There is a lack of an established framework or taxonomy in the academic literature to systematically analyze school counseling policies. This study was conducted to fill in this gap. Specifically, the researchers propose an initial taxonomy developed based on review of relevant school counseling policy documents and research. The proposed taxonomy…

As the counseling profession evolves, educational standards for counselor licensure must be standardized from state to state. In this article, the authors discuss historical and current influences and present an advocacy model that has been used to standardize educational requirements in state counselor licensure laws.

This study is the first systematic examination of how school counselor multicultural counseling competence (MCC) is addressed in state licensure examinations of school counselors. Results offer preliminary support to the notion that state licensure examinations indeed address some important aspects of MCC, as identified by Holcomb-McCoy (2004).…

The Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (2016) and the American School Counselor Association (2016) require supervisors to have "relevant" training in supervision, but do not specify the type of training that should be acquired. This study determines if site supervisors who have had formal training in…

School counselors' job roles and preferences reportedly vary by educational level (i.e., elementary, middle and high school); however, several organizations, such as the American School Counselor Association, conceptualize and recommend school counseling practice and preparation through a K-12 lens. Little is known about how or if school…

This research is a qualitative case study of graduate certificate programs offered in college counseling in the United States. This study presents historical and current information about eight different college counseling certificate programs and seven themes that describe these programs in the context of national college access and college…

Singapore, a tiny island nation, rose from 3rd- to 1st-world status in just 3 decades. Unlike in most developed countries, counseling in Singapore has a short history with faith-based beginnings and currently faces challenges to remain culturally relevant. The authors trace the development of Singapore's counseling services, provide an update…

The purpose of this study was to provide process data for school counselors, administrators, and the public, regarding school counselors' actual roles within the guidance counselor preferred job duties and actual job duties. In addition, factors including National Certification or no National Certification, years of counseling experience, and…

According to current research, mental health issues are the leading health problem for Canadian children. Surveys also indicate that fewer than 25% of children are receiving care (Waddell, McEwan, Shepherd, Offord, & Hua, 2005); thus, schools play a key role in assessment, access to services, and possible referral to appropriate outside…

The requirements for school counselor certification have changed since 2000 in Missouri. Most notably, the requirement of previous teaching experience has been removed. As a result, individuals from backgrounds other than teaching have the opportunity to earn their masters' degrees in school counseling and earn the student services certificate of…

Is teaching experience necessary for school counselors to feel competent when conducting developmental classroom lessons? The study in this article investigated the relationship between previous teaching experience and practicing middle school counselors' perceived competence in conducting developmental classroom lessons. Results suggested that…

To achieve full professional maturity, counselors must begin the process of self-study and assess the direction and leadership that is developing within the profession. The acceptance and success of counseling in educational settings may depend on the degree to which counselors are change-oriented, team-oriented, and outcome-oriented. (Author)

Assessed perceptions of officials (n=51) of state departments of education regarding school counseling. Determined there had been an increase in the number of school counseling positions with 27 percent indicating that insufficient numbers of certified counselors existed to fill positions. Most states reported policies allowing employment before…

This study sought to: (1) examine the impact of national certification, state registration, counselor education accreditation, and state certification on the hiring practices of local school systems; (2) assess the knowledge that school personnel officers have of various counseling credentials; (3) assess the knowledge and attitudes of prospective…