STANDARDS
FOR SCHOOL COUNSELING PROGRAMS
In addition
to the common core curricular experiences outlined in Section
II.K, the following curricular experiences and demonstrated
knowledge and skills are required of all students in the program.
Coun 521 - Role of the Counselor/Consultant, and COUN 572 Counselor
Education Seminar-Elementary are the primary courses in the
in the Elementary School Counseling program tracks that pertain to standards in
this section. Likewise, Coun 546 - Organization and Administration of Counseling Services and COUN 572 Counselor
Education Seminar-Secondary are the primary courses in the
in the Secondary School Counseling program tracks that pertain to standards in
this section. Other courses that are listed tend to address standards
in a secondary manner.
To review all relevant course syllabi mentioned in this section, click here.
To review the matrix which further illustrates how courses meet
relevant CACREP standards, click here.
A. FOUNDATIONS OF SCHOOL COUNSELING
1. history, philosophy, and current trends in school counseling and educational
systems;
COUN 572 Counselor Education Seminar-Elementary
COUN 572 Counselor Education Seminar-Secondary
2. relationship of the school counseling program
to the academic and student services program in the school;
COUN 521 - Role of the Counselor/Consultant
COUN 546 Organization and Administration of Counseling Services
COUN 523/545 - Applied Practices II
COUN 524A,B,C - Internship in Elementary
School Counseling
COUN 552A,B,C - Internship in Secondary
School Counseling
COUN 561 - Introduction to
Psychological Testing
3. role, function, and professional identity of the school counselor in relation to the roles of other professional and
support personnel in the school;
COUN 521 - Role of the Counselor/Consultant
COUN 546 Organization and Administration of Counseling Services
COUN 523/545 - Applied Practices II
COUN 524A,B,C - Internship in Elementary
School Counseling
COUN 552A,B,C - Internship in Secondary
School Counseling
COUN 561 - Introduction to
Psychological Testing
4.
strategies of leadership designed to enhance the learning
environment of schools;
COUN 521 - Role of the Counselor/Consultant
COUN 546 Organization and Administration of Counseling Services
COUN 524A,B,C - Internship in Elementary
School Counseling
COUN 552A,B,C - Internship in Secondary
School Counseling
COUN 561 - Introduction to
Psychological Testing
6. knowledge of the school setting, environment,
and pre-K–12 curriculum;
COUN 521 - Role of the Counselor/Consultant
COUN 546 Organization and Administration of Counseling Services
COUN 572 Counselor Education Seminar-Elementary
COUN 572 Counselor Education Seminar-Secondary
COUN 561 - Introduction to
Psychological Testing
7.
current
issues, policies,
laws, and legislation relevant to school counseling;
COUN 572 Counselor Education Seminar-Elementary
COUN 572 Counselor Education Seminar-Secondary
8. the role of racial, ethnic, and cultural heritage, nationality,
socioeconomic status, family structure, age, gender, sexual
orientation, religious and spiritual beliefs, occupation,
physical and mental status, and equity issues in school counseling;
COUN 572 Counselor Education Seminar-Elementary
COUN 572 Counselor Education Seminar-Secondary
COUN 561 - Introduction to
Psychological Testing
9. knowledge and understanding of community,
environmental, and institutional opportunities that enhance,
as well as barriers that impede student academic, career,
and personal/social success and overall development;
COUN 572 Counselor Education Seminar-Elementary
COUN 572 Counselor Education Seminar-Secondary
10. knowledge and application of current and emerging
technology in education and school counseling to assist students,
families, and educators in using resources that promote informed
academic, career, and personal/social choices; and
COUN 505 - Career Development I
11. ethical and legal considerations
related specifically to the practice of school counseling (e.g., the
ACA Code of Ethics and the ASCA Ethical Standards for School
Counselors).
