Providing Counseling Services in High Schools: Partnerships in Higher Education

Gina Cicco*
Associate Professor, The School of Education, Department of Counselor Education, St. John's University, New York, USA.
Periodicity:September - November'2018
DOI : https://doi.org/10.26634/jsch.14.2.15097

Abstract

This article will discuss the importance and implications of providing high quality school counseling services in K-12 schools, and specifically in high schools. The delivery of comprehensive school counseling programs and related services such as mentoring and academic advisement have been linked to students' academic success, graduation rates, and post-secondary outcomes in terms of college admission and retention (Castro-Atwater, 2013; DeKruyf, Auger, & Trice-Black, 2013; Engberg & Gilbert, 2014). The multi-faceted roles of contemporary school counselors will be highlighted, with a focus on responsive services that they deliver directly and indirectly. Competencies that school counselors are expected to demonstrate in successful schools will expand beyond providing individual and small group counseling services to delivering comprehensive guidance curricula in academic, personal/social, and career development domains through services, such as classroom guidance, consultation, and coordination of special events (Schmidt, 2014). School counselors are charged with taking on advocacy and leadership roles to ensure that all students have equal access to a diversity of post-secondary options while offering training to enhance students' college preparedness and planning skills. To do this effectively, ethically, and responsibly, school counselors must seek to achieve multicultural competence and continual professional development (Davis, Davis, & Mobley, 2013; Savitz-Romer, 2012). The impact of effective counseling programs and services will be reviewed as well as the need for students to obtain rigorous college and career preparation, which can be enhanced through technology and software geared towards delivering guidance curricula. An example of an actual high school and university partnership will be shared to illustrate the potential for high schools to partner with institutions of higher education to fulfill mutual goals while serving the community of learners. Institutions of higher education can contribute to K-12 schools by offering professional development on instructional technologies, particularly those utilized in career and college preparedness services for students, and by providing the expertise of trained faculty and their interns to supplement existing school resources (Gysbers, 2013).

Keywords

Career Development, College Preparedness, College Readiness, Comprehensive Counseling Programs, Counselor Roles, Higher Education, School Partnerships, School Counseling.

How to Cite this Article?

Cicco, G. (2018). Providing Counseling Services in High Schools: Partnerships in Higher Education. i-manager’s Journal on School Educational Technology, 14(2), 1-6. https://doi.org/10.26634/jsch.14.2.15097

References

[1]. American School Counseling Association. (2012). The ASCA National Model: A Framework for School Counseling Programs (3rd Ed.). Alexandria, VA: American School Counseling Association.
[2]. Austin, S. M., Reynolds, G. P., & Barnes, S. L. (2016). School leadership and counselors working together to address bullying. Reading Improvement, 53(4), 188-194.
[3]. Black, W. W., Fedewa, A. L., & Gonzalez, K. A. (2012). Effects of “safe school” programs and policies on the social climate for sexual-minority youth: A review of the literature. Journal of LGBT Youth, 9(4), 321-339.
[4]. Bryan, J., Moore-Thomas, C., Day-Vines, N. L., & Holcomb-McCoy, C. (2011). School counselors as social capital: The effects of high school college counseling on college application rates. Journal of Counseling & Development, 89(2), 190-199.
[5]. Castro-Atwater, S. A. (2013). Establishing a SUCCESS-ful school counseling program through university-community collaboration. Journal of Instructional Psychology, 40(1-4), 91-97.
[6]. Cicco, G. (2014). Building effective supervisory relationships in the online counseling course: Faculty and student responsibilities. i-manager's Journal on School Educational Technology, 10(2), 1-8.
[7]. Colbert, R. D., & Kulikowich, J. M. (2006). School counselors as resource brokers: The case for including teacher efficacy in data-driven programs. Professional School Counseling, 9(3), 216-222.
[8]. Davis, P., Davis, M. P., & Mobley, J. A. (2013). The school counselor's role in addressing the advanced placement equity and excellence gap for African American students. Professional School Counseling, 17(1), 32-39.
[9]. DeKruyf, L., Auger, R. W., & Trice-Black, S. (2013). The role of school counselors in meeting students' mental health needs: Examining issues of professional identity. Professional School Counseling, 16(5), 271-282.
[10]. Dobmeier, R. (2011). School counselors support student spirituality through developmental assets, character education, and ASCA competency indicators. Professional School Counseling, 14(5), 317-327.
[11]. Engberg, M. E., & Gilbert, A. J. (2014). The counseling opportunity structure: Examining correlates of four-year college-going rates. Research in Higher Education, 55(3), 219-244.
[12]. Erickson, A., & Abel, N. R. (2013). A high school counselor's leadership in providing school-wide screenings for depression and enhancing suicide awareness. Professional School Counseling, 16(5), 283-289.
[13]. Gruenert, S., & Whitaker, T. (2015). School Culture Rewired: How to Define, Assess, and Transform it. Alexandria, VA: ASCD.
[14]. Gysbers, N. C. (2013). Career-ready students: A goal of comprehensive school counseling programs. Career Development Quarterly, 61(3), 283-288.
[15]. Hobsons. (2016). Naviance: Connecting learning to life. Naviance by Hobsons. Retrieved from https://www.naviance.com/
ICLES
[16]. Kampwirth, T. J., & Powers, K. M. (2016). Collaborative Consultation in the Schools: Effective Practices for Students with Learning and Behavior Problems (5th Ed.). New York: Pearson.
[17]. Lapan, R. T., Whitcomb, S. A., & Aleman, N. M. (2012). Connecticut professional school counselors: College and career counseling services and smaller ratios benefit students. Professional School Counseling, 16(2), 117-124.
[18]. Savitz-Romer, M. (2012). The gap between influence and efficacy: College readiness training, urban school counselors, and the promotion of equity. Counselor Education & Supervision, 51(2), 98-11.
[19]. Schmidt, J. J. (2014). Counseling in Schools: Comprehensive Programs of Responsive Services for all Students (6th Ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education.
[20]. Trolley, B. C., Haas, H. S., & Patti, C. D. (2009). The School Counselor's Guide to Special Education. Thousand Oaks: Sage/Corwin.
If you have access to this article please login to view the article or kindly login to purchase the article

Purchase Instant Access

Single Article

North Americas,UK,
Middle East,Europe
India Rest of world
USD EUR INR USD-ROW
Online 15 15

Options for accessing this content:
  • If you would like institutional access to this content, please recommend the title to your librarian.
    Library Recommendation Form
  • If you already have i-manager's user account: Login above and proceed to purchase the article.
  • New Users: Please register, then proceed to purchase the article.