The College Board National Office for School Counselor Advocacy Eight Components of College and Career Readiness Counseling Equity • Leadership • Transformation The Need for College Readiness Counseling In today’s global, knowledge-based economy, a college education is the gateway to social mobility and better lifelong opportunities. The vast majority of America’s high school students (86 percent) expect to attend college, but many lack the support and guidance they need to prepare for enrollment and success in college. (U.S. Department of Education, NCES 2010-170). Furthermore, college-going rates differ disproportionately by family income, parent education level and other demographic characteristics. Too few students are graduating from high school ready for college. This education deficit is an urgent concern for the future of the nation as a whole and for our most underserved communities. The Eight Components of College and Career Readiness Counseling The Eight Components of College and Career Readiness Counseling chart a comprehensive, systemic approach for school counselors’ use to inspire all students to, and prepare them for, college success and opportunity — especially students from underrepresented populations. The eight components build aspirations and social capital, offer enriching activities, foster rigorous academic preparation, encourage early college planning, and guide students and families through the college admission and financial aid processes. By implementing these eight components, school counselors provide information, tools and perspective to parents, students, schools and their communities that build college and career readiness for all students. “School counselors must be leaders and advocates for equity in implementing college and career readiness for all students. ‘Owning the turf’ is fundamental to their professional efficacy and commitment to the students they serve.” — Patricia Martin Assistant Vice President, the College Board 2 Eight Components of College and Career Readiness Counseling The College Board National Office for School Counselor Advocacy Eight Components of College and Career Readiness Counseling The Eight Components of College and Career Readiness Counseling provide a systemic approach for school counselors to implement, across grades K–12 — elementary through high school and beyond, to ensure equity both in process and results. 1. College Aspirations Goal: Build a college-going culture based on early college awareness by nurturing in students the confidence to aspire to college and the resilience to overcome challenges along the way. Maintain high expectations by providing adequate supports, building social capital and conveying the conviction that all students can succeed in college. 2. Academic Planning for College and Career Readiness Goal: Advance students’ planning, preparation, participation and performance in a rigorous academic program that connects to their college and career aspirations and goals. 3. Enrichment and Extracurricular Engagement Goal: Ensure equitable exposure to a wide range of extracurricular and enrichment opportunities that build leadership, nurture talents and interests, and increase engagement with school. 4. College and Career Exploration and Selection Processes Goal: Provide early and ongoing exposure to experiences and information necessary to make informed decisions when selecting a college or career that connects to academic preparation and future aspirations. 5. College and Career Assessments Goal: Promote preparation, participation and performance in college and career assessments by all students. 6. College Affordability Planning Goal: Provide students and families with comprehensive information about college costs, options for paying for college, and the financial aid and scholarship processes and eligibility requirements, so they are able to plan for and afford a college education. 7. College and Career Admission Processes Goal: Ensure that students and families have an early and ongoing understanding of the college and career application and admission processes so they can find the postsecondary options that are the best fit with their aspirations and interests. 8. Transition from High School Graduation to College Enrollment Goal: Connect students to school and community resources to help the students overcome barriers and ensure the successful transition from high school to college. Equity • Leadership • Transformation 3 The Eight Components of College and Career Readiness Counseling should be applied in elementary, middle and high schools. Component Elementary Middle High College Aspirations • • • Academic Planning for College and Career Readiness • • • Enrichment and Extracurricular Engagement • • • College and Career Exploration and Selection Processes • • • College and Career Assessments • • • College Affordability Planning • • • College and Career Admission Processes • Transition from High School to College Enrollment • The Transformative Process, Using the Eight Components To implement each component successfully, school counselors must: use strategies and interventions that take into account the context of the diverse populations in the school and community; encourage multilevel interventions involving students, parents, schools and community; and use data effectively. • Context: Strategies and interventions for each component should be customized to the setting, community and demographics of the school. • Cultural Competence: The components should be applied in ways that are culturally sensitive, with knowledge of how programs, policies and practices impact the perspectives and experiences of diverse student groups. • Multilevel Interventions: College counseling programs and services should be applied at the student, school, family and community levels. • Data: Use data to identify inequities, develop measurable goals, inform practice and demonstrate accountability within the eight components. “I ask every American to commit to at least one year or more of higher education or career training. … every American will need to get more than a high school diploma. And dropping out of high school is no longer an option. It’s not just quitting on yourself, it’s quitting on your country.” — President Barack Obama, State of the Union, Feb. 24, 2009 4 Eight Components of College and Career Readiness Counseling School Counselor Leadership School counselors are uniquely positioned as the school professionals best able to guide all students toward college readiness. School counselors interact with teachers, administrators, students and their families each day, marshaling forces from across the school, district and community. School counselors are leaders and advocates who can profoundly influence students’ academic achievement, aspirations, decisions and future plans. They are school-based professionals who connect students to resources and information about preparing for and applying to college. Equitable Outcomes for All Students School counselors can be strong advocates for their students, using their skills to drive positive change in schools and conveying the expectation that all students, regardless of their backgrounds and economic status, can succeed in college. The Eight Components of College and Career Readiness Counseling should be applied through the lens of equity. To be most effective, school counselors must use data to identify gaps and inequities in achievement, preparation and access, and measure progress toward equitable student outcomes. The eight components are transformative when they are applied to all students and purposefully focused to change the school culture. When implementing each of the components, services can be directed to ensure that each student receives the support they need to be college ready and career ready. School counselor practice is transformative when the eight components are delivered with equity, informed by data, applied systemically across grades K–12, and are culturally sensitive at all levels of intervention. This practice represents inclusion by design, with the goal of equitable outcomes for all students in college and career readiness. Transformative Delivery of the Eight Components of College and Career Readiness Counseling Eight Components of College and Career Readiness Counseling Required elements for EACH component Equitable Outcomes 1. College Aspirations 2. A  cademic Planning for College and Career Readiness Context 3. Enrichment and Extracurricular Engagement Cultural Competence 4. College  and Career Exploration and Selection Processes 5. C ollege and Career Assessments 6. College Affordability Planning College and Career Readiness for All Students Multilevel Interventions Data 7. C ollege and Career Admission Processes 8. T ransition from High School to College Enrollment Equity • Leadership • Transformation 5 A Call to Action: Own the Turf Now is the time for school counselors to become leaders and advocates for equity in education for all students. Taking ownership for the Eight Components of College and Career Readiness Counseling is leadership in action. Local, state and federal leaders have sounded the call for raising student achievement across the continuum. Assessments and monitoring systems have been put in place to ensure that schools are moving in this direction, while educators are being held accountable for showing academic progress for all students. If school counselors truly believe in the worth of all children and see themselves as advocates for all students, they must step away from being “maintainers of the status quo” and become “dream-makers and pathfinders” for all students navigating their way through K–12 schools today. They must have the courage to stand up for students who may be unable to stand up for themselves in systems that have produced disparate academic results and thus, few to no postsecondary options for many students in the past. Implementation of the Eight Components of College and Career Readiness Counseling with equity and fidelity and across grade levels will allow K–12 school counselors to own a critical piece of education reform. It is time to “own the turf.” If not you, who? Who in the school is responsible for helping students nurture their dreams for bright futures and for helping them create successful pathways to those dreams? Never before in the history of our nation have we had a greater need to prepare every student for the greatest range of opportunities after leaving high school. All of our students need school counselors to champion their cause. Each one of them is entitled to a rigorous education that prepares them to successfully attain their college and career goals. Patricia Martin Assistant Vice President National Office for School Counselor Advocacy The College Board 6 Eight Components of College and Career Readiness Counseling The College Board National Office for School Counselor Advocacy (NOSCA) The College Board’s National Office for School Counselor Advocacy promotes the value of school counselors as leaders in advancing school reform and student achievement. It seeks to endorse and institutionalize school counseling practice that advocates for equitable educational access and rigorous academic preparation necessary for college readiness for all students. For more information, visit www.collegeboard.com/nosca. NOSCA Vision: Every student engages in an educational experience that results in exiting high school with the educational preparation and social capital necessary for college success and full participation in a democratic and global society. NOSCA Mission: Endorse and institutionalize systemic school counseling practice that advocates for equitable educational access and rigorous academic preparation, achievement and attainment necessary for college and career readiness for all students. College Board Advocacy & Policy Center The College Board Advocacy & Policy Center was established to help transform education in America. Guided by the College Board’s principles of excellence and equity in education, we work to ensure that