This qualitative study examines the roles, practices, challenges and demands of school counselors (known as guidance counsellors) in Barbados. A focused ethnographic approach is used to provide a comprehensive and nuanced view of five school counselors' experiences. Using thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2006) to code and analyze the data…

Over the past two decades, research on urban schools has focused predominantly on achievement gaps. However, achievement gaps exist because of gaps in opportunities for urban, low-income, and racially/ethnically diverse students. Partnerships among schools, families, and communities can provide the enrichment opportunities, support, resources, and…

This article discusses school counselors' multifaceted role as educator-counselor-leader-collaborator, inextricably linked roles so necessary to build strengths-based school-family-community partnerships. We examined the effects of one such partnership on 20 elementary school students, using photo elicitation and interviews to explore students'…

Throughout the past decade, scholars have argued that the persistent achievement gap between Black male students and their White peers is a result of unequal and inadequate educational opportunities instead of inherent differences in their capability or character. School counselors can help support Black males by using equity-focused…

School counselors play critical roles in partnerships with faith-based organizations that provide valuable programs for students with economic challenges. This study evaluated the effects of a counselor-led, faith-based, school-family-community partnership on student reading achievement in a high-poverty elementary school. Results indicated…

The extant literature documents the importance of school counselors' roles in school-family-community partnerships, yet no model exists to guide school counselors through the process of building partnerships. The authors propose a model to help school counselors navigate the process and principles of partnerships. They define partnerships; discuss…

This qualitative multicase research study identified the home, school, and community factors and processes that contributed to the academic success of 8 urban, African American high school graduates from low-income, single-parent families. Ten main themes emerged: school-related parenting practices, personal stories of hardship, positive…

This study investigated school counselors' perceptions about their involvement in nine school-family-community (SFC) partnership programs and barriers to their involvement in such partnerships. A random sample of 72 school counselors in South Carolina public schools were asked to rate the importance and degree of their involvement related to nine…

Seventy-two (n = 72) school counselors from South Carolina were surveyed to assess their perceptions of their pre-service training in relation to eight school-family-community partnership roles and their perceived level of involvement in these roles. This exploratory study sought to determine whether school counselors varied by school level in…