ASCA | Home AMERICAN SCHOOL COUNSELOR ASSOCIATION
  • About ASCA
  • ASCA On Air
  • ASCA Scene
  • Advertise & Exhibit
  • ASCA Store
  • Join
  • Log in
ASCA | Home AMERICAN SCHOOL COUNSELOR ASSOCIATION
  • Membership Back
    • I Am ASCA
    • Who Are ASCA Members?
    • Membership Benefits & Types
    • Affinity Groups
    • Liability Insurance
    • Join/Renew
    • Get Involved
    • My ASCA
    • ASCA Scene Online Community
  • About School Counseling Back
    • History of School Counseling
    • School Counselor Roles & Ratios
    • Ethical Responsibilities
    • ASCA National Model
    • Advocacy and Legislation
    • Careers in School Counseling
    • State Requirements & Programs
  • Events & Professional Development Back
    • Events
      • ASCA Annual Conference
      • National School Counseling Week
      • Upcoming Events
    • Professional Development
      • ASCA U Specialist Training
      • Coaching: ASCA National Model & RAMP
      • Consulting
      • Districtwide ASCA National Model Training
      • Ignite: Practical Strategies for a Successful Year
      • Live Webinars
      • On-Site Training
      • ASCA-Certified Trainers
      • ASCA Annual Conference
  • Publications & Research Back
    • Publications
      • Bookstore
      • ASCA School Counselor Magazine
      • Professional School Counseling Journal
      • Toolkits, Frameworks & Resources
      • Publication Proposal Guidelines
      • Request Desk Copies
    • Research
      • Impact of School Counseling
      • ASCA Research Reports
      • ASCA Research Grants
  • Standards & Positions Back
    • Standards
      • ASCA Ethical Standards for School Counselors
      • ASCA Student Standards: Mindsets & Behaviors for Student Success
      • ASCA Professional Standards & Competencies
      • School Counselor Preparation
      • Standards in Practice
    • Position Statements
      • ASCA Position Statements
      • Download All Position Statements
  • Recognition Back
    • School Counselor of the Year
    • Recognized ASCA Model Program (RAMP)
    • ASCA-Certified School Counselor (ACSC)
    • ASCA-Recognized School Counselor Preparation Program
  • Advertise & Exhibit
  • Contact Us

The School Counselor and Academic Development

Share

(Adopted 2017)

ASCA Position

School counselors deliver programs that have an impact on student growth in three domain areas: academic development, career development and social/emotional development (ASCA, 2019). School counselors recognize students should demonstrate growth in these domains equally to be successful. School counselors understand these domains are not considered separate but are intertwined, each affecting the other (Schenck, Anctil, & Smith, 2010, p. 16). Although this statement focuses on academic development, it is understood career development and social/emotional development need to be considered with equal diligence.

The Rationale

Recent educational initiatives (e.g., No Child Left Behind [NCLB]; Every Student Succeeds Act [ESSA]) have stressed academic achievement as a measure of school success. As a result, school counseling programs align their annual student outcome goals with that of the institution, emphasizing academic achievement. School counselors contribute to the educational and academic outcomes of the school by enhancing student engagement and performance (Carey & Harrington, 2010a; Carey & Harrington, 2010b) through designing, implementing and assessing school counseling programs (ASCA, 2019).

School counseling programs use data to understand student needs, provide school counseling classroom, group and closing- the-gap interventions and remove systemic barriers to ensure all students as early as preschool and kindergarten have opportunity to develop academic goals at all grade levels reflecting their abilities and academic interests and can access appropriate rigorous, relevant coursework and experiences. Because of their unique position within a school and their unique training, school counselors can work with students facing mental health issues, family and social problems as well as career exploration and course planning to make school relevant (Howe, 2009).

School counselors play a critical role in ensuring schools provide a safe, caring environment and that students have the necessary mindsets and behaviors to advance academic achievement outcomes. School counselors work collaboratively with stakeholders to ensure equity, access and academic success of all students (ASCA, 2019).

The School Counselor's Role

School counselors support students’ academic success by:

  • Leading development of a safe and caring school culture
  • Delivering a school counseling program based on data identifying student needs
  • Delivering information to students and teachers within the school counseling curriculum on best practices in mindsets and behaviors (i.e., learning strategies, self-management skills, social skills) and metacognition skills (McGuire, 2015) critical in academic success
  • Providing relevance to academic effort and educational pursuits by assisting in students’ career planning and future career-related goals
  • Working with administration, teachers and other school staff to create a school environment encouraging academic success and striving to one’s potential (Stone & Clark, 2001)
  • Working to remove barriers to access and provide students with the opportunity for academic challenge in the most rigorous coursework possible
  • Establishing data analysis methods to identify and target systemic barriers deterring equitable access
  • Providing opportunities for students to:
    • Enhance their self-efficacy beliefs and competence
    • Develop attributional beliefs
    • See value in tasks related to achievement
    • Develop mastery/learning goals
    • Develop autonomy
    • Relate to others (Rowell & Hong, 2013)
  • Working to establish student opportunities for academic remediation as needed
  • Emphasizing family-community-school relationships in addressing academic needs (Brown, 1999)

Summary

Educational institutions are evaluated on student outcomes, especially academic achievement. School counselors working in this educational environment play a critical role in ensuring students have the academic development (in addition to the social/emotional and career development) knowledge, skills and attitudes needed to be successful. School counselors can assist schools in providing an environment conducive to and supportive of academic success.