students from all backgrounds have the opportunity to succeed in college and beyond. We make critical connections between policy, research and real-world practice to develop innovative solutions to the most pressing challenges in education today. For more information, visit advocacy.collegeboard.org. The College Board The College Board is a not-for-profit membership association whose mission is to connect students to college success and opportunity. Founded in 1900, the College Board is composed of more than 5,700 schools, colleges, universities and other educational organizations. Each year, the College Board serves seven million students and their parents, 23,000 high schools, and 3,800 colleges through major programs and services in college readiness, college admission, guidance, assessment, financial aid and enrollment. Among its widely recognized programs are the SAT®, the PSAT/NMSQT®, the Advanced Placement Program® (AP ®), SpringBoard® and ACCUPLACER®. The College Board is committed to the principles of excellence and equity, and that commitment is embodied in all of its programs, services, activities and concerns. For further information, visit www.collegeboard.com. © 2010 The College Board. College Board, ACCUPLACER, Advanced Placement Program, AP, SAT, SpringBoard and the acorn logo are registered trademarks of the College Board. PSAT/NMSQT is a registered trademark of the College Board and National Merit Scholarship Corporation. All other products and services may be trademarks of their respective owners. Visit the College Board on the Web: www.collegeboard.com. Equity • Leadership • Transformation 7 Advocacy is central to the work of the College Board. Working with members, policymakers and the education community, we promote programs, policies and practices that increase college access and success for all students. In a world of growing complexity and competing demands, we advocate to ensure that education comes first. advocacy.collegeboard.org 11b-4416 ASCA Mindsets & Behaviors for Student Success: K-12 College- and Career-Readiness Standards for Every Student The ASCA Mindsets & Behaviors for Student Success: K-12 College- and Career Readiness for Every Student describe the knowledge, skills and attitudes students need to achieve academic success, college and career readiness and social/emotional development. The standards are based on a survey of research and best practices in student achievement from a wide array of educational standards and efforts. These standards are the next generation of the ASCA National Standards for Students, which were first published in 1997. The 35 mindset and behavior standards identify and prioritize the specific attitudes, knowledge and skills students should be able to demonstrate as a result of a school counseling program. School counselors use the standards to assess student growth and development, guide the development of strategies and activities and create a program that helps students achieve their highest potential. The ASCA Mindsets & Behaviors can be aligned with initiatives at the district, state and national to reflect the district’s local priorities. To operationalize the standards, school counselors select competencies that align with the specific standards and become the foundation for classroom lessons, small groups and activities addressing student developmental needs. The competencies directly reflect the vision, mission and goals of the comprehensive school counseling program and align with the school’s academic mission. Research-Based Standards The ASCA Mindsets & Behaviors are based on a review of research and college- and career-readiness documents created by a variety of organizations that have identified strategies making an impact on student achievement and academic performance. The ASCA Mindsets & Behaviors are organized based on the framework of noncognitive factors presented in the critical literature review “Teaching Adolescents to Become Learners” conducted by the University of Chicago Consortium on Chicago School Research (2012). This literature review recognizes that content knowledge and academic skills are only part of the equation for student success. “School performance is a complex phenomenon, shaped by a wide variety of factors intrinsic to students and the external environment” (University of Chicago, 2012, p. 2). The ASCA Mindsets & Behaviors are based on the evidence of the importance of these factors. All 35 standards can be applied to any of the three domains, and the school counselor selects a domain and standard based on the needs of the school, classroom, small group or individual. The standards are arranged within categories and subcategories based on five general categories of noncognitive factors related to academic performance as identified in the 2012 literature review published by the University of Chicago Consortium on Chicago School Research. These categories synthesize the “vast array of research literature” (p. 8) on noncognitive factors including persistence, resilience, grit, goal-setting, help-seeking, cooperation, conscientiousness, self-efficacy, self-regulation, self-control, self-discipline, motivation, mindsets, effort, work habits, organization, homework completion, learning strategies and study skills, among others. Category 1: Mindset Standards – Includes standards related to the psycho-social attitudes or beliefs students have about themselves in relation to academic work. These make up the students’ belief system as exhibited in behaviors. Category 2: Behavior Standards – These standards include behaviors commonly associated with being a successful student. These behaviors are visible, outward signs that a student is engaged and putting forth effort to learn. The behaviors are grouped into three subcategories. a. Learning Strategies: Processes and tactics students employ to aid in the cognitive work of thinking, remembering or learning. b. Self-management Skills: Continued focus on a goal despite obstacles (grit or persistence) and avoidance of distractions or temptations to prioritize higher pursuits over lower pleasures (delayed gratification, self-discipline, self-control). c. Social Skills: Acceptable behaviors that improve social interactions, such as those between peers or between students and adults. September 2014 The ASCA Mindsets & Behaviors for Student Success: K-12 College- and Career-Readiness Standards for Every Student Each of the following standards can be applied to the academic, career and social/emotional domains. Category 1: Mindset Standards School counselors encourage the following mindsets for all students. M 1. M 2. M 3. M 4. M 5. M 6. Belief in development of whole self, including a healthy balance of mental, social/emotional and physical well-being Self-confidence in ability to succeed Sense of belonging in the school environment Understanding that postsecondary education and life-long learning are necessary for long-term career success Belief in using abilities to their fullest to achieve high-quality results and outcomes Positive attitude toward work and learning Category 2: Behavior Standards Students will demonstrate the following standards through classroom lessons, activities and/or individual/small-group counseling. Learning Strategies Self-Management Skills Social Skills B-LS 1. Demonstrate critical-thinking skills to make informed decisions B-SMS 1. Demonstrate ability to assume responsibility B-SS 1. Use effective oral and written communication skills and listening skills B-LS 2. Demonstrate creativity B-SMS 2. Demonstrate self-discipline and self-control B-SS 2. Create positive and supportive relationships with other students B-LS 3. Use time-management, organizational and study skills B-SMS 3. Demonstrate ability to work independently B-SS 3. Create relationships with adults that support success B-LS 4. Apply self-motivation and selfdirection to learning B-SMS 4. Demonstrate ability to delay immediate gratification for longterm rewards B-SS 4. Demonstrate empathy B-LS 5. Apply media and technology skills B-SMS 5. Demonstrate perseverance to B-SS 5. achieve long- and short-term goals B-LS 6. Set high standards of quality B-SMS 6. Demonstrate ability to overcome barriers to learning B-SS 6. Use effective collaboration and cooperation skills B-LS 7. Identify long- and short-term academic, career and social/ emotional goals B-SMS 7. Demonstrate effective coping skills when faced with a problem B-SS 7. Use leadership and teamwork skills to work effectively in diverse teams B-LS 8. Actively engage in challenging coursework B-SMS 8. Demonstrate the ability to balance school, home and community activities B-SS 8. Demonstrate advocacy skills and ability to assert self, when necessary B-LS 9. Gather evidence and consider multiple perspectives to make informed decisions B-SMS 9. Demonstrate personal safety skills B-SS 9. B-LS 10. Participate in enrichment and extracurricular activities B-SMS 10. Demonstrate ability to manage transitions and ability to adapt to changing situations and responsibilities Demonstrate ethical decisionmaking and social responsibility Demonstrate social maturity and behaviors appropriate to the situation and environment Grade-Level Competencies Grade-level competencies are specific, measurable expectations that students attain as they make progress toward the standards. As the school counseling program’s vision, mission and program goals are aligned with the school’s academic mission, school counseling standards and competencies are also aligned with academic content standards at the state and district level. ASCA Mindsets & Behaviors align with specific standards from the Common Core State Standards through connections at the competency level. This alignment allows school counselors the opportunity to help students meet these college- and career-readiness standards in collaboration with academic content taught in core areas in the classroom. It also helps school counselors directly align with academic instruction when providing individual and small-group counseling by focusing on standards and competencies addressing a student’s developmental needs. School counselors working in states that have not adopted the Common Core State Standards are encouraged to align competencies with their state’s academic standards and can use the competencies from the ASCA Mindsets & Behaviors as examples of alignment. Domains The ASCA Mindsets & Behaviors are organized in three broad domains: academic, career and social/emotional development. These domains promote mindsets and behaviors that enhance the learning process and create a culture of college and career readiness for all students. The definitions of each domain are as follows: Academic Development – Standards guiding school counseling programs to implement strategies and activities to support and maximize each student’s ability to learn. Career Development – Standards guiding school counseling programs to help students 1) understand the connection between school and the world of work and 2) plan for and make a successful transition from school to postsecondary education and/or the world of work and from job to job across the life span. Social/Emotional Development – Standards guiding school counseling programs to help students manage emotions and learn and apply interpersonal skills. ASCA Mindsets & Behaviors Database The grade-level competencies are housed in the ASCA Mindsets & Behaviors database at www.schoolcounselor.org/studentcompetencies. School counselors can search the database by keyword to quickly and easily identify competencies that will meet student developmental needs and align with academic content as appropriate. The database also allows school counselors to contribute to the competencies by sharing other ways to meet or align with a specific standard. Citation Guide When citing from this publication, use the following reference: American School Counselor Association (2014). Mindsets and Behaviors for Student Success: K-12 College- and Career-Readiness Standards for Every Student. Alexandria, VA: Author. Resources Used