Strengthening School Guidance Programs

in Louisiana for the 21^st Century

 

What is Guidance?

Guidance is an integral part of each school district’s total educational program.  It is a comprehensive program that includes sequential activities kindergarten through grade 12, organized and implemented by certified professional school counselors with the active involvement and support of parents, students, teachers and administrators.

The program is designed to address the needs of all students by helping them to acquire competencies in career planning and exploration, knowledge of self and others and educational and vocational development. 

The Need

In the 21^st century, the United States and the state of Louisiana will continue to undergo major changes in the areas of industry, occupations, society and economics.  The labor force and the world of work is changing rapidly.  Violence is increasing in homes, schools and communities.  Divorce, substance abuse, teen suicide and sexual experimentation are growing challenges families must face.  These challenges are real, and they are having a continual impact on the overall development of students. 

A Response

Comprehensive school guidance programs in Louisiana, implemented by certified, professional school counselors, working closely with parents, teachers and administrators, are effective in assisting students to respond to a variety of challenges.  Research conducted during recent years has shown that when certified, professional school counselors have the time, the resources and the structure of a comprehensive guidance program to work in, they contribute to positive student academic and career development as well as the development of positive and safe learning climates is schools.

1.                  Students in high schools with more fully implemented guidance programs (as judged by school counselors) reported that:

-they had earned higher grades.

-their education was better preparing them for the future.

-their schools had a more positive climate. (Lapan, Gysbers & Sun, 1997)

2.                  When middle school classroom teachers rated guidance programs in their schools as more fully implemented, students in these schools reported that:

-they earned higher grades

-school was more relevant for them.

-they had positive relationships with teachers.

-they felt safer in school. (Lapan, Gysbers & Petroske, in press)

3.                  School counselors who rated their guidance programs as more fully implemented indicated that they spend more time with students, parents and teachers; that they are more visible to the public; and that they spend more time in classrooms. (Gysbers, Lapan & Blair,1999)

The Keys to Success

The keys to the successful development and implementation of effective school guidance programs in Louisiana include:

4.                  the support of all school district administrators.

5.                  a written district-wide K-12 comprehensive guidance program and a district-wide policy for guidance that has been adopted by the board of education,

6.                  a written district-wide comprehensive guidance program that is fully implemented by certified, professional school counselors K-12, spending 100 percent of their time working with students, parents, teachers and administrators to carry out the program.

7.                  strong state guidance leadership that provides regular, ongoing training, resources and technical support.

8.                  a strong statewide professional association such as the Louisiana School Counselor Association.

Your Support is Needed

9.                  Talk to your child’s school counselors to learn about your school’s guidance program.

10.              Serve on the school-community guidance program advisory committee.

11.              Learn about your child’s strengths, and how they can build upon them to maximize academic and career opportunities.

12.              Become actively involved in your child’s education.

13.              Encourage your children to do their best in school and at part-time jobs, and provide assurance that school subjects selected are tied to career choices.

Requirements for School Counselors

14.              Specialized training in counseling administration, theories, and practices; human behavior;career education; individual appraisal; and social/cultural issues.

15.              Completed a supervised internship.

16.              Earned a Master’s Degree in school counseling or a Master’s Degree with the equivalent hours and courses required for a Master’s Degree in school counseling.

17.              Certified in school counseling by the state of Louisiana.

18.              May have professional endorsement as a Licensed Professional Counselor in Louisiana (LPC).

 

References

Gysbers, N.C., Lapan, R.T. & Blair, M., (1999).  Closing in on the statewide implementation of a comprehensive guidance program model.  Professional School Counseling 2(5), 357-366.

Lapan, R.T., Gysbers, N.C.& petroski, G. (in press).  Helping 7^th graders be safe and academically successful: A statewide study of the impact of comprehensive guidance programs.  Journal of Counseling & Development.

Lapan, R.T., Gysbers, N.C. & Sun, Y. (1997).  The impact of more fully implemented guidance programs on the school experiences of high school students: A statewide evaluation study.  Journal of Counseling & Development 75, 292-302.

 

       

 

Strengthening School Guidance Programs

in Louisiana for the 21^st Century

 

 

TThe Need

As we enter the 21^st century, the United States and the state of Louisiana continue to undergo substantiaa l changes industrially, occupationally, socially and economically.  These changes are substantial challenges for students in Louisiana.  A rapidly changing work world and labor force; violence in homes, schools and communities; divorce; teenage suicide; substance abuse; and sexual experimentation are just a few examples of these challenges.  These challenges are real and they are having substantial impact on the personal/social, areer and academic development of students.

 

RResponse

Comprehensive school guidance programs in Louisiana, implemented by certified, professional school counselors, in collaboration with parents, teachers and administrators, are effective in assisting students to respond to these and similar challenges.  Research conducted across the United States during the past five years has shown that when certified, professional school counselors have the time, the resources and the structure of a comprehensive guidance program to work in, they contribute to positive student academic and career development as well as the development of positive and safe learning climates in schools.

