The Impact of Comprehensive School Counseling Programs on Student Performance Greg Brigman, Ph.D. Linda Webb, Ph.D. Elizabeth Villares, Ph.D. Florida Atlantic University

Whiston, et al meta-analysis (2010)  116 pre-post comparison group studies were included in Whiston’s meta-analysis.  This is the latest of a series of research reviews that have found school counseling to be very beneficial to students (Lapan, Gysbers & Sun, 1997; Sink, et al. 2008; Sink & Stroh, 2003)

Three types of measures used in the 116 studies reviewed by Whiston  Cognitive:  Behavior:  Affective:

Cognitive Measures GPA Achievement tests

Behavior Measures  Attendance  Physical altercations  Disciplinary referrals  Peer counseling skills  Problem solving  Behavior rating scales  Assess of social skills

Affective Measures  Self-esteem  Personal or social development  Anxiety  Depression

Results  Average study = 139 participants  59 (50%) = Elementary  21 (18%) = Middle School  29 (25%) = High School  7 (6%) = combined ages

Average Effect Sizes Found  Meta-analysis results from116 studies- Average Effect Size =.45

Type of Measures and Effect Sizes  Cognitive Measures: GPA =.15 Achievement =.16  Behavioral Measures: Discipline referrals =.83 Student problem solving =.96 Peer Counseling Skills = 1.14

Affective Measures Effect Sizes  Self-Esteem =.19  Anxiety =.40  Depression =.37

Delivery of interventions  Classroom Curriculum (51 studies) and Small Group Counseling ( 47 studies) had similar ES =.36  Individual Counseling (6 studies) ES =.07  Parent Workshops (5 studies) ES =.94

School Counselor interventions with largest Effect Sizes  Decreasing discipline problems (.83)  Increasing student problem solving (.96)  Peer helping skills (1.14)

Other Effect Sizes for school counselor interventions  Social skills: (.33)  Attendance: (.30)

School counselor interventions are effective across all three levels  Elementary Average Effect Size Guidance Curriculum =.31 Responsive services =.40  Middle Average Effect Size Guidance Curriculum =.46 Responsive services =.22  High Average Effect Size Guidance Curriculum =.39 Responsive services =.35

Whiston’s findings support a balanced school counseling program approach  The effectiveness of guidance curriculum and responsive services were consistent with both components having and average ES of.35

Center for School Counseling Outcome Research (CSORE) University of Massachusetts, Amherst  Statewide Evaluations in Utah and Nebraska (Carey & Harrington, 2010)  CSORE partnered with State Departments of Education  After controlling for differences in school-level demographics, clear and consistent evidence of four important sets of results were found

Four important sets of results were found School counseling contributes to important student outcomes Student to counselor ratios matter How the school counseling program is organized matters What counselors do matters

School counseling contributes to important student outcomes  Increase math and reading proficiency  Lower suspension rates  Lower discipline rates  Increase attendance  Higher graduation rates

Student to counselor ratios matter  In both states, the ratio of students to counselors was strongly related to its student outcomes.  More favorable ratios were associated with improved attendance, completion rates, and decreased discipline rates.

How the school counseling program is organized matters  The longer a school has been implementing a comprehensive developmental model (ASCA) the better the educational outcomes.  The more strongly organized programs are better able to produce positive outcomes for students.

What counselors do matters  Both Nebraska and Utah results indicate that career development-focused interventions seem to be particularly important in producing positive academic outcomes.  CSORE has reviewed other evidenced- based school counseling programs shown to have strong positive impact on student performance, i.e. Student Success Skills

Student Success Skills: A Foundational Learning Skills Approach  SSS helps students in grades 4-10 improve math and reading through: Cognitive Skills Social Skills Self-Management Skills

Student Success Skills: Key Skill Areas Goal setting and progress monitoring Creating a caring, supportive and encouraging classrooms Cognitive/Memory skills Performing under pressure: Managing test anxiety Building Healthy Optimism

Student Success Skills Meta-Analysis  Five studies: Brigman and Campbell (2003) Brigman, Webb, and Campbell (2007) Campbell and Brigman (2005) Webb, Brigman and Campbell (2005 ) León, Villares, Brigman, Webb, and Peluso (2010)

Effect Size of SSS on Math Scores

ES of SSS on Reading Scores

What kind of gains can we expect in math and reading?  Hill, Bloom, Black, and Lipsey (2008) reviewed 192 meta-analyses of educational interventions to evaluate there impact on reading and math standardized test scores.

What kind of gains can we expect in math and reading?  Hill, et al (2007) found that for students in grades K-12, the overall average effect sizes of: 0.23Elementary 0.27Middle 0.24 High

Annual achievement test score gains in reading and math  Grades 4-5Read=.40 Math=.56  Grades 6-7Read=.32 Math=.41  Grades 9-10 Read=.19 Math=.25 Hill, C., Bloom, H., Black, A. & Lipsey, M. (2007)

Practical Impact of Interventions If a study of an intervention, say a new math curriculum or method of teaching math, found an effect size of.10 Then using Hill’s benchmark of Average Yearly Gains, the impact of this intervention:  In reading would be comparable to one-quarter of an additional year of learning for 4th graders.  For math the.10 effect size would be comparable to one-fifth of an additional year for 4th graders

Practical significance of a Student Success Skills.41 ES in math  Grades 4-5An additional 4/5 of a year’s growth  Grades 6-7An additional 1 year’s growth  Grades 9-10An additional 1 2/3 year’s growth Hill, C., Bloom, H., Black, A. & Lipsey, M. (2007)

Practical significance of Student Success Skills.17 ES in Reading  Grades 4-5An additional 1/3 of a year’s growth  Grades 6-7An additional 1/2 year’s growth  Grades 9-10An additional 1 year’s growth Hill, C., Bloom, H., Black, A. & Lipsey, M. (2007)

So What?  So if the best interventions known average an effect size of.25  And school counselors can delivery interventions that focus on foundational learning skills which have as large or larger impact as these best known interventions,  Then school counselors have an important seat at the school improvement table.  We cannot afford to throw away such an important resource to improving math and reading proficiency as well as discipline, attendance and graduation rates.

Data Driven Decision Making  If one looks at recent reviews of rigorous educational research  Then it is clear that comprehensive school counseling programs  And specific school counselor led classroom interventions such as SSS  Can have a large positive effect on student learning.