in Development of ASCA Mindsets & Behaviors The following documents were the primary resources that informed ASCA Mindsets & Behaviors. Document Organization Description ACT National Career Readiness Certificate ACT Offers a portable credential that demonstrates achievement and a certain level of workplace employability skills in applied mathematics, locating information and reading for information. ASCA National Standards for Students American School Counselor Association Describes the knowledge, attitudes and skills students should be able to demonstrate as a result of the school counseling program. AVID Essentials at a Glance AVID Promotes a college readiness system for elementary through higher education that is designed to increase schoolwide learning and performance. Building Blocks For Change: What it Means to be Career Ready Career Readiness Partner Council Defines what it means to be career-ready, and highlights the outcome of collaborative efforts of the Career Readiness Partner Council to help inform policy and practice in states and communities. Career and Technical Education Standards National Board of Professional Teaching Standards Defines the standards that lay the foundation for the Career and Technical Education Certificate. Collaborative Counselor Training Initiative SREB Offers online training modules for middle grades and high school counselors that can improve their effectiveness in preparing all students for college, especially those from low-income families who would be first-generation college students. Cross Disciplinary Proficiencies in the American Diploma Project Achieve Describes four cross disciplinary proficiencies that will enable high school graduates to meet new and unfamiliar tasks and challenges in college, the workplace and life. Eight Components of College and Career Readiness Counseling College Board Presents a comprehensive, systemic approach for school counselors to use to inspire and prepare all students for college success and opportunity, especially students from underrepresented populations. English Language Arts Standards National Board of Professional Teaching Standards Defines the standards that lay the foundation for the English Language Arts Certificate. Framework for 21st Century Learning Partnership for 21st Century Skills Describes the skills, knowledge and expertise students must master to succeed in work and life; it is a blend of content knowledge, specific skills, expertise and literacies. NETS for Students 2007 International Society for Technology in Education Describes the standards for evaluating the skills and knowledge students need to learn effectively and live productively in an increasingly global and digital world. Ramp-Up to Readiness University of Minnesota Provides a schoolwide guidance program designed to increase the number and diversity of students who graduate from high school with the knowledge, skills and habits necessary for success in a high-quality college program. Social and Emotional Learning Core Competencies CASEL Identifies five interrelated sets of cognitive, affective and behavioral competencies through which children and adults acquire and effectively apply the knowledge, attitudes and skills necessary to understand and manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships and make responsible decisions. Teaching Adolescents to Become Learners: The Role of NonCognitive Factors in Shaping School Performance The University of Chicago Consortium on Chicago School Research Presents a critical literature review of the role of noncognitive factors in shaping school performance. What is “Career Ready”? ACTE Defines what it means to be career-ready, involving three major skill areas: core academic skills, employability skills, and technical and job-specific skills. ASCA National Model A Framework For School Counseling Programs Executive Summary School counselors design and deliver comprehensive school counseling programs that promote student achievement. These programs are comprehensive in scope, preventive in design and developmental in nature. “The ASCA National Model: A Framework for School Counseling Programs” outlines the components of a comprehensive school counseling program. The ASCA National Model brings school counselors together with one vision and one voice, which creates unity and focus toward improving student achievement. A comprehensive school counseling program is an integral component of the school’s academic mission. Comprehensive school counseling programs, driven by student data and based on standards in academic, career and personal/social development, promote and enhance the learning process for all students. The ASCA National Model: ■ ensures equitable access to a rigorous education for all students ■ identifies the knowledge and skills all students will acquire as a result of the K-12 comprehensive school counseling program ■ is delivered to all students in a systematic fashion ■ ■ is based on data-driven decision making is provided by a state-credentialed school counselor Effective school counseling programs are a collaborative effort between the school counselor, parents and other educators to create an environment that promotes student achievement. Staff and school counselors value and respond to the diversity and individual differences in our societies and communities. Comprehensive school counseling programs ensure equitable access to opportunities and rigorous curriculum for all students to participate fully in the educational process. School counselors focus their skills, time and energy on direct and indirect services to students. To achieve maximum program effectiveness, the American School Counselor Association recommends a school counselor to student ratio of 1:250 and that school counselors spend 80 percent or more of their time in direct and indirect services to students. School counselors participate as members of the educational team and use the skills of leadership, advocacy and collaboration to promote systemic change as appropriate. The framework of a comprehensive school counseling program consists of four components: foundation, management, delivery and accountability. FOUNDATION School counselors create comprehensive school counseling programs that focus on student outcomes, teach student competencies and are delivered with identified professional competencies. Delivery is 80% or more of the activity in the ASCA National Model Program Focus: To establish program focus, school counselors identify personal beliefs that address how all students benefit from the school counseling program. Building on these beliefs, school counselors create a vision statement defining what the future will look like in terms of student outcomes. In addition, school counselors create a mission statement aligned with their school’s mission and develop program goals defining how the vision and mission will be measured. Student Competencies: Enhancing the learning process for all students, the ASCA Mindsets & Behaviors for Student Success: K-12 College- and CareerReadiness for Every Student guide the development of effective school counseling programs around three domains: academic, career and social/emotional development. School counselors also consider how other student standards important to state and district initiatives complement and inform their school counseling program. Professional Competencies: The ASCA School Counselor Competencies outline the knowledge, attitudes and skills that ensure school counselors are equipped to meet the rigorous demands of the profession. The ASCA Ethical Standards for School Counselors specify the principles of ethical behavior necessary to maintain the highest standard of integrity, leadership and professionalism. They guide school counselors’ decision-making and help to standardize professional practice to protect both students and school counselors. ■ ■ MANAGEMENT School counselors incorporate organizational assessments and tools that are concrete, clearly delineated and reflective of the school’s needs. Assessments and tools include: ■ School counselor competency and school counseling program assessments to self-evaluate areas of strength and improvement for individual skills and program activities ■ Use-of-time assessment to determine the amount of time spent toward the recommended 80 percent ■ ■ or more of the school counselor’s time to direct and indirect services with students Annual agreements developed with and approved by administrators at the beginning of the school year addressing how the school counseling program is organized and what goals will be accomplished Advisory councils made up of students, parents, teachers, school counselors, administrators and community members to review and make recommendations about school counseling program activities and results Use of data to measure the results of the program as well as to promote systemic change within the school system so every student graduates collegeand career-ready Curriculum, small-group and closing-the-gap action plans including developmental, prevention and intervention activities and services that measure the desired student competencies and the impact on achievement, behavior and attendance APPROPRIATE ACTIVITIES FOR SCHOOL COUNSELORS INAPPROPRIATE ACTIVITIES FOR SCHOOL COUNSELORS ■ individual student academic program planning ■ coordinating paperwork and data entry of all new students ■ interpreting cognitive, aptitude and achievement tests ■ coordinating cognitive, aptitude and achievement testing programs ■ providing counseling to students who are tardy or absent ■ signing excuses for students who are tardy or absent ■ providing counseling to students who have disciplinary problems ■ performing disciplinary actions or assigning discipline consequences ■ providing counseling to students as to appropriate school dress ■ sending students home who are not appropriately dressed ■ collaborating with teachers to present school counseling core curriculum lessons ■ teaching classes when teachers are absent analyzing grade-point averages in relationship to achievement ■ computing grade-point averages ■ maintaining student records ■ providing teachers with suggestions for effective classroom management ■ supervising classrooms or common areas ■ ensuring student records are maintained as per state and federal regulations ■ keeping clerical records ■ helping the school principal identify and resolve student issues, needs and problems ■ assisting with duties in the principal’s office ■ providing individual and small-group counseling services to students providing therapy or long-term counseling in schools to address psychological disorders advocating for students at individual education plan meetings, student study teams and school attendance review boards coordinating schoolwide individual education plans, student study teams and school attendance review boards ■ ■ interpreting student records ■ ■ ■ analyzing disaggregated data Annual and weekly calendars to keep students, parents, teachers and administrators informed and to encourage active participation in the school counseling program DELIVERY School counselors provide services to students, parents, school staff and the community in the following areas: ■ ■ ■ serving as a data entry clerk Direct Student Services Direct services are in-person interactions between school counselors and students and include the following: ■ School counseling core curriculum: This curriculum consists of structured lessons designed to help students attain the desired competencies and to provide all students with the knowledge, attitudes and skills appropriate for their developmental level. The school counseling core curriculum is delivered ■ ■ throughout the school’s overall curriculum and is systematically presented by school counselors in collaboration with other professional educators in K-12 classroom and group activities. Individual student planning: School counselors coordinate ongoing systemic activities designed to assist students in establishing personal goals and developing future plans. Responsive