1. Recognized ASCA Model Program Application (the RAMP application)
Mesa Public Schools Elementary Counselors

2. The ASCA National Model of School Counseling
People have wondered…   
What do school counselors DO?

3. Recent Trends in Education
Education reform movement
Accountability
Standards-based movement
High-stakes testing
Achievement gap – equity and access
Block grants
Emphasis on improving school safety
Vouchers
Performance, not entitlement

4. 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
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
Source: McGowen, P. & Miller, J., “Changing the Entitlement Culture,” The American School Board Journal, August 1999, p.43

5. 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
To counselors who:
Focus on accomplishments
Talk about effectiveness
Know their future rests on accomplishments
Communicate goals and objectives
Source: McGowen, P. & Miller, J., “Changing the Entitlement Culture,” The American School Board Journal, August 1999, p.43

6. The old question was…
“What do counselors do?”
The new question is…
“How are students different because of the school counseling program?

7. The ASCA National Model

8. Recognized ASCA Model Programs (RAMP)
The purpose of the RAMP award is to recognize:
Exceptional ASCA Model Programs that are comprehensive in scope, preventative in design and developmental in nature
Programs that reach every student and are driven by data.
Programs that focus on knowledge, skills and attitudes needed for successful academic achievement, career development, and personal/social growth
Programs where the counselors’ time is spent in a way that maximizes the benefits that every student is able to receive from the program.

9. Components of the RAMP application
12 components that are evaluated on a rubric system. Applications must receive 54/60 points to be designated as a RAMP School.
Components include:
Foundation- Mission Statement, Philosophy Statement, Standards/Competencies, and School Counseling Program goals.
Delivery System- Classroom Guidance curriculum and Small-group curriculum
Management- Calendars, Counselor/Principal Agreement, Advisory Council
Accountability- Guidance Curriculum Results Reports, and Closing the Gap Results Reports

10. Why RAMP your program?
Based on the ASCA National Model, the RAMP designation:
Identifies your school as an exemplary educational environment.
Increases your skills and knowledge of school counseling.
Helps you evaluate your program and areas for improvement.
Enhances your program’s efforts toward academic achievement and student success.
Gives you the confidence that your program aligns with a nationally accepted and recognized model of school counseling as well as aligning with your school and district’s goals and objectives.

11. Alma Elementary School Mesa Public Schools
Christa Petersen
Alma Elementary School
Mesa Public Schools

12. GOAL 1: 90% of sixth grade students will participate in Career Guidance units during the fall semester (2008), and will demonstrate an 80% mastery in attainment of skills relating to career goals that include identifying career plans, options, interests and skills; exploring entry level opportunities; and evaluating educational requirements.
Interventions
Career Guidance Unit including 10 classroom lessons per 6th grade classroom.
Results
92.5% of sixth grade students demonstrated an 80% mastery in the attainment of skills and knowledge relating to career goals that included identifying career plans, options, interests and skills; exploring entry level opportunities, and evaluating educational requirements.

13. GOAL 2: 75% of the students who missed 10% or more of school during the 2007/2008 school year will increase their attendance to at least 90% daily average attendance during the 2008/2009 school year. (Target group = 21 students)
Interventions
Small-Group curriculum, Individual counseling and Goal setting, Parent informational letters and Parent conferences.
Results
76% of students in the target group met the attendance goal of an average daily attendance percentage at 90% or above at the end of the first semester, resulting in an average increase of 4.7% in daily attendance for each student.

14. GOAL 3: 80% of 4th grade students designated as “approaches” on the 2008 AIMS test in reading will increase their knowledge of effective study skills and test taking strategies and behaviors that lead to successful learning.
Interventions
Targeted 4th grade study skills/reading small-group curriculum, after-school tutoring
Results
87.5% of students reported an increase in the knowledge of effective study skills and test taking strategies and behaviors that lead to successful learning. Average increase for the group was 17.5%

15. Johnson Elementary School Mesa Public Schools
Rebecca Fisher
Johnson Elementary School
Mesa Public Schools

16. GOAL 1: 4th grade students designated as “approaches” on the 2008 AIMS test in reading will increase their knowledge of effective study skills and test taking strategies by 50%
Interventions
Targeted 4th grade study skills/reading small-group curriculum
Results
72% of the targeted 4th grade students showed overall improvement in their study skills, test-taking and time management skills.