COUN 530 - Ethics and Professional
Conduct in Counseling and Psychotherapy
B. CONTEXTUAL DIMENSIONS OF SCHOOL COUNSELING
Studies that provide an understanding
of the coordination of counseling program components as they
relate to the total school community, including all of the
following:
1. advocacy for all students and for effective
school counseling programs;
COUN 572 - Counselor Education Seminar-Elementary
COUN 572 - Counselor Education Seminar-Secondary
COUN 530 - Ethics and Professional
Conduct in Counseling and Psychotherapy
2. coordination, collaboration, referral, and
team-building efforts with teachers, parents, support personnel,
and community resources to promote program objectives and
facilitate successful student development and achievement
of all students;
COUN 521 - Role of the Counselor/Consultant
COUN 546 - Organization and Administration of Counseling Services
COUN 561 - Introduction to
Psychological Testing
3. integration of the school counseling program
into the total school curriculum by systematically providing
information and skills training to assist pre-K–12 students
in maximizing their academic, career, and personal/social
development;
COUN 521 - Role of the Counselor/Consultant
COUN 546 - Organization and Administration of Counseling Services
COUN 561 - Introduction to
Psychological Testing
COUN 505 - Career Development I
4. promotion of the use of counseling and guidance
activities and programs by the total school community to enhance
a positive school climate;
COUN 521 - Role of the Counselor/Consultant
COUN 546 - Organization and Administration of Counseling Services
COUN 561 - Introduction to
Psychological Testing
5. methods
of planning for and presenting school counseling-related educational
programs to administrators, teachers, parents, and the community;
COUN 521 - Role of the Counselor/Consultant
COUN 546 - Organization and Administration of Counseling Services
COUN 561 - Introduction to
Psychological Testing
COUN 572 - Counselor Education Seminar-Elementary
COUN 572 - Counselor Education Seminar-Secondary
COUN 505 - Career Development I
6. methods of planning, developing, implementing,
monitoring, and evaluating comprehensive developmental counseling
programs; and
COUN 505 - Career Development I
7. knowledge
of prevention and crisis intervention strategies.
COUN 561 - Introduction to
Psychological Testing
COUN 544 - Techniques of Individual Counseling
C. KNOWLEDGE AND SKILL REQUIREMENTS FOR SCHOOL
COUNSELORS
1. Program Development, Implementation, and Evaluation
a. use, management, analysis, and presentation
of data from school- based information (e.g., standardized
testing, grades, enrollment, attendance, retention, placement),
surveys, interviews, focus groups,
and needs assessments to improve student outcomes;
COUN 521 - Role of the Counselor/Consultant
COUN 546 - Organization and Administration of Counseling Services
b. design, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation
of comprehensive developmental school counseling programs
(e.g., the ASCA National
Standards for School Counseling Programs) including an
awareness of various systems that affect students, school,
and home;
COUN 521 - Role of the Counselor/Consultant
COUN 546 - Organization and Administration of Counseling Services
c. implementation and evaluation of specific strategies
that meet program goals and objectives;
COUN 521 - Role of the Counselor/Consultant
COUN 546 - Organization and Administration of Counseling Services
d. identification of student academic, career,
and personal/social competencies and the implementation of
processes and activities to assist students in achieving these
competencies;
COUN 505 - Career Development I
e. preparation of an action plan and school counseling
calendar that reflect
appropriate time commitments and priorities in a comprehensive developmental school counseling program;
COUN 505 - Career Development I
f. strategies for seeking and securing alternative
funding for program expansion; and
COUN 505 - Career Development I
g. use of technology in the design, implementation,
monitoring and evaluation of a comprehensive school counseling
program.