services: Responsive services are activities designed to meet students’ immediate needs and concerns. Responsive services may include counseling in individual or small-group settings or crisis response. Indirect Student Services Indirect services are provided on behalf of students as a result of the school counselors’ interactions with others including referrals for additional assistance, consulta- tion and collaboration with parents, teachers, other educators and community organizations. ACCOUNTABILITY To demonstrate the effectiveness of the school counseling program in measurable terms, school counselors analyze school and school counseling program data to determine how students are different as a result of the school counseling program. School counselors use data to show the impact of the school counseling program on student achievement, attendance and behavior and analyze school counseling program assessments to guide future action and improve future results for all students. The performance of the school counselor is evaluated on basic standards of practice expected of school counselors implementing a comprehensive school counseling program. ORDERING INFORMATION del ional Mo t a N A C AS s Program unseling hool Co ork for Sc A Framew TH IRD “The ASCA National Model: A Framework for School Counseling Programs (third edition)” is $34.95 for ASCA members or $44.95 for nonmembers. Bulk pricing of $29.95 is available for 10 copies or more. Order no. 289325. ED ITI ON Four easy ways to order: Online: www.schoolcounselor.org Phone: (800) 401-2404 Fax: (703) 661-1501 Mail: ASCA Publications, P.O. Box 960, Herndon, VA 20172 SI ON ON E VI IC E ON E VO 1101 King St., Suite 310, Alexandria, VA 22314 ■ Phone: 703 683 ASCA ■ www.schoolcounselor.org High School Counselor’s Guide NOSCA’s Eight Components of College and Career Readiness Counseling NOSCA: National Office for School Counselor Advocacy NOSCA’s Eight Components of College and Career Readiness Counseling Own the Turf is NOSCA’s national advocacy campaign to galvanize and mobilize school counselors to provide every student with the inspiration, planning, academic preparation and social capital to graduate from high school ready for college and careers. NOSCA’s Eight Components of College and Career Readiness Counseling are the road map for this work. They outline an effective path toward creating a college-going culture in schools, districts and communities. This guide to the Eight Components of College and Career Readiness Counseling is part of a series — one each for elementary, middle and high school counselors — that helps school counselors intentionally focus their work on college and career readiness counseling. The three guides illustrate how school counselors can use the Eight Components to establish a collegegoing culture across the K–12 pipeline, promote college and career readiness for all students, and close gaps between low-performing or traditionally underrepresented students and their peers. The College Board’s National Office for School Counselor Advocacy (NOSCA) promotes the value of school counselors as leaders in advancing school reform and student achievement. It seeks to endorse and institutionalize school counseling practice that advocates for equitable educational access and rigorous academic preparation necessary for college and career readiness for all students. Acknowledgments High School Counselor’s Guide: NOSCA’s Eight Components of College and Career Readiness Counseling is a National Office for School Counselor Advocacy (NOSCA) publication supported by The College Board Advocacy & Policy Center. This publication is one of three guides to assist school counselors in implementing the Eight Components. The series of guides was written by NOSCA team members Vivian Lee, senior director, and April Bell, associate director. Many thanks are in order for the production of this publication. Special thanks to Patricia Martin of NOSCA for her leadership and guidance throughout this endeavor; Jennifer Dunn, NOSCA director, for reviewing the guide and providing valuable feedback; Dominique Jones, NOSCA program coordinator, for managing the project; and KSA-Plus Communications for editorial and design contributions. ©2011 The College Board. College Board, Advanced Placement, Advanced Placement Program, AP, CollegeEd, PSAT/NMSQT, SAT and the acorn logo are the registered trademarks of The College Board. ReadiStep, SAT Subject Tests and YouCanGo! are trademarks owned by The College Board. All other products and services may be trademarks of their respective owners. Visit the College Board on the Web: www.collegeboard.org. Contents Your Role in College and Career Readiness Counseling 2 The Eight Components of College and Career Readiness Counseling for High School 1. College Aspirations 4 2. Academic Planning for College and Career Readiness 6 3. Enrichment and Extracurricular Engagement 8 4. College and Career Exploration and Selection Processes 10 5. College and Career Assessments 12 6. College Affordability Planning 14 7. College and Career Admission Processes 16 8. Transition from High School Graduation to College Enrollment 18 Data Elements for the Eight Components of College and Career Readiness Counseling 20 Elementary and middle school counselors focus on components 1–6, while high school counselors address components 1–8. High School Counselor’s Guide ■ 1 Your Role in College and Career Readiness Counseling School Counseling Across the K–12 Pipeline Imagine a school system in which every student graduates ready for college and career. In this system, all students want to succeed, and they have the tools they need to achieve now and in the future. Every person in every school community can help students — in elementary, middle and high school — develop the skills and aspirations that are critical to preparing for college and career. As a school counselor, your leadership is central to this work. Between 2008 and 2018, 63 percent of job openings will School counselors use the Eight Components require some postsecondary education. But only 42 throughout students’ K–12 education: percent of Americans currently earn an associate degree or higher by the age of 25.1 What percentage of the students you advise will earn a degree or certification? ■■ Elementary school counselors create early awareness, knowledge and skills that lay the foundation for the academic rigor and social Effective school counselors convey the expectation development necessary for college and career that all students, regardless of their background and readiness. (Components 1–6) economic status, can become college and career ready. The Eight Components of College and Career Readiness Counseling are the road map for leading your school in developing a college-going culture that includes all students. ■■ Middle school counselors create opportunities to explore and deepen college and career knowledge and skills necessary for academic planning and goal setting. (Components 1–6) ■■ High school counselors create access to college and At first glance, many of the Eight Components may seem career pathways that promote full implementation of familiar, but in fact, they offer a new perspective. The personal goals that ensure the widest range of future Eight Components are about focusing on critical issues life options. (Components 1–8) and making sure all of your decisions and actions are directly linked to helping all of your students prepare for success in college and their chosen careers. Taken together, the components are the building blocks of college and career readiness counseling. Efforts of school counselors build on each other throughout the Effective college and career readiness counseling begins K–12 pipeline. The individual components also reinforce in kindergarten and continues through high school. As a one another. They are interconnected, and actions high school counselor, you are building on the work of related to one component can lay a foundation for counselors in middle and elementary schools. improvements in multiple areas. For example, if high school students are going to take Advanced Placement® (AP®) Calculus, they must complete Algebra I by eighth grade. Attaining that goal depends on reading proficiently by third grade. There is a clear path, and NOSCA’s Eight Components describe it. 1. Carnevale, A.P., Smith, N., and Strohl, J. (June 2010). Help wanted: projections of jobs and education requirements through 2018. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. 2 ■ NOSCA’s Eight Components of College and Career Readiness Counseling Equity, Data and Working Systemwide Being more effective and reaching all students — especially traditionally underserved populations — may require school counselors to work differently. To be successful with the Eight Components, focus your work in these ways: Be equitable. Equity means giving every student or student group what they need to be successful. For example, many schools hold SAT® test prep before or after school in an effort to make it available to all students. This timing, however, may make test prep inaccessible to students who have jobs, have family responsibilities, or depend on the school bus to get to and from school. To make test prep equitable, school counselors have to identify the students who are not coming to prep sessions, pinpoint the barriers that are keeping them away, and develop strategies that make test prep truly accessible to those students. The key What to Measure Relevant data This guide identifies relevant data elements for each component. These are data elements, such as attendance, promotion and GPA, that are available in most schools. (See page 20 for a list of the data elements for all components for elementary, middle and high school.) What to Look For Data by student groups In addition to reviewing data for all students, break down the data to assess performance of student groups, paying close attention to traditionally underserved populations. ■■ Race and ethnicity ■■ Gender to equity is making sure all students can realistically ■■ Grade participate. ■■ Income level (students who qualify for free and Use data to inform practice. Data provide the reduced-price meals) starting point for understanding your school community. ■■ Special education students Use data to identify which students and student groups ■■ English language learners are successfully preparing for college and career — and which are not. And use data to identify disparities among student groups so you can more effectively reach the students most in need. Work systemwide. Lead a systemwide effort to create a college-going culture in every part of your students’ lives. Work directly with students individually, in groups, in classrooms and across grades. And reach out to them through schoolwide events, collaborations with others in the school district, and activities that engage families and the community.2 This approach gives students layers of support from a variety of adults and peers — and it positions you as a leader in preparing students for college and career. ■■ Other student groups, as appropriate for your school (e.g., students who are homeless or students with a military family member who is deployed) Disparities between student groups When you review data for student groups, look for disparities. For example, are attendance rates different for males and females? Do promotion rates of students from low-income families differ from promotion rates for their more affluent peers? By asking these questions, you will identify gaps among student groups. What to Do Work Systemwide Implement interventions systemwide — working with students, schools, districts, parents and families, and communities — to reach everyone. Focus your work on the students who need the most help, and then use data to assess the impact of those efforts. In this way, you will create equitable interventions and begin to close the gaps. 2. Content describing how to work systemwide is derived from Lee, V. V., & Goodnough, G. E. (2011). Systemic data-driven school counseling