A core component of many new educational programs funded under the "No Child Left Behind Act of 2001" is that they be based on scientifically based research. Like others in the educational community, counselors and counseling researchers welcome the opportunity to empirically test the validity of their practices and demonstrate that what…

The homeschooling movement has grown in popularity as evidenced by the involvement of an estimated 1.2 million students and cooperative programs offered by schools. There is however a sparsity of research dealing with the participation of homeschoolers in school counseling programs. The extension of services to homeschoolers would involve…

Too often parents, teachers, and even counselors assume that underachievers are students who can, but simply don't (or won't) achieve. But student underachievement is a complex problem that defies a "one size fits all" solution. Although past research has extensively explored and documented the links between personal and social variables…

Rights of the many must be protected and rights of the minority must be accommodated. To achieve this end, school counselors must know why challenges to school guidance materials are occurring and the pivotal issues which accompany these challenges. Counselors must assure that developmental guidance programs are based on sound educational…

This document reports on the major activities carried out and the major findings produced by the Counseling for High Skills Project. Using a customer satisfaction approach, data were collected from 39,940 currently enrolled students in 2,145 programs in 361 postsecondary institutions in 14 states. The study examined what kinds of persons enroll in…

There are numerous benefits to be gained by the school counselor who chooses to do action-oriented research. Program evaluation and planning are facilitated through the use of measurable student outcomes obtained through action-oriented research. Collaborative research efforts are made possible by data gained through action-oriented research.…

School counselors are beginning to find family counseling an effective and needed skill. Moreover, family counseling represents a distinctive alternative for resolving persistent problems in the schools. Re-training opportunities for school counselors wanting to engage in family counseling have been limited. With appropriate training,…

This digest focuses on supervision issues for school counselors. It begins by addressing the need for professionally appropriate supervision to nurture school counselors' professional development. A section on the process of school counselor supervision begins by looking at clinical, developmental, and administrative supervision. The purpose of…

This digest identifies the issues which must be addressed to make instruments and procedures for assessing school counselor performance efficient, fair, valid, and useful. (BH)

School counselors are often consultants for parents and teachers on problems that children and adolescents face. Attention deficit disorder (ADD) is one such problem. It is frequently misunderstood, presenting a challenge for parents and teachers alike. The counselor is a resource for initial identification and interventions at home and in the…

This digest considers the school counselor's role in helping students to acquire the basic skills they will need throughout their lives. A contemporary definition of basic skills includes not only the modern versions of the "three Rs" (reading, writing, and computing), but also encompasses a variety of attitudes, knowledge, and behaviors…

Current trends in technological developments suggest that home entertainment video games and educational learning software are on convergent paths. Astute educators have identified these technologies as effective for student motivation and have integrated them with traditional curricula to reduce at-risk behavior. Counselors who identify and…

With character education as one of the fastest growing reform movements in education today, counselor educators and counseling students need to be informed and cognizant of various character education programs. Currently, more than 30 states mandate some aspect of character education and school counselors are frequently responsible for introducing…

Career counseling in middle and high schools should be tailored to the unique characteristics of adolescents during those tumultuous years when they begin to learn more about themselves. Establishing a rapport and building a relationship are key first steps for school counselors working with adolescents and their career aspirations. Individuals…

School counselors have always considered themselves to be change agents. Historically, that change has been related to helping an individual become aware of behaviors or attitudes that might be affecting his/her success and then guiding that individual into new ways of acting or thinking. This skill is transferable to affecting change in the…