 

The Keys

The keys to the development and implementation of effective school guidance programs in Louisiana include:

•                     a written district-wide K-12 guidance program and a district-wide policy for guidance that has been adopted by the board of education.

•                     a written district-wide guidance program that is fully implemented by certified, professional school counselors K-12 spending 100 percent of their time working with students, parents, teachers and administrators carrying out the preferred tasks of the program.

•                     strong state guidance leadership that provides regular ongoing training, resources and technical support.

•                     a strong statewide professional association such as the Louisiana School Counselor Association.

 

The Problem

Too often, certified, professional school counselors are assigned duties that take them away from the preferred tasks required to fully implement comprehensive guidance programs in the schools.  Often, they spend time performing clerical duties, carrying out administrative tasks and being totally responsible for special education case management and assessment work.  As a result, they have limited time to provide services to students, parents and teachers derived from a comprehensive guidance program framework.

 

Recommendations

When certified, professional school counselors in Louisiana are able to devote full time to implementing comprehensive guidance programs in their school, research has documented that they contribute to positive student academic and career development as well as the development of positive and safe learning climates in schools.  Therefore, we urge boards of education to:

 

•                     adopt district-wide comprehensive guidance programs as official educational programs in their districts.

•                     adopt policies for guidance that support guidance as an official program in their districts.

•                     encourage and support the full implementation of comprehensive school guidance programs in their districts.

 

References

Gysbers, N.C., Lapan, R.T. & Blair, M., (1999).  Closing in on the statewide implementation of a comprehensive guidance program model.  Professional School Counseling 2(5), 357-366.

Lapan, R.T., Gysbers, N.C.& petroski, G. (in press).  Helping 7^th graders be safe and academically successful: A statewide study of the impact of comprehensive guidance programs.  Journal of Counseling & Development.

Lapan, R.T., Gysbers, N.C. & Sun, Y. (1997).  The impact of more fully implemented guidance programs on the school experiences of high school students: A statewide evaluation study.  Journal of Counseling & Development 75, 292-302.

 

 

An Information Brief for Teachers

Strengthening School Guidance Programs

in Louisiana for the 21^st Century

 

 

What is Guidance?

Guidance is an integral part of each school district’s total educational program.  It is a comprehensive program that includes sequential activities kindergarten through grade 12, organized and implemented by certified professional school counselors with the active involvement and support of parents, students, teachers and administrators.

The program is designed to address the needs of all students by helping them to acquire competencies in career planning and exploration, knowledge of self and others and educational and vocational development.

 

The Need

In the 21^st century, the United States and the state of Louisiana will continue to undergo major changes in the areas of industry, occupations, society and economics.  The labor force and the world of work is changing rapidly.  Violence is increasing in homes, schools and communities.  Divorce, substance abuse, teen suicide and sexual experimentation are growing challenges families must face.  These challenges are real, and they are having a continual impact on the overall development of students.

 

A Response

Comprehensive school guidance programs in Louisiana, implemented by certified, professional school counselors, working closely with parents, teachers and administrators, are effective in assisting students to respond to a variety of challenges.  Research conducted during recent years has shown that when certified, professional school counselors have the time, the resources and the structure of a comprehensive guidance program to work in, they contribute to positive student academic and career development as well as the development of positive and safe learning climates is schools.

 

1.                  Students in high schools with more fully implemented guidance programs (as judged by school counselors) reported that:

-they had earned higher grades.

-their education was better preparing them for the future.

-their schools had a more positive climate. (Lapan, Gysbers & Sun, 1997)

 

2.                  When middle school classroom teachers rated guidance programs in their schools as more fully implemented, students in these schools reported that:

-they earned higher grades

-school was more relevant for them.

-they had positive relationships with teachers.

-they felt safer in school. (Lapan, Gysbers & Petroske, in press)

 

3.                  School counselors who rated their guidance programs as more fully implemented indicated that they spend more time with students, parents and teachers; that they are more visible to the public; and that they spend more time in classrooms. (Gysbers, Lapan & Blair,1999)

 

The Keys to Success

The keys to the successful development and implementation of effective school guidance programs in Louisiana include:

 

4.                  the support of all school district administrators.

5.                  a written district-wide K-12 comprehensive guidance program and a district-wide policy for guidance that has been adopted by the board of education,

6.                  a written district-wide comprehensive guidance program that is fully implemented by certified, professional school counselors K-12, spending 100 percent of their time working with students, parents, teachers and administrators to carry out the program.

7.                  strong state guidance leadership that provides regular, ongoing training, resources and technical support.

8.                  a strong statewide professional association such as the Louisiana School Counselor Association.

 

Your Support is Needed

9.                  Talk to your school’s counselors to learn about your school district’s guidance program.

10.              Serve on the school-community guidance program advisory committee.

11.              Learn about your students’ strengths, and