References

American School Counselor Association. (2019). ASCA National Model: A framework for school counseling programs (4th ed.). Alexandria, VA: Author.

Brown, D., (1999). Improving academic achievement: What school counselors can do. Eric Digest, U.S. Department of Education.

Carey, J.C., & Harrington, K.M. (2010a). Nebraska school counseling evaluation report. Amherst, MA: Center for School Counseling Outcome Research and Evaluation.

Carey, J.C., & Harrington, K.M. (2010b). Utah school counseling evaluation report. Amherst, MA: Center for School Counseling Outcome Research and Evaluation

Howe, Sally A. (2009). School counseling services and student academic success. Counselor Education Master’s Theses. Paper 54.

McGuire, S.Y. (2015). Teach student how to learn: Strategies you can incorporate into any course to improve student metacognition, study skills, and motivation. Sterling, VA: Stylus Publishing,

Rowell, L., & Hong, E. (2013). Academic motivation: Concepts, strategies, and counseling approaches. Professional School Counseling, 16(3), 158-171. Retrieved from https://cochise.idm.oclc.org/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/1368152287?accountid=7278

Schenck, P., Anctil, T., & Smith, C.K. (2010). Career counseling identity of professional school counselors. Career Developments, 26, 16-17.

Stone, C. & Clark, M. (2001). School counselors and principals: Partners in support of academic achievement. NASSP Bulletin.

Resources
American School Counselor Association. (2016). Ethical standards for school counselors. Alexandria, VA: Author.

Berger, C. (2013). Bring out the brilliance: A counseling intervention for underachieving students. Professional School Counseling, 17(1), 86-96. Retrieved from https://cochise.idm.oclc.org/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/1558312662?accountid=7278

Bryan, J., et al. (2012). The effects of school bonding on high school seniors’ academic achievement. Journal of Counseling and Development, 90(4), 467-80.

Dahir, C. A., Burnham, J. J., Stone, C. B., & Cobb, N. (2010). Principals as partners: Counselors as collaborators. National Association of Secondary School Principals Bulletin, 94(4), 286-305. Retrieved from https://cochise.idm.oclc.org/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/863827836?accountid=7278

Hines, E., et al. (2017). Making student achievement a priority: The role of school counselors in turnaround schools. Urban Education, 1-22.

Johnson, K., & Hannon, M. D. (2015). Measuring the relationship between parent, teacher, and student problem behavior reports and academic achievement: Implications for school counselors. Professional School Counseling, 18(1), 38-48. Retrieved from https://cochise.idm.oclc.org/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/1654434926?accountid=7278
 
In this section
The School Counselor and Academic Development
  • Academic Development
  • Annual Performance Appraisal
  • Anti-Racist Practices
  • Bullying/Harassment Prevention and the Promotion of Safe Schools
  • Career and Technical Education
  • Career Development
  • Character Education
  • Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention
  • Children Experiencing Homelessness
  • College Access Professionals
  • Confidentiality
  • Corporal Punishment
  • Credentialing and Licensure
  • Cultural Diversity
  • Discipline
  • Equity for All Students
  • Gender Equity
  • Gifted and Talented Student Programs
  • Group Counseling
  • High-Stakes Testing
  • Identification, Prevention and Intervention of Behaviors That Are Harmful and Place Students At-Risk
  • Individual Student Planning for Postsecondary Preparation
  • Letters of Recommendation
  • LGBTQ+ Youth
  • Multitiered System of Supports
  • Peer Support Programs
  • Prevention of School-Related Gun Violence
  • Prevention of Sexually Transmitted Infections
  • Retention, Social Promotion and Age-Appropriate Placement
  • Safe Schools and Crisis Response
  • School Counseling Preparation Programs
  • School Counseling Programs
  • School Counselor Supervision
  • School-Family-Community Partnerships
  • Social/Emotional Development
  • Student Mental Health
  • Student Postsecondary Recruitment
  • Student Safety and the Use of Technology
  • Students with Disabilities
  • Suicide Prevention/Awareness
  • Suicide Risk Assessment
  • Supporting Students in Foster Care
  • Test Preparation Programs
  • Transgender and Nonbinary Youth
  • Trauma-Informed Practice
  • Use of Non-School-Counseling Credentialed Personnel in Implementing School Counseling Programs
  • Use of Support Staff in School Counseling Programs
  • Virtual School Counseling
  • Working with Students Experiencing Issues Surrounding Undocumented Status
American School Counselor Association

277 S Washington St
Suite 390
Alexandria, VA 22314

(703) 683-ASCA
asca@schoolcounselor.org

Find us on:

© Copyright 2023 American School Counselor Association. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy