Role of School Counselor

The Professional School Counselor and Comprehensive School Counseling Programs

(Adopted 1988; revised 1993, 1997, 2005, 2012)

The American School Counselor Association (ASCA) Position: 

Professional school counselors design and deliver comprehensive school counseling programs that promote student achievement. These programs are comprehensive in scope, preventative in design and developmental in nature. Effective school counseling programs are a collaborative effort between the professional school counselor, families and other educators to create an environment promoting student achievement. Education professionals, including professional school counselors, value and respond to the diversity and individual differences in our societies and communities. Comprehensive school counseling programs ensure equitable access to opportunities and rigorous curriculum for all students to participate fully in the educational process.

The Professional School Counselor’s Role

Professional school counselors focus their skills, time and energy on direct and indirect services to students. Professional school counselors participate as members of the educational team and use the skills of leadership, advocacy and collaboration to promote systemic change as appropriate. The framework of a comprehensive school counseling program consists of the following four components: foundation, management, delivery and accountability.Professional school counselors develop and deliver comprehensive school counseling programs supporting and promoting student achievement. As outlined in the ASCA National Model, these programs include a systematic and planned program delivery involving all students and enhancing the learning process. The comprehensive school counseling program is supported by appropriate resources and implemented by a credentialed professional school counselor.

(www.schoolcounselor.org)