practice and programming for equity. In B. T. Erford (Ed.) Transforming the school counseling profession (3rd.). Boston, MA: Pearson Merrill Prentice-Hall. High School Counselor’s Guide ■ 3 1 Component College Aspirations THE GOAL WHAT TO LOOK FOR Build a college-going culture based on early college Data by student groups awareness by nurturing in students the confidence to aspire to college and the resilience to overcome challenges along the way. Maintain high expectations by providing adequate supports, building social capital and conveying the conviction that all students can succeed in college. Why It Matters Students who believe that college is a realistic goal are more likely to succeed. Thus, raising students’ aspirations — sending a message that college is for everyone — is a critical element of building a collegegoing culture and helping students reach their goals. Break down the data to assess performance of student groups, paying close attention to traditionally underserved populations. (See page 3 for a list of the student groups.) Disparities between student groups For example: ■■ How do the promotion rates of students from lowincome backgrounds compare to the promotion rates of their more affluent peers? ■■ How do discipline rates for African American students compare to discipline rates for white students? WHAT TO MEASURE ■■ How do dropout rates for students from low-income Active and productive engagement in school is one backgrounds compare to those of their more indicator of students’ aspirations. To access your advantaged peers? students’ level of engagement, see if they are attending school, behaving in school and performing well academically. WHAT TO DO Work systemwide Relevant data Work systemwide — with students, schools, districts, ■■ Attendance parents and families, and communities — to reach ■■ Discipline everyone. Focus your work on the students who need the most help, and then use data to assess the impact ■■ Promotion of those efforts. In this way, you will create equitable ■■ GPA interventions and begin to close the gaps. ■■ Dropout 4 ■ NOSCA’s Eight Components of College and Career Readiness Counseling work SYSTEMWIDE Students (Individual, Group, Classroom and Grade) ■■ Engage students in conversations about academic performance (GPA and promotion or retention) and their habits as learners (attitudes, behaviors, self-management) and how they are connected to meeting career goals. ■■ Help each student implement a program of study that connects his or her high school experience to college and career goals and that includes strategies to transition to postsecondary settings. ■■ Collaborate with other high school counselors in your district to build networks, share ideas/interventions, challenges and work collectively to reach school and district goals. Collaborate with counselors in neighboring districts if yours is the only high school in the district. Parents and Families ■■ Create community events to give parents information about college and career aspirations (see student interventions above) and their role in assisting their children. Hold the events at a variety of times and ■■ Help students who have high absentee and discipline locations (community or recreation centers, places rates (and are at risk of dropping out) understand of worship, civic centers, malls) to accommodate a the consequences of their behaviors. Connect each range of schedules. Use materials written in parents’ student to a peer network and at least one adult in native languages. the school/community who can serve as a mentor. ■■ Help parents and families learn how to locate School resources (e.g., absentee, discipline and dropout ■■ Collaborate with teachers and administrators to can be advocates for their students. review attendance, discipline, promotion/retention, and GPA policies, and pilot changes across the school to make these policies equitable for all student groups. For example, work with teachers to develop policies that address discipline through student selfmonitoring and classroom management. ■■ Collaborate with teachers and administrators and other school personnel to develop an early warning/identification system for students with chronic absentee, discipline and academic issues; implement programs focused on problem solving, decision making, responsibility/consequences, selfmanagement and improvement strategies. ■■ Collaborate with teachers to integrate experiential and technology-based college/career information into the curriculum. For example, teachers can incorporate career-cluster-of-the-month initiatives, research and writing, and speaking and presenting work into assignments. District ■■ Collaborate with middle or junior high school counselors to develop a transition process that includes summer transition/bridge, parent meetings, school visits and tours, school orientation, and services) and to navigate the school system so they ■■ Connect parents and families to leaders in their community who can broaden their understanding of the importance of building aspirations to ensure college and career readiness. Community ■■ Use posters, radio, TV, newspapers, flyers, websites and social media to raise awareness of your school’s high expectations, including school attendance and appropriate behavior. Encourage community leaders to help spread the word by serving as speakers and mentors. ■■ Work with local businesses and community organizations to develop jobs, internships, service learning, apprenticeships and volunteer opportunities that expose students to both traditional and nontraditional careers. This effort can broaden and challenge students’ perspectives as they plan and prepare for college and careers. ■■ Visit colleges, and career/technical schools, including historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving institutions (HSIs) and tribal colleges. Invite representatives to come to your school to meet with students and their families. identification of students in need of extra academic and personal support. High School Counselor’s Guide: Component 1 ■ 5 2 Component Academic Planning for College and Career Readiness THE GOAL WHAT TO LOOK FOR Advance students’ planning, preparation, participation and Data by student groups performance in a rigorous academic program that connects to their college and career aspirations and goals. Break down the data to assess performance of Why It Matters underserved populations. (See page 3 for a list of the An academic plan is a pathway to success. When student groups, paying close attention to traditionally student groups.) students understand and successfully implement their Disparities between student groups plan — what courses they need, in what order, to For example: prepare them for a specific college or career goal — they are more likely to graduate high school college and career ready. WHAT TO MEASURE To assess your students’ academic readiness, look at their academic performance as well as enrollment and completion rates for key courses. Relevant data ■■ Proficiency in state tests for English, math and science ■■ Students enrolled in and completing Algebra I ■■ How do the English proficiency rates of African American students compare to those of white students? ■■ How do enrollment and completion rates in AP classes compare for males and females? ■■ Do low-income students complete courses required for in-state college admission at the same rate as their more advantaged peers? WHAT TO DO Work systemwide Work systemwide — with students, schools, districts, ■■ Students enrolled in and completing AP courses parents and families, and communities — to reach ■■ Students enrolled in and completing courses everyone. Focus your work on the students who need required for in-state university admission the most help, and then use data to assess the impact of those efforts. In this way, you will create equitable interventions and begin to close the gaps. 6 ■ NOSCA’s Eight Components of College and Career Readiness Counseling work SYSTEMWIDE Students District (Individual, Group, Classroom and Grade) ■■ Collaborate with middle or junior high school ■■ Help students plan and implement a program of counselors to share information about student study that meets requirements for acceptance to programs of study that align to admission standards in-state universities and/or leads to industry and for in-state universities and career/technical schools. technology licenses and certifications. ■■ Help students take college/career/technology classes ■■ Collaborate with other high school counselors in your district to build networks and to share interventions while still in high school by introducing them to dual that support rigorous course-taking patterns to reach enrollment, online classes, early college, distance school and district goals. learning and virtual schools. ■■ Help students understand and make the most of their own learning styles as they develop skills in Parents and Families ■■ Create outreach efforts to ensure that parents test taking, research, writing, speaking, debate, and families are aware of their role in assisting presentation, studying, and higher-order thinking their children in academic planning. Emphasize (application, analysis, synthesis, evaluation, etc.). that academic planning is critical so students take This will increase their academic performance and the courses they need to gain entrance into a proficiency and develop their confidence to take state university and/or earn industry/technology more rigorous courses. certification or licenses (see student interventions above). School ■■ Examine policies and practices that govern entrance ■■ Help parents and families assist their children in developing and implementing academic plans and into rigorous classes. Work with your school’s master understanding the consequences of not engaging in scheduler to ensure there are sufficient sections of the planning process. rigorous courses so all students have opportunities to participate. ■■ Collaborate with teachers, including those who teach Algebra I, calculus, physics, chemistry, AP, honors, IB ■■ Provide ways parents and families can share their college and career experiences to build students’ aspirations and encourage their academic performance. and other rigorous courses to develop strategies to help more students succeed (e.g., using technology Community and experiential learning, tutoring, extra study time ■■ Team with community-based organizations to and special skills sessions). ■■ Collaborate with teachers and students to build peer support networks to assist traditionally underserved provide mentoring opportunities aimed at promoting participation in college-preparatory courses. ■■ Promote consistent messages about college and students, first-generation students, and others who career readiness, emphasizing that all students, may need extra help with rigorous courses. including those traditionally underserved, can be college and career ready. High School Counselor’s Guide: Component 2 ■ 7 3 Component Enrichment and Extracurricular Engagement THE GOAL WHAT TO LOOK FOR Ensure equitable exposure to a wide range of Data by student groups extracurricular and enrichment opportunities that build leadership, nurture talents and interests, and increase Break down the data to assess performance of engagement with school. student groups, paying close attention to traditionally Why It Matters student groups.) underserved populations. (See page 3 for a list of the Enrichment and extracurricular activities increase Disparities between student groups students’ engagement and academic performance, For example: offer opportunities for students to develop leadership skills, and support creative and innovative interests. Students’ college and career admission and scholarship applications are strengthened by these experiences. ■■ How does participation in enrichment activities of 11th-grade females compare to that of 12th-grade females? ■■ Do English language learners participate in STEM WHAT TO MEASURE Engagement in enrichment and extracurricular activities is