Benefits of  School Counseling Programs

AMERICAN SCHOOL COUNSELOR ASSOCIATION

BENEFITS OF SCHOOL COUNSELING PROGRAMS:

Comprehensive developmental school counseling programs positively impact students, parents, teachers, administrators, boards of education, other student services personnel, school counselors, business, and industry.  The benefits to each of these groups include the following:

BENEFITS OF THE SCHOOL COUNSELING PROGRAM FOR STUDENTS:

1.  Prepare students for the challenges of the 21st century through academic, career, and personal/social development.

2.  Relates educational program to future success.

3.  Facilitates career exploration and development.

4.  Develops decision-making and problem solving skills.

5.  Assists in acquiring knowledge of self and others.

6.  Enhances personal development.

7.  Assists in developing effective interpersonal relationship skills.

8.  Broadens knowledge of our changing world.

9.  Provides advocacy for students.

10.  Encourages facilitative, co-operative peer interactions.

11.  Fosters resiliency factors for students.

12.  Assures equitable access to educational opportunities.

BENEFITS OF THE SCHOOL COUNSELING PROGRAM FOR PARENTS:

1.  Prepares children for the challenges of the 21st century through academic, career, and personal/social development.

2.  Provides support for parents in advocating for their child’s academic, career, and personal/social development.

3.  Develops a system for their child’s long range planning and learning.

4.  Increases opportunities for parent/school interaction.

5.  Enables parents to access school and community resources.

BENEFITS OF THE SCHOOL COUNSELING PROGRAM FOR TEACHERS:

1.  Provides an interdisciplinary team effort to address student needs and educational goals.

2.  Provides skill development for teachers in classroom management, teaching effectiveness and effective education.

3.  Provides consultation to assist teachers in their guidance role.

BENEFITS OF THE SCHOOL COUNSELING PROGRAM FOR ADMINISTRATORS:

 1.  Integrates school counseling with the academic mission of the school.

2.  Provides a program structure with specific content.

3.  Assists administration to use school counselors effectively to enhance learning and development for all students.

4.  Provides a means of evaluating school counseling programs.

BENEFITS OF THE SCHOOL COUNSELING PROGRAM FOR BOARDS AND DEPARTMENTS OF EDUCATION:

 1.  Provides rationale for implementing a comprehensive developmental counseling program in the school system.

2.  Provides assurance that a quality counseling program is available to all students.

3.  Demonstrates the necessity of appropriate levels of funding for implementation.

4.  Supports appropriate credentialing and staffing.

5.  Provides a basis for determining funding allocations for school counseling programs.

6.  Furnishes program information to the community.

7.  Gives ongoing information about student competencies and Standards for Excellence attained through school counseling program efforts.

BENEFITS OF THE SCHOOL COUNSELING PROGRAM FOR SCHOOL COUNSELORS:

 1.  Provides a clearly defined role and function.

2.  Reduces non-counseling functions.

3.  Provides direct service to all students.

4.  Provides a tool for program management and accountability.

5.  Enhances the role of the school counselor as a student advocate.

6.  Ensures involvement in the academic mission of the school.

BENEFITS OF THE SCHOOL COUNSELING PROGRAM FOR STUDENTS SERVICES:

1.  Provides school psychologists, social workers, and other professional student services personnel with a clearly defined role of the school counselor.

2.  Clarifies areas of overlapping responsibilities.

3.  Fosters a positive team approach, which enhances cooperative working relationships.

BENEFITS OF THE SCHOOL COUNSELING PROGRAM FOR THE COMMUNITY:

1.  Provides an increased opportunity for collaboration and participation of community members with the school program.

2.  Creates community awareness and visibility of the school counseling program.

3.  Connects the community to the needs of the school and the school to the needs of the community.

4.  Enhances economic development through quality preparation of students for the world of work.