Date of Award
2015
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Department
Education
Abstract
The American School Counselor Association (ASCA) developed a comprehensive framework that clearly defines the school counselor role and functions. Indianas Gold Star Initiative aligns with the ASCA national model for best practices in school counseling. Counselor Education programs train and educate counselors to function within the national and state standards. However, this alignment in defining the school counselors role and function has not trickled down to the building level as school counselors are still performing non-counseling duties. The disconnect lies with the authority responsible for assigning responsibilities for faculty and staff, the school administrator. It is not clear if school administrators are knowledgeable in the aspects of implementing a comprehensive guidance program and the role and function of the school counselor. The purpose of this study is to investigate what school administrators prefer in their guidance programs versus the actual practices performed by school counselors and its relationship to implementing a comprehensive guidance program as prescribed by ASCA. The School Counselor Activity Rating Scale (SCARS) was utilized to analyze school administrators preference in school counselor activities. SCARS was developed to include questions that are directly related to the counseling interventions embedded in the ASCA national model. Only public school administrators in Indiana were asked to complete the SCARS survey. Paired sample t-tests were conducted on each of the counseling intervention subscales and the non-counseling subscale to determine if school administrators had a preference for a comprehensive guidance program. Results from school administrators showed discrepancies between preferred and actual performance in all counseling activities; thus, indicating the absence or lack of a fully implemented comprehensive guidance program. The role of the school counselor is viewed differently at each grade level. To identify differences between building levels, a paired sample t-test was conducted for each grade level followed by a one-way ANOVA and post hoc tests. Differences between grade levels showed a preference from each building level administrator in how they currently viewed their school counselor and what activities they preferred from their school counselor. Elementary school administrators currently viewed, and yet preferred, their school counselors to perform counseling and curriculum activities more frequently. Middle school administrators currently view their school counselor as performing counseling and consultation activities frequently but preferred more activity in the counseling and curriculum intervention areas. High school administrators reported that their school counselors perform non-counseling activities frequently, but preferred more activity in the areas of counseling and curriculum. In addition to school administrators preference for a comprehensive guidance program, school administrators clearly indicated their preference for school counselors to continue to perform the non-counseling activities.
Recommended Citation
Brown, Deborah Lynn, "The Role Of School Counselors And Guidance Programs As Perceived By School Leadership: A Quantitative Study Focusing On The Actual And Preferred Activities Performed By School Counselors From A Principal'S Perspective" (2015). All-Inclusive List of Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 1792.
https://scholars.indianastate.edu/etds/1792