What Is The American School Counselor Association (ASCA)?
American School Counselor Association (ASCA), a branch of ACA, was set up in 1952, helps school counselors to support the students focus on academic, social/personal and career development so that they can succeed in the school and graduate then become responsible member of society. ASCA offers professional progress, various resources, academic studies and advocacy to all its members in USA and worldwide. In 2001, The American School Counselor Association (ASCA) started The ASCA National Model: A Framework for School Counseling Programs as an outline for scheming, developing, applying and assessing standard based, data-driven school counseling program. School counselors change their attention from service-centered program to program-centered to give the chance to all students. ASCA's objective in developing the model is to institutionalize the framework for and process of developing a school counseling program (Association, 2012).
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Researchers are supporting the validity of the comprehensive model in desired academic achievement, career development, parental satisfaction, school climate, and attendance (Brigman & Campbell, 2003).
These studies show the students of schools, which have Comprehensive Developmental Guidance (CDG) programs, getting higher grades, showing better relationships with teachers, and getting greater satisfaction from school. Students also told that education is relevant to later life, school is safe, and high school students expressed that career and college information was accessible (McGannon, Carey, & Dimmitt, 2005). Other studies point that counseling programs decrease anxiety and depression among schoolchildren and are a positive factor having better social skills (Whiston & Sexton, 1998). School counselors have a unique position to evaluate data in schools and explain the gaps, existing in student success (Association,
2012).
The framework of a comprehensive school counseling program consists of four components: foundation, management, delivery, and accountability.
Foundation
School counselors should prepare complete school counseling programs that focus on student results, teach student abilities and are delivered with recognized professional proficiency. The solid ground of school counseling program is the foundation where student knowledge, attitudes and skills are determined. Setting a strong foundation need a mutual effort with school members, parents/guardians, and the community to determine what every student will obtain as a profit of a school counseling program. The idea of this component of the ASCA National Model is to set up the focus of the complete school counseling program based according to the needs of the students on:
a. the academic development
b. career development
c. personal/social development.
a. Career development
ASCA National Standards for career development give the basics school counseling programs for foundation for the acquisition of skills, attitudes and knowledge that allow students to make a successful move from school to the world of work, and from job to job across the life span.
b. Personal/social development
ASCA National Standards for personal/social development guide school counseling programs to provide the foundation for personal and social growth as students’ progress through school and into adulthood.
c. Academic development
ASCA National Standards for academic development guide school counseling programs to implement strategies and activities to support and maximize each student’s ability to learn (see Appendix B) (Association, 2012).
Management
The management is very important to have the effective school counseling program that addresses the developmental requests of every student. The management component of the ASCA National Model provides organizational tests and element designed to manage a school counseling program. The tests and tools assist school counselors build up, apply and assess their school counseling program based on clearly defined priority reflecting student needs.
Delivery
The delivery component shows the way of applying the school counseling program to students. The services and strategies that school counselors offer to students and communications they have with others as they work to encourage student achievement, equity and access for all students are explained in this part. The delivery component has two parts such as direct and indirect student services. Direct services are provided to students, and indirect services are provided for students.
Direct student services are in-person interactions between school counselors and students.
Indirect student services are services provided on behalf of students as a result of the school counselor’s interactions with others.
Accountability
School counselors should check their program efficiency regularly to determine its success for better results of the students. School counselors use this check to understand the difference between students who are in the school counseling program. School counselor should prove their counseling program efficiency in measurable terms.
School counselors should use data-driven complete school counseling programs using accountability strategies to monitor student achievement, to frequently assess and advance their school counseling program and to determine the impact their program is having on students (Dimmitt, Carey, & Hatch, 2007). Accountability skills support school counselors "garner the political clout necessary to improve school counselor to- student staffing ratios and redefine school counselor roles and activities…" (Hatch & Holland, 2001).
Accountability of the school counseling program can be achieved in three sections:
• Data Analysis: school’s achievement, attendance, behavior and safety record
• ¬Program Results:
• ¬Evaluation and Improvement
Researchers are supporting the validity of the comprehensive model in desired academic achievement, career development, parental satisfaction, school climate, and attendance (Brigman & Campbell, 2003).
These studies show the students of schools, which have Comprehensive Developmental Guidance (CDG) programs, getting higher grades, showing better relationships with teachers, and getting greater satisfaction from school. Students also told that education is relevant to later life, school is safe, and high school students expressed that career and college information was accessible (McGannon, Carey, & Dimmitt, 2005). Other studies point that counseling programs decrease anxiety and depression among schoolchildren and are a positive factor having better social skills (Whiston & Sexton, 1998). School counselors have a unique position to evaluate data in schools and explain the gaps, existing in student success (Association,
2012).
The framework of a comprehensive school counseling program consists of four components: foundation, management, delivery, and accountability.
Foundation
School counselors should prepare complete school counseling programs that focus on student results, teach student abilities and are delivered with recognized professional proficiency. The solid ground of school counseling program is the foundation where student knowledge, attitudes and skills are determined. Setting a strong foundation need a mutual effort with school members, parents/guardians, and the community to determine what every student will obtain as a profit of a school counseling program. The idea of this component of the ASCA National Model is to set up the focus of the complete school counseling program based according to the needs of the students on:
a. the academic development
b. career development
c. personal/social development.
a. Career development
ASCA National Standards for career development give the basics school counseling programs for foundation for the acquisition of skills, attitudes and knowledge that allow students to make a successful move from school to the world of work, and from job to job across the life span.
b. Personal/social development
ASCA National Standards for personal/social development guide school counseling programs to provide the foundation for personal and social growth as students’ progress through school and into adulthood.
c. Academic development
ASCA National Standards for academic development guide school counseling programs to implement strategies and activities to support and maximize each student’s ability to learn (see Appendix B) (Association, 2012).
Management
The management is very important to have the effective school counseling program that addresses the developmental requests of every student. The management component of the ASCA National Model provides organizational tests and element designed to manage a school counseling program. The tests and tools assist school counselors build up, apply and assess their school counseling program based on clearly defined priority reflecting student needs.
Delivery
The delivery component shows the way of applying the school counseling program to students. The services and strategies that school counselors offer to students and communications they have with others as they work to encourage student achievement, equity and access for all students are explained in this part. The delivery component has two parts such as direct and indirect student services. Direct services are provided to students, and indirect services are provided for students.
Direct student services are in-person interactions between school counselors and students.
Indirect student services are services provided on behalf of students as a result of the school counselor’s interactions with others.
Accountability
School counselors should check their program efficiency regularly to determine its success for better results of the students. School counselors use this check to understand the difference between students who are in the school counseling program. School counselor should prove their counseling program efficiency in measurable terms.
School counselors should use data-driven complete school counseling programs using accountability strategies to monitor student achievement, to frequently assess and advance their school counseling program and to determine the impact their program is having on students (Dimmitt, Carey, & Hatch, 2007). Accountability skills support school counselors "garner the political clout necessary to improve school counselor to- student staffing ratios and redefine school counselor roles and activities…" (Hatch & Holland, 2001).
Accountability of the school counseling program can be achieved in three sections:
• Data Analysis: school’s achievement, attendance, behavior and safety record
• ¬Program Results:
• ¬Evaluation and Improvement