The Lamar University Electronic Journal of Student Research Summer 2008 National Impact for Defining the School Counselors’ Role Desiree A. Skinner PhD Student in Educational Leadership The Whitlowe R. Green College of Education Prairie View A & M University Prairie View, Texas Academic Advisor Bryan Independent School District Bryan, Texas ABSTRACT “Unfortunately, school counseling has lacked a consistent identity from state to state, district to district and even school to school” (American School Counselor Association, 2003). As the role of the school counselor becomes clearer, school guidance and counseling programs will be more comprehensive. This article will address the following areas: the role of the school counselor, perceptions of the school counselors’ role, the role conflict of the school counselor, and models of school counseling programs. Introduction The importance of the school counselors’ role being defined is to be able to institutionalize the position in all schools. Defining the school counselors’ role will also eliminate role ambiguity and increase job effectiveness. Campus principals are usually responsible for defining the school counselor’s role. This often leads to school counselors being responsible for testing, scheduling, enrolling new students, and etcetera. Currently school counselors have a position that is multifaceted. School counselors are often expected to act as administrators, teachers, community liaisons, mediators, and mentors. Principals need to be more knowledgeable about the abilities and training of school counselors in order to use these professionals more effectively. Purpose of the Article The purpose of this article is to assist campus principals in providing appropriate support to school counselors in implementing a comprehensive school guidance and counseling program. According to the American School Counseling Association (ASCA) a comprehensive school guidance and counseling program includes four interrelated components: foundation, delivery system, management system, and accountability. These components, when used in a 1 comprehensive school guidance and counseling program, will promote and increase student achievement. The Role of the School Counselor Defining the school counselor’s role is imperative. A continued source of concern for the counseling profession is developing appropriate roles for counselors (Kirchner & Setchfield, 2005). Currently, many school counselors are involved in the organization and implementation of state testing and creation of master schedule. School counselors are charged to “implement a comprehensive school counseling program that promotes and enhances student achievement” (ASCA, 2004, ¶1). This comprehensive program is to enable all students’ equal access and opportunity to educational experiences. To promote the school guidance and counseling program, ASCA (2004) has created the following four standards: 1) Foundation. A professional school counselor will create a mission statement for the school guidance and counseling program that maintains the mission of the school and promotes all students’ academic, career, and personal/social development. This foundation will incorporate collaborating with other professionals on the campus and organizations in the community. 2) Delivery. Professional school counselors will provide services to students, parents, school staff, and the community through school guidance curriculum, individual student planning, responsive services, and system support. 3) Management. Processes are used to reflect the duties of the professional school counselor and include: agreements addressing how the school counseling program is organized and what goals will be accomplished; advisory councils to review school counseling program results and to make recommendations; student data to ensure that every student is benefiting from the school guidance and counseling program; action plans defining student competencies and achievement results; professional school counselor’s time of 80% in direct services; and calendars informing and encouraging active participation in the school guidance and counseling program. 4) Accountability. Professional school counselors will demonstrate the effectiveness of the school guidance and counseling program through measurable terms. Data will be used to show how students are benefited because of the school guidance and counseling program by reporting on immediate, intermediate, and long-range results. Perceptions of the School Counselors’ Role School counselors are often expected to assist families with community resources, faculty with staff development, coordinate testing, etc. By clearly defining the school counselors’ role, school guidance and counseling programs will be more comprehensive. Perceptions of the school counselors’ role by principals and counselors do not usually coincide, creating a need for congruence. Given that it is common practice for principals to assign tasks to school counselors, their perceptions have a strong impact. “Developing and defining appropriate roles for school counselors continues to be a source of concern for the counseling profession” (Kirchner & Setchfield, 2005, p. 10). Whether or not school counselor roles coincide with state and national models should be the driving force when defining the school counselors’ role. Administrators and counselors agree about duties that are