measured by participation, including taking on a leadership role. Relevant data ■■ Participation in enrichment activities (e.g., academic support, summer bridge programs, TRIO and STEM initiatives) ■■ Participation in extracurricular activities (e.g., organizations, teams, camps, clubs and scouts) ■■ Students in leadership positions in enrichment and/or extracurricular programs programs at the same rate as non-English language learners? ■■ How does the percentage of white students with the leadership positions in extracurricular activities compare to that of African American students? WHAT TO DO Work systemwide Work systemwide — with students, schools, districts, parents and families, and communities — to reach everyone. Focus your work on the students who need the most help, and then use data to assess the impact of those efforts. In this way, you will create equitable interventions and begin to close the gaps. 8 ■ NOSCA’s Eight Components of College and Career Readiness Counseling work SYSTEMWIDE Students District (Individual, Group, Classroom and Grade) ■■ Collaborate with middle school counselors to share ■■ Help students develop portfolios that include work information about auditions, tryouts, sign-ups and samples, audition recordings and artwork to enhance early enrollment into extracurricular and enrichment their college and career application(s). activities before students enter high school. ■■ Teach students how to be more competitive for college and career by including enrichment and Parents and Families extracurricular engagement as well as leadership ■■ Create outreach efforts to ensure that parents roles into résumés, essays, portfolios, and college and families are aware of their role in supporting and career application forms. their children’s participation in enrichment and ■■ Advise students on researching college/career/ technical schools aligned to their interest inventories and selected majors as well as clubs, teams and extracurricular activities (see student interventions above). ■■ Teach parents and families how to create and use interest groups that connect to their talents and academic and activity calendars as time-management abilities. tools for planning and scheduling. School ■■ Develop policies and procedures for distribution ■■ Invite parents and families/college students/ professionals to lead (coach or mentor), support, or sponsor student-enrichment activities. of scholarship applications so all students receive materials that match their interests, talents, abilities, Community activity engagement, and educational and career ■■ Identify community organizations to facilitate on- goals. ■■ Collaborate with your school leadership team to conduct a school and community audit of enrichment and extracurricular activities. Ensure that all activities site school-based enrichment and extracurricular activities and offer additional venues for student meetings, practices and assemblies. ■■ Collaborate with community organizations to provide all students with participation and leadership support cultural and ethnic-focused service learning options. opportunities tied to students’ interests, talents and ■■ Collaborate with administrators and teachers to incorporate support for enrichment and abilities. ■■ Invite community organizations to implement extracurricular engagement into academics. For consistent messaging to students, parents and example, make connections to class projects and families to develop and distribute flyers and assignments and notify students of upcoming events newsletters (biweekly or monthly) showcasing (cultural, historical, political, theatrical, musical, etc.). activities for student and family engagement. Emphasize their value in supporting academic skills. High School Counselor’s Guide: Component 3 ■ 9 4 Component College and Career Exploration and Selection Processes THE GOAL WHAT TO LOOK FOR Provide early and ongoing exposure to experiences and Data by student groups information necessary to make informed decisions when selecting a college or career that connects to academic Break down the data to assess performance of preparation and future aspirations. student groups, paying close attention to traditionally Why It Matters student groups.) underserved populations. (See page 3 for a list of the Students benefit from developing skills that allow them Disparities between student groups to reflect on who they are and to relate their academic For example: and other experiences to their career goals. When students can understand the relationship between their current experiences and their aspirations for the future, they are more likely to make sound college and career choices — and they are more likely to succeed. ■■ How do participation rates in college and career exploration programs for ninth-grade special education students compare to those of 10th-grade special education students? ■■ Do male English language learners complete WHAT TO MEASURE To assess students’ movement through the college and career process, look at exploration, application applications at the same rate as female English language learners? ■■ How do the application submission rates for students completion and submission data. Increased rates show from low-income backgrounds compare to those of evidence toward college and career goals. their more advantaged peers? Relevant data ■■ Participation in college and career exploration programs ■■ College and career/technical school application completion ■■ College and career/technical school application submission WHAT TO DO Work systemwide Work systemwide — with students, schools, districts, parents and families, and communities — to reach everyone. Focus your work on the students who need the most help, and then use data to assess the impact of those efforts. In this way, you will create equitable interventions and begin to close the gaps. 10 ■ NOSCA’s Eight Components of College and Career Readiness Counseling work SYSTEMWIDE Students District (Individual, Group, Classroom and Grade) ■■ Collaborate with other high school counselors in ■■ Help students align their college or career/technical your district. For example, coordinate on-campus school goals with their program of study and visits for students interested in the same college or their level of performance in course work and career/technical school and hold parent meetings to entrance testing. Encourage all students to broaden encourage student participation in districtwide career their social and cultural perspectives by actively programs in STEM and other areas. considering all of their options, including traditional colleges, HBCUs, HSIs, tribal colleges and career/ technical schools. ■■ Help students access and review applications (paper ■■ Collaborate with middle school counselors to align college and career information in middle and high school so students’ planning is coherent and continuous. and online) and prepare all documentation including recommendations, personal essays, work samples Parents and Families that meet higher education writing standards, and ■■ Create outreach efforts to ensure that parents and portfolio materials (art, music, etc.). Incorporate families are aware of their role in assisting their updated materials periodically. children in college and career selection (see student ■■ Help students sign up to receive mailings, join listservs and social media groups, and retrieve interventions above). ■■ Help parents and families learn how to locate college/career/technical newsletters and other forms relevant resources and to navigate the system so of information from institutions of interest. they can be advocates for their students in the School ■■ Promote a college-going culture using consistent messaging about college and career selection. Encourage all students to aim high. Eliminate practices that may perpetuate inequity in students’ goals. ■■ Work with teachers to incorporate elements of exploration and selection process. ■■ Help parents and families understand the importance of sharing personal information so their students will have supporting documents for college and career school applications. Community ■■ Coordinate college/career visits so all students college applications, such as writing personal are able to meet with representatives. Include statements, into the educational program. Assist representatives and alumni that mirror the student teachers in writing effective recommendations population. that include students’ academic accomplishments and their assets in other areas, such as community leadership, employment skills, and family commitment and responsibility. ■■ Conduct visits to colleges and career schools that include class audits, overnight stays, admission simulations, information sessions with student support service departments, and application review conferences. ■■ Collaborate with media organizations to develop, deliver and circulate information to assist parents and students in college and career exploration. Work with media including TV, radio, newspapers, magazines, bloggers and other online publications. High School Counselor’s Guide: Component 4 ■ 11 5 Component College and Career Assessments THE GOAL WHAT TO LOOK FOR Promote preparation, participation and performance in Data by student groups college and career assessments by all students. Why It Matters student groups, paying close attention to traditionally Testing — PSAT/NMSQT®, PLAN, SAT, SAT Subject student groups.) Tests™ and ACT — and career assessments help underserved populations. (See page 3 for a list of the students understand where they are strong and where Disparities between student groups they have room for improvement. When students can For example: understand this information and connect it to their aspirations, they take a critical step toward reaching their ■■ How do participation rates in career/interest goals. assessments for ninth-grade English language WHAT TO MEASURE students? To ensure students’ assessment experience is comprehensive, examine data that focus on their participation in the assessment process and their level of performance. Relevant data learners compare to those of other ninth-grade ■■ How do participation rates in PSAT/NMSQT and PLAN for white students compare to those of African American students? ■■ Do female 12th-graders perform as well as male 12th-graders on SAT and ACT? ■■ Participation in career/interest assessments WHAT TO DO ■■ Participation in ReadiStep™, PSAT/NMSQT, EXPLORE Work systemwide and PLAN ■■ Performance on ReadiStep, PSAT/NMSQT, EXPLORE and PLAN ■■ Participation in SAT, SAT Subject Tests and ACT ■■ Performance on SAT, SAT Subject Tests and ACT 12 Break down the data to assess performance of Work systemwide — with students, schools, districts, parents and families, and communities — to reach everyone. Focus your work on the students who need the most help, and then use data to assess the impact of those efforts. In this way, you will create equitable interventions and begin to close the gaps. ■ NOSCA’s Eight Components of College and Career Readiness Counseling work SYSTEMWIDE Students Parents and Families (Individual, Group, Classroom and Grade) ■■ Create outreach efforts to ensure that parents and ■■ Help students know the types, importance and use of families are aware of their role in assisting their college and career assessments, when to take them, children in the college and career assessment and how to apply them to their academic and career process (see student interventions above). planning. ■■ Help students become test savvy through test prep that includes overcoming test anxiety, types of test questions, how to make an educated guess, types of directions, practice tests, registration, logistics of test day, scoring and fee waivers. ■■ Help students use test scores and relevant analysis to identify skill gaps and plan strategies for skill ■■ Help parents and families learn how to obtain fee waivers and free materials and to evaluate the pros and cons of test coaching and costs. ■■ Help parents and families engage in the college and career