School Counseling Programs Identifying Academic Development Needs

This study examined student, parent, and faculty perceptions of academic development needs and related comprehensive school counseling program services from four urban middle and high schools. Participants ( n = 1,032) completed a survey designed to assist schools in planning and evaluating their career and college readiness programs, and exploring perceived student support needs. Statistically significant differences were observed in stakeholder perceptions among 12 identified interventions that support improved academic development, through factorial analysis of variance (ANOVA) and pairwise comparisons analysis. Findings provide valuable information about prioritizing student academic counseling services strategically and effectively, to meet program needs of students in high-poverty schools.

Grit and Growth Mindset Contribution to School Counseling Services

School counselors are essential staff in an education setting, contributing to student success by delivering critical services when implementing a comprehensive school counseling program. The study examined the predictive relationships of school counselors’ level of grit and mindset with their activities performed in programmatic service delivery. This novel study contributed to the expansion of grit and mindset predictive relationship with school counselor’s activities performed in a comprehensive counseling program. Practical implications were discussed, and further research is warranted to identify other factors that are predictive of counselor’s job activities in a comprehensive school counseling program.

Training School Counselors to Serve as Antibullying Specialists

This chapter explores school counselors' role in accordance to the nation's indicated most extensive and comprehensive antibullying policy by the U.S. Department of Education (US DOE) as well as in alignment with the position of the American School Counselor Association (ASCA). The author introduces and evaluates bullying implications for underserved populations and research concerning the experiences of school counselors when serving students in the additional role designated by the model policy, antibullying specialist. This chapter identifies research driven suggestions for most effective practices counselor educators can train school counselors to advocate for when designing and implementing their comprehensive school counseling programs with prevention and intervention components.

Advocacy Without Adversity: Developing an Understanding of Micropolitical Theory to Promote a Comprehensive School Counseling Program

School counselors are urged to create systemic change within a school system by working as an advocate, leader, and collaborator within the school. Each of these roles requires a school counselor to be skilled in micropolitics and micropolitical literacy. This article explores the main concepts of micropolitical theory and its application to the school counseling profession. We also discuss the limitations and implications of this position.

Online Career Guidance Systems for PK-12 School Students: Compliments to a Comprehensive School Counseling Program

The American School Counselor Association (ASCA) identifies three main domains that should be included in a developmental and comprehensive school counseling program. These domains include academic development, social/emotional development, and career development. This chapter will provide an overview of the career development needs of PK-12 students. It will also offer several online career guidance system suggestions that school counselors and educators may employ to meet both the needs of school-aged students and the demands of career guidance and planning during the formative years of elementary, middle, and high school. Research has shown that the area of career development is significantly lacking in school systems and less emphasis is placed on this domain in comparison to others. Therefore, online career guidance systems that may be accessed by students independently or with educator collaboration may help to bridge this gap.