Data-Driven School Counselors Using online standardized surveys to improve school district’s counseling program

Needs Assessment data helps to determine: which services are valued by school community what are the needs of parents, students, and teachers what are the expectations for the future of the school counseling program

District wide standardized Needs Survey uses: To identify areas needing change and improvement To develop district wide benchmarks or vision data to focus planning To identify schools where interventions are needed and which interventions are most likely to be successful To create recommendations for state educational policymakers To gather perceptions on the impact of mandated or recommended school counseling activities

Benefits of standardization To improve the overall quality of Needs Assessment surveys To clarify the nature and definition of data (which variables are to be collected, how questions are asked) To increase their comparability To improve accessibility of counseling data

How using a computerized existing survey or survey template helps school counselors Data input is quick and easy Content is designed at appropriate developmental level Key constructs or data variables are defined At least one question is devoted for each construct identified Demographic variables are defined Introduction and thank you are written

Online surveys are easy for district counselors to administer Send to parents and teachers Post the survey on a your counseling website Post the survey on the school’s parent portal

Quicker and easier data analysis Online needs assessments: Automatically converts data into graphs Calculates percents, mean, median and mode Scores responses and makes results available immediately online Ensures accuracy by computer

Why gather updated needs information? 1 To identify new needs 2 To suggest new priorities among previously identified needs

Why update continued… 3 To identify schools where counseling specialists are needed: Bilingual counselors Career center technicians Parent education coordinators Special education coordinators Substance abuse prevention counselors

Counseling trends & new student needs Helping: Students cope with violence surrounding them Increasing numbers of students who feel alienated from school and school staff Increasing numbers of students who need help making career development plans To improve cross-cultural awareness and reduce racism and ethnocentrism

Counseling trends & new parent needs Parents need and want more parenting skills Schools need more effective ways to reach uninvolved parents Schools need funds to create parent coordinator positions

Counseling trends & new teacher needs Teachers: Need help meeting the special needs of students who fall educationally in the middle of the Bell Curve Seek better response to specific classroom problems Want a fuller understanding of the guidance program Want more help with understanding standardized testing and its appropriate uses