Standard Course of Study for School Counseling and Guidance is based on the National Model. The Guidance Curriculum is to be a shared responsibility between school counselors, teachers, parents, community and career development coordinators. To view the curriculum, go to DPI’s website: www.ncpublicschools.org There are over 600 lesson plans on the site. Individual Student Planning: consists of ongoing systemic activities, designed to assist students in establishing personal goals, designed to assist students in developing future plans Responsive Services: designed to meet students’ immediate needs, individual, group and crisis counseling, consultation, referral, mediation, information System Support: Program management activities that establish, maintain, and enhance the program, professional development activities, consultation, collaboration and teaming

Guidance Curriculum Structured lessons delivered to all students Related to standards and competencies Integrated with academic curriculum Use data to develop lessons Environmental issues Discipline records Student records Standardized test scores

Individual Student Planning Ongoing systemic activities Designed to assist students in establishing personal goals Designed to assist students in developing future plans Helps students get from point A to point B

Counselor Planned and Directed Test score review, interpretation and analysis Promotion and retention information Career decision making Yearly course selection Test taking strategies

Responsive Services Designed to meet students’ immediate needs Individual, group and crisis counseling Consultation, referral, mediation and information Available to all students and parents

System Support Program management activities that establish, maintain, and enhance the program Professional development activities Consultation, collaboration and teaming

Management System Agreements Advisory Council Use of Time Calendars Action Plans Guidance Curriculum Closing the Gap Use of Data Monitoring Student Progress Management Agreements: To ensure effective implementation of the program, school counseling staffs make management decisions regarding the organization/assignment of school counselors and the school counseling office effective implementation of the delivery system and the needs of the department regarding professional development and consultation. between the school counselor and administrator, includes statements of responsibilities and how counselors will divide responsibilities in schools with more than one counselor, states specific results for which counselor is responsible, negotiated and approved at the beginning of the school year Advisory Council: An advisory council is a group of people appointed to review counseling program results and to make recommendations. Representatives are students, parents, teachers, counselors, administration and community members. Should meet twice a year – terms of membership 1-3 years, have specific agenda/notes Use of Time: A comprehensive school counseling program recommends that counselors spend 80% of their time in direct service (contact) with students. The National Model provides percentages that serve as a guide to school counselors and administrators when determining the time their program needs to spend in each of the four components of the delivery system. elementary middle high Guidance Curriculum 35 -45% 25-35% 15-25% Individual Planning 5 – 10% 15-25% 25-25% Responsive Services 30-40% 30-40% 25-35% System Support 10-15% 10-15% 15-20% Calendars: master calendar, weekly calendar, published, ensures planned activities are completed, PR tool. Monthly/weekly calendars: group schedule, classroom guidance, individual planning, system support and responsive services times, parent conferences…. Master Calendar – annual – parent night, college night, financial aid nights, etc.. Action Plans: For every competency and result assumed y counselors, there must a plan of how the counselor intends to achieve the desired result. Each plan contains: the competency addressed, the description of the activity, the data which drives the decision to address the competency, time activity is to be completed, who is responsible for delivery, the means of evaluating student success, and the expected results for students. Action Plan reflections: Are your objectives measurable? How will you measure? [ pre/post tests, comparison to base line data] Will your plan lead to results data? Process/perception/results. Will your plan require too much time on data collection? Can you use data elements that are already being collected? Are you revisiting the plan throughout the year? 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 that 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 related data. Student Monitoring: monitoring students’ progress ensures that each student receives what he or she needs to achieve success in school. Areas to be monitored include student achievement data, achievement-related data and standards and competency based data. Collection, analysis and interpretation of student achievement data may be systemic by district, or specific to school, site, grade, class, or individual. Closing the Gap: The needs surface when disaggregated data is analyzed for every student. Where are we now? Where should we be? Where are we going to go? Existing data sources: report cards, discipline reports, post-graduation plans, EOGs/EOCs, Attendance reports, referrals. New Data sources: Pre/post activity surveys, needs assessments, focus groups, case studies, student portfolios

Agreements To ensure effective implementation of the program Based on delivery systems and needs Negotiated every year

Advisory Council Group appointed to review the guidance program Counselor, administrator, teachers, parents, students, community members

Use of Time Elementary Guidance Curriculum – 35 – 45% Individual Planning – 5 – 10% Responsive Services – 30 – 40% System Support – 10 – 15%

Use of Time Middle School Guidance Curriculum – 25 – 35% Individual Planning – 15 – 25% Responsive Services – 30 – 40% System Support – 10 -15%