role congruent, but do not agree about those not 2 considered role congruent (Kirchner & Setchfield, 2005). Again, these incongruent roles go back to coordinating state testing and creating master schedule to name a few. These inconsistencies cause conflict about what school counselors should be doing. An effective and collaborative relationship between the school principal and counselor is essential for counselors to fulfill appropriate roles effectively (Chata & Loesch, 2007). Administrators glean most of their knowledge from their personal experiences with school counselors from when they were in school and as their supervisor. “At most schools, administrators determine the role of the counselor; thus, the counselor’s duties are often incongruent with state and national role statements” (Fitch, Newby, Ballestero, & Marshall, 2001, p. 90). This is critical because administrators supervise school counselors and the execution of the school guidance and counseling program. Campus principals determine the roles and functions that school counselors carry out, as opposed to what the standards indicate school counselors should be doing (Chata & Loesch, 2007). National standards recommend school counselors spend 80% of their time participating in individual counseling with students (ASCA, 2004).. Barriers were identified to implementing school guidance and counseling program: “Scheduling, participating in disciplinary functions, and conducting clerical duties absorb much of a school counselor’s time” (Fitch et al, 2001, p. 89). The Role Conflict of the School Counselor Role theory describes perceptions of interactions between professionals receiving role expectations and those sending the role expectations. Kahn, Wolfe, Quinn, and Snoek (1964) found four major areas that generate role conflict: rigid organizational policies, conflicting messages from various campus groups, counselor disagreement about their roles, and conflict related to leadership and professional development. If these areas generate role conflict on a school campus, principals and counselors will be able to address some of the issues that develop from role conflict due to perceptions. Taking a realistic look at perceptions can aid in making better decisions in regards to the school counselors’ assigned duties and expectations. “Role changes in any profession take considerable time to be enacted in practice” (Walsh, Barrett, & DePaul, 2007, ¶ 2). When counselors are not conflicted by their role it influences the entire school such as “low absenteeism, low job turnover, and high job productivity and effectiveness” (Coll & Rice, 1993, ¶ 21). There seems to be a lack of professional identity among school counselors. Role expectations vary by professionals, campuses, districts, and states. Role conflict can result in negative consequences that are both personal and professional (Coll & Freeman, 1997). Kahn et al. (1964) identified several consequences of role conflict: intensified internal conflict, increased tension associated with various aspects of the job, reduced satisfaction with the job and its various components, decreased confidence in superiors and organization, and social and psychological withdrawal. These negative consequences are another reason that the school counselors’ role should be clearly outlined. School guidance and counseling programs need to become more parallel with national and state standards. Without this interconnection school counselors have different views about their roles and how to best use their time and skills (Burnham & Jackson, 2000). What counselors are doing and what the national and state models expect them to do need to ensure implementing successful school guidance and counseling programs. Following the expectations 3 outlined by ASCA is a good start to virtually guarantee a successful school guidance and counseling program. Models of School Counseling Programs The American School Counseling Association (ASCA) has collaborated to develop a framework to aid states and their districts in implementing school guidance and counseling program. The ASCA model contains four interrelated components: foundation, delivery system, management systems and accountability. Unfortunately, many situations arise when school counselors are unable to maintain the ASCA model. For example implementing state testing, administering discipline, and covering classes to name a few situations. By following the ASCA guidelines, and reassigning these ancillary duties, frees up time for the school counselor to do their job more efficiently and effectively. Concluding Remarks In conclusion, the ambiguous role of the school counselor can cause a lot of anxiety. Role conflict comes from the lack of knowledge of the principal and is based on the principals’ firsthand experiences. The principals’ knowledge must include national and local standards in order for a comprehensive school guidance and counseling program to be successful. ASCA has developed frameworks for schools to apply in their counseling agenda. The literature stresses the principals’ influence on the counselor’s role and the supervision of the school guidance and counseling program. Therefore, by allowing school counselors to follow national guidelines a comprehensive school guidance and counseling program will be successfully implemented on the school’s campus. 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