School Counseling
LOOKING TO INCREASE STUDENT CENTERED SERVICES BY CREATING EQUITABLE
OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS TO INTERACT WITH THEIR COUNSELORS.
The Current Picture
Total number of Students: 1,206
How do we stack up?
6th Grade Counselor: 281
Pyle MS:
7th Grade Counselor: 229
Westland MS:
8th Grade Counselor: 216
RCMS:
Center/GTLD Counselor: 422
Julius West MS: 1,197
ESOL/Alt/Resource Counselor: 58
Frost MS:
1,479
(5.5)
1,251
1,206
1,139
(5)
We are currently at 1, 283
Hoover MS: 1,063
(5)
(4.5)
Rocky Hill MS: 1,130
Total number of students predicted for 1516: 1,300+
(5.5)
(5)
(4)
Kingsview MS: 1,002
(4)
Lakelands MS: 1,000
(4)
Why Equitable Caseloads?
“To achieve maximum program effectiveness, the
American School Counselor Association
recommends a school counselor to student ratio of
1:250 and that school counselors spend 80 percent
or more of their time in direct and indirect services
to students.”
ASCA National Model: A Framework for School Counseling Programs, 3rd ed.
2012
How Do We Spend Our Time?
Direct Student Services
◦ School Counseling Curriculum
◦ Classroom lessons
◦ Small group counseling
◦ Individual Student Planning
◦ Career Planning/Academic Goals
◦ Responsive Services
◦ Individual Counseling
◦ Responsive small group counseling or mediation
◦ Crisis Reponse
Indirect Student Services
◦ Referrals, Consultation, Collaboration with parents, teachers, community organizations
Our Priorities
Continuity
◦ Students entering 6th grade and beyond will have the same counselor for 3 years.
Effective Service Delivery
◦ With smaller caseloads, counselors will be able to meet with every student at least once, and hopefully
twice, per year. This will create more opportunities to build relationships so students will feel more
comfortable coming to their counselor when they have a challenging issue.
The Best Interest of Our Entire Student Population
◦ We don’t want ANY student to slip through the cracks!!
How Will We Meet the Needs of A Specific
Population?
Small Group Counseling
◦ GTLD, Center, SPED, ESOL, etc. could all be pulled for small groups tailored to their specific needs
Classroom Lessons
◦ Delivered via specific classes such as Resource, ESOL classes, or Center specific classes (Comp Sci or
Humanities)
Program-Specific Interventions
◦ Dependent on the needs of a specific group based on student and parent needs assessments, teacher
feedback, etc.
◦ Mentoring for ineligible students
◦ Identity for ESOL students
◦ Grade checks for 504 students
◦ Magnet application planning for Center Students
Continuing Professional Development
◦ A responsibility for any effective counselor—determined by the needs of the school
THE OPTIONS
https://drive.google.com/a/mcpsmd.
net/file/d/0B7cRLaMowQfgM1B3R3N4dVNRRVE/view?usp=sharing
Option #1
PROS
CONS
Equitable caseloads spread across all 5
counselors
5 counselors in every grade level means
additional challenges in communication for
school staff
Siblings will have the same counselor—more
streamlined communication for families
The Resource Counselor position carries
additional responsibilities—have to consider
whether or not this impacts service to
students and/or delivery of the program
Option #2
PROS
CONS
Equitable, manageable caseloads with an
added consideration for the additional
Resource Counselor Responsibilities
5 counselors in every grade level means
additional challenges in communication for
school staff
Option #3
PROS
CONS
Two counselors per grade level = less
confusion in communication
Still “big” discrepancies between some
caseloads (may be unavoidable due to the vast
different in numbers per grade)
Option #4
PROS
CONS
Keeps a single counselor assigned to each
grade level
Still vast discrepancies
Allows all special populations to be pulled for
program specific counseling with just 2
counselors instead of 5.
The counselors responsible for the special
populations have a challenge in addressing
programs with widely different needs across
all 3 grade levels.
How Will the Decision Be Made?
◦With input from key stakeholders (counselors,
administrators, parents, etc.), Counselors and Administrators
will evaluate the options and make a decision based on the
overall needs of our students.
◦ Parent Needs Assessments will be sent out this week and information will be
collected until the end of May.
◦ Counselors and administrators will meet in June to review all input and make
a decision.
◦ Students and parents will be notified via ConnectEd, Twitter, RCMS Website,
Counseling office Blog, etc.
References
American School Counselor Association. (2012). ASCA national model: A framework for school
counseling programs. Alexandria VA: Author.
The School Counselor Caseload and the High School-to-College Pipeline. (n.d.). Retrieved May 6, 2015,
from http://www.tcrecord.org/library/abstract.asp?contentid=17600
Want more kids in college? Check school counselor caseloads. (n.d.). Retrieved May 7, 2015, from http:
//blogs.seattletimes.com/educationlab/2015/01/13/college-counselor-caseloads/
Mackey, N. L. (2013). High School Counselor Caseload Assignment Models: Counselors Voices about
What Works and Why. Retrieved from http://hatchingresults.com/pdf/use-of-data/additionalmaterials/9/hatching-results-060914-023624.pdf
Moyer, M. (n.d.). Effects of Non-Guidance Activities, Supervision, and Student-to-Counselor Ratios on
School Counselor Burnout. Retrieved from http://jsc.montana.edu/articles/v9n5.pdf
Peter D. Hart Research Associates. (2012, October). The College Board 2012 National Survey of School
Counselors and Administrators. Retrieved May 2105, from http://media.collegeboard.
com/digitalServices/pdf/nosca/Barriers-Supports_TechReport_Final.pdf