School counselor

Elementary school counseling
Elementary professional school counselors following best practices provide developmental school counseling curriculum lessons (Stone & Dahir, 2006) on academic, career, college readiness, and personal and social competencies, advising and academic/career/college readiness planning to all students, and individual and group counseling for some students and their families to meet the developmental needs of young children K-6 (ASCA, 2005). Increased emphasis is starting to be placed on college readiness counseling at the elementary school level as more school counseling programs move to evidence-based work with data and specific results (Dimmitt, Carey, & Hatch, 2007). Research has shown that school counseling programs help to close achievement and opportunity gaps in terms of which students have access to school counseling programs and early college readiness activities and which students do not (College Board, 2008). To facilitate the school counseling process, school counselors use a variety of theories and techniques including developmental, cognitive-behavioral, person-centered (Rogerian) listening and influencing skills, systemic, family, multicultural (Holcomb-McCoy & Chen-Hayes, 2007; Portman, 2009), narrative, and play therapy.[citation needed] Sink & Stroh (2003) released a research study showing the effectiveness of elementary school counseling programs in Washington state.

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Middle school counseling
In middle school counseling, professional school counselors following best practices provide developmental school counseling curriculum lessons (Stone & Dahir, 2006) on academic, career, college readiness, and personal and social competencies, advising and academic/career/college readiness planning to all students and individual and group counseling for some students and their families to meet the developmental needs of late childhood and early adolescence according to sources such as the ASCA National Model (ASCA, 2005). Increasing emphasis has been placed on college readiness counseling at the middle school level as more school counseling programs move to evidenced-base work with data and specific results (Dimmitt, Carey, & Hatch, 2007) that show how school counseling programs help to close achievement and opportunity gaps in terms of which students have access to school counseling programs and early college readiness activities and which students do not (College Board, 2008).

Middle School College Readiness curricula have been developed by The College Board that can be used to assist students and their families in this process. To facilitate the school counseling process, school counselors use a variety of theories and techniques including developmental, cognitive-behavioral, person-centered (Rogerian) listening and influencing skills, systemic, family, multicultural (Holcomb-McCoy & Chen-Hayes, 2007; Portman, 2009), narrative, and play therapy. Transitional issues to ensure successful transitions to high school are a key area including career exploration and assessment with seventh and eighth grade students.[citation needed] Sink, Akos, Turnbull, & Mvududu released a study in 2008 confirming the effectiveness of middle school comprehensive school counseling programs in Washington state (Sink, Akos, Turnbull, & Mvududu, 2008).


High school counseling
In high school, professional school counselors following best practices provide developmental school counseling curriculum lessons (Stone & Dahir, 2006) on academic, career, college readiness, and personal and social competencies, advising and academic/career/college readiness planning to all students and individual and group counseling for some students to meet the developmental needs of adolescents according to sources such as the ASCA National Model (ASCA, 2005). Increasing emphasis is being placed on college readiness counseling at the early high school level as more school counseling programs move to evidence-based work with data and specific results (Dimmitt, Carey, & Hatch, 2007) that show how school counseling programs help to close achievement and opportunity gaps ensuring all students have access to school counseling programs and early college readiness activities (Carey et al, 2008). High School College Readiness curricula have been developed by The College Board to assist this process.

To facilitate school counseling, school counselors use varied theories and techniques including developmental, cognitive-behavioral, person-centered (Rogerian) listening and influencing skills, systemic, family, multicultural (Holcomb-McCoy & Chen-Hayes, 2007; Portman, 2009), narrative, and play therapy. Transitional issues to ensure successful transitions to college, other post-secondary educational options, and careers are a key area.[citation needed] The high school counselor helps students and their families prepare for rigorous post-secondary education and/or training options (e.g. college, trade school) by engaging students and their families in finding accurate and meaningful information on entrance requirements, financial aid, recommendation letters, test-preparation and so forth. Professional School Counselors at the high school level spend much of their time helping students and their families monitor their progress toward graduation and being adequately prepared for post-secondary options including college.[citation needed] Some students now turn to private college admissions counselors specialized in college admissions but the ethics of so doing is open to great debate in terms of who has access to this funding and there is little research-based evidence of effectiveness on the part of these outside parties.

The fees for these college admissions counselors can be as high as $30,000.

A framework for Professional School Counselor responsibilities and roles is outlined in the ASCA (American School Counselor Association) National Model (2005). Lapan, Gysbers, & Sun's (1997) study showed correlational evidence of the effectiveness of fully implemented school counseling programs on high school students' academic success. Carey et al's 2008 study showed specific best practices from school counselors raising college-going rates within a strong college-going environment in multiple USA-based high schools with large numbers of students of nondominant cultural identities.