COUN 572 - Counselor Education Seminar-Elementary
COUN 572 - Counselor Education Seminar-Secondary
2. Counseling
and Guidance
a. individual and small-group counseling approaches
that promote school success, through academic, career, and
personal/social development for all;
COUN 523/545 - Applied Practices II
COUN 524A,B,C - Internship in Elementary
School Counseling
COUN 552A,B,C - Internship in Secondary
School Counseling
b. individual, group, and classroom guidance approaches systematically designed to
assist all students with academic, career and personal/social
development;
COUN 523/545 - Applied Practices II
COUN 524A,B,C - Internship in Elementary
School Counseling
COUN 552A,B,C - Internship in Secondary
School Counseling
c. approaches to peer facilitation, including
peer helper, peer tutor, and peer mediation
programs;
COUN 524A,B,C - Internship in Elementary
School Counseling
COUN 552A,B,C - Internship in Secondary
School Counseling
d. issues that may affect the development and
functioning of students (e.g., abuse, violence, eating disorders,
attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, childhood depression
and suicide)
COUN 524A,B,C - Internship in Elementary
School Counseling
COUN 552A,B,C - Internship in Secondary
School Counseling
e. developmental approaches to assist all students
and parents at points of educational transition (e.g., home
to elementary school, elementary to middle to high school,
high school to postsecondary education and career options);
COUN 524A,B,C - Internship in Elementary
School Counseling
COUN 552A,B,C - Internship in Secondary
School Counseling
f. constructive partnerships with parents, guardians,
families, and communities in order to promote each student’s
academic, career, and personal/social success;
COUN 524A,B,C - Internship in Elementary
School Counseling
COUN 552A,B,C - Internship in Secondary
School Counseling
g. systems theories and relationships among and
between community systems, family systems, and school systems,
and how they interact to influence the students and affect
each system; and
COUN 523/545 - Applied Practices II
h. approaches
to recognizing and assisting children and adolescents who
may use alcohol or other drugs or who may reside in a home
where substance abuse occurs.
COUN 524A,B,C - Internship in Elementary
School Counseling
COUN 552A,B,C - Internship in Secondary
School Counseling
3. Consultation
a. strategies to promote, develop, and enhance
effective teamwork within the school and larger community;
COUN 544 - Counseling Techniques
COUN 523/545 - Applied Practices II
COUN 524A,B,C - Internship in Elementary
School Counseling
COUN 552A,B,C - Internship in Secondary
School Counseling
b. theories, models, and processes of consultation
and change with teachers, administrators, other school personnel,
parents, community groups, agencies, and students as appropriate;
COUN 544 - Counseling Techniques
COUN 524A,B,C - Internship in Elementary
School Counseling
COUN 552A,B,C - Internship in Secondary
School Counseling
c. strategies and methods of working with parents,
guardians, families, and communities to empower them to act
on behalf of their children; and
COUN 544 - Counseling Techniques
COUN 523/545 - Applied Practices II
COUN 524A,B,C - Internship in Elementary
School Counseling
COUN 552A,B,C - Internship in Secondary
School Counseling
d. knowledge and skills in conducting programs
that are designed to enhance students’ academic, social, emotional,
career, and other developmental needs.
COUN 505 - Career Development I
COUN 523/545 - Applied Practices II
COUN 524A,B,C - Internship in Elementary
School Counseling
COUN 552A,B,C - Internship in Secondary
School Counseling
D. CLINICAL INSTRUCTION
For the School
Counseling Program, the 600 clock hour internship (Standard
III.H) occurs in a school counseling setting, under the supervision
of a site supervisor as defined by Section III, Standard C.1-2.
The requirement includes a minimum of 240 direct service clock
hours.
The program
must clearly define and measure the outcomes expected of interns,
using appropriate professional resources that address Standards
A, B, and C (School Counseling Programs).
Students are placed in an
appropriate school setting for the internship experience. Students
complete their internship under the supervision of a full time faculty
member on campus, and a certified school counselor at
the field placement site. The internship can be either one or two
semesters in length. Students are to spend a minimum of 600 total hours
for the internship experience. During these hours, the student
participates in all of the activities generally regarded as the
responsibility of the school counselor. The student must complete a
minimum of 240 hours providing direct service to students. These direct
services include individual and small group counseling, classroom
guidance activities, and consultation with staff and parents.
Students are required to submit a final portfolio
as they near completion. This portfolio is meant to represent a
comprehensive measurement of the student's learning (For more detailed
guidelines, see here).
Criteria for successful completion of this requirement come from both
CACREP and the Pennsylvania Department of Education standards for
school counselors. Additionally, interns receive both formal and
informal evaluations from site and faculty supervisors through their
internship experiences.
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