assessment process so they can assist their children. Emphasize that students’ options after high school will be limited if they are not engaged in this process. development and course selection. Community School ■■ Identify any policies, practices or procedures, or structural barriers that may limit test participation. ■■ Encourage your school to become an SAT and/or ACT test site or to become an SAT test site for school day testing to provide greater access to all students. ■■ Help teachers integrate testing information into their classes and use test results and diagnostic information to identify student skill gaps. ■■ Collaborate with local libraries or any center with online access so students can access career and interest inventories/programs and/or practice tests outside of school. ■■ Develop networks in the school community to assist students who may need transportation to an SAT or ACT testing site. Build a community fund for students who need additional financial support to take the SAT and/or SAT Subject Tests and/or ACT. ■■ Collaborate with local transit systems to secure fee District waivers or fare reduction on test days for test routes ■■ Collaborate with middle or junior high school and/or other transit passes. counselors to share information about college and career assessments as well as the connection between taking rigorous courses and test performance. ■■ Collaborate with other high school counselors in your district to build networks and to share strategies to become a test site. High School Counselor’s Guide: Component 5 ■ 13 6 Component College Affordability Planning THE GOAL WHAT TO LOOK FOR Provide students and families with comprehensive Data by student groups information about college costs, options for paying for college, and the financial aid and scholarship processes and eligibility requirements, so they are able to plan for Break down the data to assess performance of student groups, paying close attention to traditionally and afford a college education. underserved populations. (See page 3 for a list of the Why It Matters Disparities between student groups Money is one of the biggest barriers to enrolling in For example: college or career/technical school. Students (and families) who are equipped to make informed financial decisions are more likely to prepare for, enter and complete college or career/technical school. Therefore, securing financial aid for students is an essential part of completing the college and career application, admission and transition process. student groups.) ■■ Do students from low socioeconomic backgrounds participate in financial literacy/financial aid opportunities at the same rates as their more advantaged peers? ■■ How do scholarship application completion rates for 12th-grade Latino students compare to those of 12thgrade African American students? WHAT TO MEASURE Early introduction to financial literacy and financial ■■ How do FAFSA completion rates for white students compare to those of Asian students? planning encourages students and families to engage in the timely completion and submission of FAFSA and scholarship applications. WHAT TO DO Work systemwide Relevant data Work systemwide — with students, schools, districts, ■■ Participation in early awareness financial literacy and parents and families, and communities — to reach financial aid initiatives ■■ Participation in financial aid planning processes ■■ Scholarship application completion everyone. Focus your work on the students who need the most help, and then use data to assess the impact of those efforts. In this way, you will create equitable interventions and begin to close the gaps. ■■ Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) completion 14 ■ NOSCA’s Eight Components of College and Career Readiness Counseling work SYSTEMWIDE Students District (Individual, Group, Classroom and Grade) ■■ Collaborate with other high school counselors to ■■ Ensure students understand financial aid application develop and implement districtwide financial aid processes, including application completion and events at which students can complete FAFSA and submission procedures, educational debt, adhering other critical forms. Hold districtwide competitions to deadlines, understanding Student Aid Reports for FAFSA completion to encourage higher college (SARs) and financial aid award letters, federal and career/technical school enrollment rates. borrowing and repayment options tailored for diverse student groups, application signatures, and communicating with financial aid offices. ■■ Familiarize students with financial aid publications and applications, including FAFSA, state agency ■■ Collaborate with middle school counselors to align financial literacy efforts in middle and high school so students’ planning is coherent and continuous. Identify families who are new to the district and who may not have had this planning in middle school. applications, scholarship/grant applications, and financial literacy glossaries. ■■ Ensure that students with special and unusual Parents and Families ■■ Create outreach efforts to ensure that parents and circumstances (e.g., independent students, students families are aware of their role in assisting their with incarcerated or missing parents, foster care children in the college affordability process (see students, and wards of the court) have information student interventions above). about federal, state and institutional financial ■■ Ensure that parents and families engage in the aid guidelines for application and submission, financial aid application process knowing that including supporting documentation and verification family financial circumstances may not prevent their information. students from applying for and/or receiving most School ■■ Collaborate with teachers schoolwide to include financial literacy and financial aid awareness into lessons about basic finance, wealth, money management, and the financial aid application and submission process. ■■ Use student FAFSA data to create structures to monitor application completion, make application financial aid. ■■ Disseminate free federal and state financial literacy and financial aid publications, brochures and website information that can help parents submit supporting financial aid documentation to colleges, universities and career/technical schools. Community ■■ Partner with community businesses and financial updates and corrections, and ensure students receive institutions to develop and provide scholarship and and review aid reports. stipend opportunities for students and/or support ■■ Disseminate free financial literacy and financial aid information, resources and tools in multiple financial literacy initiatives. ■■ Encourage community leaders to help spread the languages from federal and state entities such word about financial literacy initiatives by serving as as the U.S. Department of Education, the Federal speakers and mentors and assisting students with Trade Commission, the U.S. Financial Literacy documentation retrieval and translation, application and Education Commission, and the State Higher review and submission. Education Commission. ■■ Use federal and state outreach personnel and toolkits from federal financial literacy and financial aid agencies to enhance school- and community-based initiatives. High School Counselor’s Guide: Component 6 ■ 15 7 Component College and Career Admission Processes THE GOAL WHAT TO LOOK FOR Ensure that students and families have an early and Data by student groups ongoing understanding of the college and career application and admission processes so they can find the postsecondary options that are the best fit with their Break down the data to assess performance of student groups, paying close attention to traditionally aspirations and interests. underserved populations. (See page 3 for a list of the Why It Matters Disparities between student groups To successfully navigate the admission process, students For example: must be aware of and follow application guidelines and timelines, and they must supply a range of documentation and verification. The school counselor’s support is critical for helping students submit complete application packages so they have the greatest opportunity for acceptance. WHAT TO MEASURE Acceptance data are a critical benchmark that students student groups.) ■■ How do four-year college acceptance rates for African American male students compare to those of Latino male students? ■■ Are female students accepted to career and technical schools at the same rate as male students? ■■ How do four-year college early action or early decision rates for Asian female students compare to those of white female students? are moving toward their college and career goals. Relevant data ■■ Two- and four-year college acceptance ■■ Career and technical school acceptance ■■ Early action or early decision acceptance (four-year institutions) WHAT TO DO Work systemwide Work systemwide — with students, schools, districts, parents and families, and communities — to reach everyone. Focus your work on the students who need the most help, and then use data to assess the impact of those efforts. In this way, you will create equitable interventions and begin to close the gaps. 16 ■ NOSCA’s Eight Components of College and Career Readiness Counseling work SYSTEMWIDE Students District (Individual, Group, Classroom and Grade) ■■ Collaborate with other high school counselors to ■■ Provide students with college application completion share data on acceptances, rejections and wait lists checklists, calendars, application procedure forms to identify trends and discrepancies in admission and application fact sheets, school comparison outcomes (for four-year colleges and career/technical tools, and portfolios to assist them with application schools) and to assess whether acceptances are completion and final decision making. Make sure representative of your district’s demographics. students know timelines for early decision, early action and single-choice early action options. ■■ Ensure that students are aware of college and career school enrollment options, including programs ■■ Collaborate with neighboring high schools to coordinate family seminars at which college admission representatives explain the application process. that fit various lifestyles and personal and family commitments (e.g., dual and part-time enrollment, Parents and Families 2+2 programs and school-to-work opportunities). ■■ Create outreach efforts to ensure that parents and ■■ Teach students how to access and complete families are aware of their role in assisting their admission applications, including school-specific children with the application process (see student applications, the Common Application and the interventions above). Common Black College Application. Review ■■ Make sure parents and families know their role supporting documents, such as transcripts, includes securing fee waivers (if eligible), applying standardized test scores, application essays and for meals and housing (if applicable), providing letters of recommendation. (Special application signatures, and turning in supporting documentation. procedures may apply for National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) candidates and performing arts students.) School ■■ Develop schoolwide structures that streamline students’ compilation and completion of application materials (e.g., College Application Week). ■■ Team with administrators to provide professional development for school personnel (coaches, teachers, etc.) on the composition and content of effective letters of recommendation. ■■ Develop and implement a system for collecting, reviewing and approving admission applications before submission to postsecondary institutions. ■■ Provide parents and families with sample admission packets, guidebooks and fact sheets to use as guides when working through the admission process with their students. Community ■■ Host a college and career essay writing lab with college students, professors, admission officers, and college and career school representatives