Use of Time High School: Guidance Curriculum – 15 -25% Individual Planning – 25 – 35% Responsive Services – 25 – 35% System Support – 15 – 20%

Calendars Master Calendar Weekly Calendar Published Ensures planned activities are completed PR Tool

Action Plans Domain, standard and competency Description of activity Curriculum and materials to be used Time Allotment Person(s) responsible Evaluation of student success Expected result

Action Plan Reflections Are your objectives measurable? Can you use data elements that are already being collected? Will the plan lead to results data? How will you measure? Pre/post tests Comparison to baseline data

Use of Data Student Monitoring – collection, analysis and interpretation of data to ensure all students achieve academic success Closing the Gap – Use of disaggregated data which discerns the discrepancies between the desired results and the results currently being achieved

How do Counselors Fit Into NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND? What can school counselors do to promote AYP, Closing the Gap, School Safety, etc.? Study skills and test-taking skills groups for low-performing students Conflict Resolution Training Counseling students with suspension and absenteeism issues Staff training on behavior management and school climate

Academic Results Interventions (Grades 6 – 8) After Academic Counseling Groups: 37% of 6th Graders (64) 24% of 7th Graders (47) 72% of 8th Graders (46) Demonstrated GPA Improvement

Freshmen Promotion Incoming 9th grade students who had one or more D or F in the 8th grade were placed in a mentoring program with upperclassmen. 95% of participating students were promoted to the 10th grade, versus 80% of those outside of the program

Academic Goal Setting After classroom guidance lessons pre-post tests indicated… Student knowledge of goal setting increased from 10% to 90% 90% achieved their identified goal

ACCOUNTABILITY Results Reports School counselor performance evaluations Program Audit Results Reports – Results reports, which include process, perception and results data, ensure that programs are carried out, analyzed for effectiveness, and changed and improved as needed. Sharing these reports with stakeholders serves to advocate for the students and the program. Immediate, intermediate and long range results are collected and analyzed for program improvement. S.C.P.E. – The school counselor’s performance evaluation contains basic standards of practice expected of school counselors implementing as school counseling program. These performance standards serve s both a basis for counselor evaluation and as a means for counselor self-evaluation. Program Audit/Evaluation – The program audit provides evidence of the programs alignment with the ASCA National Model for School Counseling Programs. The primary purpose of collecting information is to guide future action within the program and to improve future results for students. Why Accountability? Shows that school counselors intentionally and purposely act to “close the gap”, focuses activities on student achievement, demonstrates commitment to school improvement, highlights school counselors’ skills

Results Reports Data: Process Perception Results Over Time: Immediate, Intermediate, Long Range

Results Reports – Impact over Time Personal/Social Results Conflict Resolution ( K – 5) Number of students who could peacefully resolve a conflict INCREASED from 55% to 88% Following implementation of a Conflict Manager program the number of suspended students was REDUCED from 13% in 97/98 to 3% in 01/02

Career Development (over 3 years) Scholarship dollars for students increased from $750,000 to $825,000 Parent attendance increased from 150 – 500 at guidance sponsored events Number of students visiting the career center increased from 30 to 200 daily Graduation rates increased from 84 – 89%

What does an Audit tell us? Major strengths of the program Areas that need to be strengthened Categorizes the rate of progress of each criteria Helps to determine short and long range goals for improvement

IMPLEMENTATION Administrator Support Planned Steps On-going Program Evaluation

Steps to Implementation What if my school doesn’t want to change? Ask yourself… What are my students’ needs? What do I want to change? What do I have the power to change? What am I already doing that can be measured? START SMALL and use that data to support further expansion and change

Steps to Implementation 1. Planning the Program 2. Building Your Foundation 3. Designing the Delivery System 4. Implementing the Program 5. Making the Program Accountable

Next Steps Review action plans Learn from experience Look at ways to implement new pieces of the National Model each year for 3 -5 years

National Model Best Practices Start with what you can manage Align with school and district goals Define “at-risk” Data! Data! Data! Write measurable goals and objectives that are reasonable Write plans early, review them regularly

Best Practices Understand the trends, work with the details Collaborate with others at your school Collaborate with other schools

In Closing….. All this will not be finished in the first one hundred days. Nor will it be finished in the first thousand days, nor in the life of this administration, nor even perhaps in our lifetime on this planet. BUT LET US BEGIN. John F. Kennedy

And Finally…. “WE NEED TO BE THE CHANGE WE WANT TO SEE HAPPEN. WE ARE THE LEADERS WE HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR.” Gandhi

Questions?