C. Comprehensive School Counseling Programs (Description, Rationale, and Theory)

• Management-Then “when?”, “why?”, and "on what authority?" of a program. Management can involve creating agreements of understanding that outline the responsibilities of the counseling program. An example of a management agreement is an annual agreement between a counselor and a principal that states the goals of the counseling program for the school year. The management system can also involve advisory councils, action plans, calendars planning what will happen during the school year, and the use of a time log detailing how much time should be spent on what.
• Accountability- How students are different as a result of the program? Some examples of accountability systems are results reports, performance standards, and program audits. An example of a results report may be behavior changes as a result of providing individual goal setting with a student with a behavior plan. A program audit evaluates how well the counseling programs aligns with the a set of standards, particularly state standards or the ASCA National Model.

In Washington state the Washington Framework for Comprehensive Guidance and Counseling is used by CGCPs.

Using the ASCA national model, RTI, and Washington policy and standards as the foundation, comprehensive school counselors focus on developmental domains, social justice, systems perspectives, data based practices and ethical decision making to serve all students.

Why use a comprehensive school guidance and counseling program (CGCPs)? Rationale

CGCPs serve every student and provide the services and supports needed to ensure that all students thrive and become healthy and happy learners. They create opportunities for the social and emotional development for every student.

CGCPs foster a strong relationship between a counselor and the school community. When a school has a comprehensive counseling program the counselor is an integral part of community learning. Teachers, families, students, community partners, and administration will all know the value of the school counseling program because the efficacy of the program will be seen everywhere in the school building.They are a trusted, active and essential parts of a functioning school community.

School counselors in who utilize a CGCP are organized, and effective with their time, and have the data to prove that they have added and neccesary value. Because of effectiveness, these school counselors are also able to be inventive, and advocate for and coordinate new systems and programs that they feel passionate about. Because social justice is so important to a professional school counselors, often times the areas they coordinate have multiple social justice components.

Theoretical Roots of Comprehensive School Counseling Programs

A comprehensive school counseling program (CSCP) is founded on developmental theory, systems perspective and issues of social justice.

Developmental theory

The early to mid 1900’s saw a great many theorists coming up with new ideas around human development. What most theorists came to discover is that children develop in stages, and the ways children are nurtured, stimulated and supported has a huge impact on how they will develop into adulthood.

Some develemental theories that inform a comprehensive school counseling program are:

Piaget- who developed a cognitive theory that placed children into three catagories of congitive development based on age. The catagories are preoperational(children 2-7 years old), concrete operational( children 7-11 years old) and formal operational(children 11 and older).

Vygotsky-developed a sociocultural theory which emphasizes the importance of relationships in a developing child. The relationships between the child and people(interpsychological), and also the relationship a child has with themselves(intrapsychological)

Erikson-developed a personal/social theory based on idea that we develop in stages, in reaction to a series of psychological crisis, and how a child's needs are met during these crises determines the outcome of this development. The three stages are initiative vs. guilt, industry vs. inferiority, and indentity vs. role confusion.

School counselors:

Look at what children and youth need at each of these developmental stages.

Take the holistic approach when working with a student to address social-emotional, physical, spiritual, cognitive, and moral needs of the child or youth. Provides students with interventions and services based on all of these needs.

Use a strength-based approach with students, focusing on a their assets instead of their deficits.

Some specific theories that help school counselors in their practice are;

Rogers' person-centered therapy- which focuses on a positive report students, and help students be more aware of themselves.

Adler-individual psychology- which advocates helping a student establish a positive sense of self, explores the family dynamic and pays specific attention to early recollections.

Solutions focused brief counseling- focuses on understanding the problem and setting goals based on students ideal outlook.

Narrative therapy- helping students re-write their own scripts.