as tutors and mentors. ■■ Collaborate with local institutions to host campusbased application completion days. Obtain assistance from student support services, admission and financial aid officers. ■■ Collaborate with college/career representatives to coordinate application submission sessions that include application review, fee waiver dissemination and on-the-spot admission decisions. High School Counselor’s Guide: Component 7 ■ 17 8 Component Transition from High School Graduation to College Enrollment THE GOAL WHAT TO LOOK FOR Connect students to school and community resources Data by student groups to help the students overcome barriers and ensure the successful transition from high school to college. Break down the data to assess performance of Why It Matters underserved populations. (See page 3 for a list of the For those going to college and career/technical schools, student groups, paying close attention to traditionally student groups.) the summer between high school graduation and Disparities between student groups postsecondary matriculation can be difficult, and For example: students typically receive little or no support during this time. During this gap between high school and college, students must stay focused on their goals and keep track of tasks that are necessary to complete the enrollment process. Giving students support during this critical time can help them make the transition successfully. ■■ Do students from low-income backgrounds request to have final transcripts processed at the same rate as their more advantaged peers? ■■ How do two-year college enrollment rates compare to four-year college enrollment rates (among accepted students)? WHAT TO MEASURE ■■ How do career and technical school enrollment The transition from graduation to matriculation is not rates for female students compare to those of male often measured, yet documenting final transcripts students (among accepted students)? processed is an indicator that students are engaging the summertime transition process. When available, enrollment data from postsecondary institutions is an indicator of matriculation. Relevant data ■■ Final transcripts processed ■■ Two- and four-year college enrollment ■■ Career and technical school enrollment 18 WHAT TO DO Work systemwide Work systemwide — with students, schools, districts, parents and families, and communities — to reach everyone. Focus your work on the students who need the most help, and then use data to assess the impact of those efforts. In this way, you will create equitable interventions and begin to close the gaps. ■ NOSCA’s Eight Components of College and Career Readiness Counseling work SYSTEMWIDE Students District (Individual, Group, Classroom and Grade) ■■ Collaborate with other high school counselors in your ■■ Help students understand the importance of district to develop and implement summer transition task completion during the summer transition. programs for students attending the same college or This transition includes logistical issues, such career/technical school to create cohorts and posses as requesting final transcripts, filling out forms, so students can support one another at school. taking placement tests, arranging transportation to and from college or career/technical schools, and getting information for students with disabilities and students who are homeless. ■■ Help students understand the personal changes ahead and develop a personal adjustment plan to ■■ Collaborate with other high school counselors in your district to develop and implement parent transition meetings. Help parents support one another and their students through sharing rides, coordinating visits and tours, and providing personal support during this transition. address difficulties with leaving familiar surroundings and adjusting to changing relationships with Parents and Families peers and family. This is especially important if the ■■ Create outreach efforts to ensure that parents student’s leaving causes changes in family financial and families are aware of their role in assisting circumstances. their children in making the transition from high ■■ Help students identify materials and supplies and develop plans that include early financial planning school graduation to matriculation (see student interventions above). and shopping checklists. The shopping list might ■■ Help parents and families learn how to navigate the include dorm room supplies, such as bedsheets, postsecondary system, particularly financial aid, suitcases, clothing and toiletries; classroom housing, meal plans, early financial planning to materials, such as computers, calculators, notebooks purchase books and supplies, and transportation to and pens; and supplies for technical school, such as and from college or career/technical school. drafting tools or uniforms. ■■ Help parents and families assist their children in School adjusting to a new living and learning environment. ■■ Develop and implement policies, practices and cultural, spiritual, medical and recreational supports procedures that support students making the transition from graduation to matriculation, such as a summertime manual that addresses logistical, academic, personal and wellness issues. ■■ Develop a checklist and/or profile sheet for each Help them make a plan that includes guidance for that affirm their personal values and beliefs. Community ■■ Network with institutions your students plan to attend to help students and their families have points college or career/technical school students plan to of contact, particularly in admission, financial aid, attend, so all students will be well informed about the housing and student services. forms they will need to submit and the procedures they will need to follow to complete the transition process. ■■ Inform teachers, administrators, or other school ■■ Identify and connect students and families with local merchants that are “freshman friendly” and offer savings on materials needed in the college or career/ technical school transition process. personnel about their role in helping graduated seniors manage the challenges that can occur during the transition from graduation to matriculation, particularly if school counselors are not on duty during the summer. High School Counselor’s Guide: Component 8 ■ 19 Data Elements for the Eight Components of College and Career Readiness Counseling The chart below shows key data elements for each of the Eight Components. Elementary School Middle School High School Attendance ● ● ● Discipline ● ● ● Promotion ● ● ● ● ● Data Elements, By Component 1. College Aspirations GPA Dropout ● 2. Academic Planning for College and Career Readiness Students reading on grade level in grade 3 ● Proficiency in state tests for English, math and science ● Students enrolled in and completing Algebra I ● ● ● ● Students enrolled in and completing AP courses ● Students enrolled in and completing courses required for in-state university admission ● 3. Enrichment and Extracurricular Engagement Participation in enrichment activities (e.g., academic support, summer bridge programs, TRIO and STEM initiatives) ● ● ● Participation in extracurricular activities (e.g., organizations, teams, camps, clubs and scouts) ● ● ● Students in leadership positions in enrichment and/or extracurricular programs ● ● ● ● ● ● 4. College and Career Exploration and Selection Processes Participation in college and career exploration programs College and career/technical school application completion ● College and career/technical school application submission ● 5. College and Career Assessments Participation in career/interest assessments ● ● Participation in ReadiStep, PSAT/NMSQT, EXPLORE and PLAN ● ● ● Performance on ReadiStep, PSAT/NMSQT, EXPLORE and PLAN ● ● Participation in SAT, SAT Subject Tests and ACT ● Performance on SAT, SAT Subject Tests and ACT ● 6. College Affordability Planning Participation in early awareness financial literacy and financial aid initiatives Participation in financial aid planning processes ● ● ● ● ● Scholarship application completion ● FAFSA completion ● 7. College and Career Admission Processes Two- and four-year college acceptance ● Career and technical school acceptance ● Early action or early decision acceptance (four-year institutions) ● 8. Transition from High School Graduation to College Enrollment 20 Final transcripts processed ● Two- and four-year college enrollment ● Career and technical school enrollment ● ■ NOSCA’s Eight Components of College and Career Readiness Counseling Additional Resources ■■ College Board — www.collegeboard.org ■■ College Counseling Sourcebook — http://store.collegeboard.com/sto/enter.do ■■ CollegeEd® — http://ce.collegeboard.org/about-ce/ ■■ National Career Development Guidelines — http://associationdatabase.com/aws/NCDA/pt/sp/Home_Page ■■ National PTA Standards — www.pta.org/national_standards.asp ■■ NOSCA’s Eight Components of College and Career Readiness Counseling — www.collegeboard.org/nosca ■■ NOSCA’s Own the Turf College Readiness Toolkit — www.collegeboard.org/nosca ■■ School Counselor’s Strategic Planning Tool — www.collegeboard.org/nosca ■■ Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) — www.sreb.org ■■ YouCanGo!™ — http://youcango.collegeboard.org About the College Board The College Board is a mission-driven not-for-profit organization that connects students to college success and opportunity. Founded in 1900, the College Board was created to expand access to higher education. Today, the membership association is made up of more than 5,900 of the world’s leading educational institutions and is dedicated to promoting excellence and equity in education. Each year, the College Board helps more than seven million students prepare for a successful transition to college through programs and services in college readiness and college success — including the SAT® and the Advanced Placement Program®. The organization also serves the education community through research and advocacy on behalf of students, educators and schools. For further information, visit www.collegeboard.org The College Board Advocacy & Policy Center was established to help transform education in America. Guided by the College Board’s principles of excellence and equity in education, we work to ensure that students from all backgrounds have the opportunity to succeed in college and beyond. We make critical connections between policy, research and real-world practice to develop innovative solutions to the most pressing challenges in education today. NOSCA: The National Office for School Counselor Advocacy creates a national presence for school counselors by: ■■ Developing, publishing and nationally disseminating tools and materials that will enhance school counselors’ capacity to practice in ways that promote college and career readiness for all students. ■■ Creating processes and strategies that will help school counselors solidify their position as important players in educational reform, using data to demonstrate accountability measures that promote educational equity. ■■ Providing research, training and conferences that will help school counselors in attaining the knowledge and skills needed for providing college and career readiness counseling for all students. Elementary School Counselor’s Guide Middle School Counselor’s Guide High School Counselor’s Guide NOSCA’s Eight Components of College and Career Readiness Counseling NOSCA’s Eight Components of College and Career Readiness Counseling NOSCA’s Eight Components of College and Career Readiness Counseling NOSCA: National Office for School Counselor Advocacy NOSCA: National Office for School Counselor Advocacy NOSCA: National Office for School Counselor Advocacy The College Board National Office for School Counselor Advocacy School Counselor Strategic Planning Tool Every student should graduate from high school with the educational preparation and social capital necessary for success in college and the workforce. School counselors are well positioned as the school professionals bes...
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