17. GOAL 2: 50% of 6th grade students will be able to identify the skills relating to a career goal that include identifying career plans, options, interests and skills along with evaluation educational requirements.
Interventions
Classroom guidance lessons focusing on careers, career plans, interests, skills and educational requirements.
Results
56% of the 6th grade students were able to identify an individual career goal, plans, interests and skills, and educational requirements needed for that career.

18. GOAL 3: Decrease the number of 3rd, 4th and 6th grade students sent to the school’s “Responsibility Room” for either academic or behavioral issues (friendship, anger) by 40% and to increase their study skills, organizational skills and skills related to appropriate classroom behavior by 40%.
Interventions
Selected students participated in small group curriculum lessons.
Results
3rd grade has shown a 28% increase over last year, 4th grade has shown a 22% increase over last year, 6th grade has shown a 31% decrease over last year.

19. Irving Elementary School Mesa Public Schools
Jacelyn Brand
Irving Elementary School
Mesa Public Schools

20. GOAL 1: 75% of students who missed 5-9% of 1st quarter will improve attendance by 1% by the end of 2nd quarter
INTERVENTIONS
Individual student meetings
Classroom guidance lessons
Parent/teacher conferences.
RESULTS
75% increase 1% or +
Average increase 3.4%
Outliers

21. GOAL 2: Identified 5th grade students will increase knowledge of study skills by 50%. Teacher perceptions will improve 25%
INTERVENTIONS
Small Group Counseling
6 sessions
RESULTS
Teacher Perception Data
Student Study Skills Knowledge Data

22. GOAL 3: To decrease discipline reports by 10% for the school year as compared to reports from the school year.
RESULTS
st Semester: 90
nd Semester: 49
INTERVENTIONS
Classroom Guidance Lessons
Communications Unit
Responsibility Lessons
Conflict Resolution Lessons
Small Group Counseling
Playground Pals

23. Holmes Elementary School Mesa Public Schools
Jeni Nye
Holmes Elementary School
Mesa Public Schools

24. GOAL 1: 46 students who missed 10% or more of school in 2007/2008 and/or who missed 15% or more of school by 9/18/09 will increase their attendance to 90% or better during the 2008/2009 school year.
Interventions
Small group curriculum, Individual counseling and goal setting, parent informational letters, newsletter articles and Alarm Clock Grant
Results
55% of targeted students increased their attendance to above 90% for the first semester of the 2008/2009 school year. School wide average daily attendance percentage improved from 95/8% in 07/08 to 96.25% in the first semester of 08/09, an improvement of 1.25%

25. GOAL 2: 18 fourth grade students designated as “approaches” on the 2008 AIMS test in reading will increase their knowledge of effective study skills and test taking strategies by 30%.
Interventions
Small group curriculum, Mentoring, Individual counseling and goal setting, Parent informational letters, Parent conferences.
Results
88.8% of students raised or maintained mastery on their knowledge of study skills and test taking strategies by 30% or more. 100% of students achieved mastery on their knowledge of study skills and test taking strategies as shown by the post assessment scores.

26. GOAL 3: 95% of current 6th grade students will successfully complete a career guidance unit and improve their skills relating to personal career goals, interests, abilities and career facts such as academic preparation, job description, and salaries.
Interventions
Career guidance unit taught in classrooms, Career Luncheon with Mentors.
Results
97.23% of students in the 6th grade completed a career guidance unit, compiling a career guidance folder and improved their skills relating to personal career goals, interest, abilities and career facts such as academic preparation, job description, and salaries by 55%.

27. Questions????