“Assist people with personal, family, educational, mental health, and career decisions and problems.”
Work with students with academic and social development problems as well as those with special needs.
Work as an advocate for students while collaborating with other individuals in the school system and other
organizations to promote academic, career, personal and social development of children.
Help students establish academic and career goals through evaluation of the student and advisement.
“…advise students regarding college majors, admission requirements, entrance exams, financial aid, trade or
technical schools, and apprenticeship programs.”
Advise students through social, behavioral, and personal problems.
Interactions may be individually, in small groups, or an entire class.
In all states a school counselor must have a state school counseling certification and must have
completed at least some graduate course work
Most states require the completion of a masters degree
---The following states do not require a Masters degree but do require Bachelors:
Alaska
Connecticut
Some schools require public school counselors to have both counseling certificates and teaching
certificates and to have had some teaching experience before receiving certification
---The following states must have either a certificate in teacher or teaching experience:
Arkansas Minnesota
Iowa Mississippi
Kansas North Dakota
Kentucky Texas
Maine Wyoming
Michigan
---The following states can have other options if do not meet the teaching certification or teaching experience:
Illinois
Indiana
Maryland
Ohio
Virginia
Wisconsin
Having a Bachelors of Science/Bachelors of Arts qualifies a person to be a counseling aide,
rehabilitation aide, or social service worker
A school counselor can receive National Certified Counselor by the National Board for Certified
Counselors (NBCC) if have all of the following:
--- Masters with concentration in counseling from a regionally accredited college or university
---Have at least two years of supervised field experience in counseling setting
---Provide two professional endorsements
---Have a passing score on the NBCC’s National Counselor Examination for Licensure and Certification (NCE)
For more information see: http://www.schoolcounselor.org/content.asp?pl=133&sl=242&contentid=242
Employment of school counselors is expected to grow faster than the average through the
year 2014 because employees now are beginning to retire or leave the profession
Employment is also expected to grow because of the increase of students enrolling in high school
and colleges and because more states are beginning to require elementary schools to have counselors
Job prospects more favorable in rural and inner-city schools
Title: When theory collides with practice: one day in the life of a middle school counselor.
---Description: This article goes through the day of a counselor. From waking up to the alarm at 5:45am
to the drive home at 5:10pm. At the end of the article the counselor reflects on the day and the effects
that the day has on her life outside of school.
---Source: Online Format, Professional School Counseling, 1 October 2005
---Authors: Holowiak-Urquhart, Chris; Taylor, Elizabeth R.
---Link: http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-11379032_ITM
Title: Developmental assets and the middle school counselor
---Description: Article describes the duties of a middle school counselor.
--- Source: Online Format, Professional School Counseling, 1 December 2005
---Author: Scales, Peter C.
---Link: http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-13776925_ITM
Title: Listen to difference
---Description: The article explains how a middle school counselor works with middle school
students and their typical problems. The typical problem is fitting in and self esteem.
This counselor uses a program that teaches students to listen to differences in each other.
It is made to show students that everyone has their own place in the society. It helps to alleviate
the stress that a middle school student feels to be top of the popular chart. The article also
explains how middle school aged children are much easier to mold than adults, showing how
early prevention/intervention is important for long term health.
---Journal: Middle Ground, Volume 9, Number 4, pages 12-14, April 2006
---Author: Rogat, Marcia
---Link: http://www.nmsa.org/Publications/MiddleGround/Articles/April2006/Article1/tabid/734/Default.aspx
Title: The unique nature of middle school counseling
---Description: The article describes why there is a necessity for middle schools and middle school
counseling as a separate entity. Between the ages of 10-15 years old adolescents are developing differently
physically, socially, intellectually, and emotionally. It also explains how the middle school counselor
must change regularly his or her programs to meet new legislation such as NCLB.
---Source: Online format, Professional School Counseling, 1 December 2005
---Author: Akos, Patrick
---Link: http://goliath.ecnext.com/coms2/summary_0199-5283829_
Links to good web sites: to top
High school counselor basic career information
---This site provides the “normal” role of a counselor in a school district and what they do within the
school. Also talks about accredited school counseling programs as well as continuing education requirements. ---http://www.schoolcounselor.org/content.asp?pl=325&sl=133& contentid= 133
---Site name: Counseling and Guidance Resource Page
---Author(s): Sound Behavior
---This website contains links to every subject of middle school counseling.
---Site name: Counselors
---Author(s): US Department of Labor
---This website contains links to every subject of school counseling, with parts speaking specifically
about middle school counseling
Degree and licensure information
Who is a High School Counselor
---Useful site with links to others including advice about degree requirements, financial aid for your
school and guidance staff you would be working with. ---http://712educators.about.com/blcounselorwho.htm
Comprehensive School Counseling Program
---Good site for undergrad and grad students wondering about licensure in the field of school counseling.
---http://dpi.wi.gov/sspw/counsl1.html
Counselor’s advice
School Counselors Reflect On What Makes Them Effective
---This personal feedback from counselors on what has helped them in their career to work effectively
with students and staff.
---http://www.education-world.com/a_curr/curr198.shtml
References for Counselors
Reference For School Counselors
---This site offers ideas and help for counselors from programs they may use to specific problems students
may come to them with and possible solutions. ---http://mis.spps.org/counselors/
---This association is dedicated to the growth and development of the counseling profession and those who are served
--- http://www.counseling.org/
American School Counselor Association
---This association helps support school counselors’ efforts to help students focus on academic, personal/social
and career development by providing professional development, publications and other resources, research and
advocacy to thousands of counseling professionals all around the globe.
--- http://www.schoolcounselor.org/
American Psychological Association
---This association is a scientific and professional organization that represents psychology in the U.S.
and would like to advance psychology as a science and profession.
--- http://www.apa.org/
National Board for Certified Counselors
--- This is the nation’s professional certification board devoted to credentialing counselors who meet standard
for the general and specialty practices of professional counseling. --- http://www.nbcc.org/
---A journal with various articles pertaining to subjects that a counselor will encounter throughout their career.
---http://www.jsc.montana.edu/.
Professional school counseling journal
---Subscription only
This site was originally developed by: Christina Vidal and Elizabeth Scaglione for a course in Psychology in the Schools taught
by Dr. Margaret Anderson at SUNY Cortland in Fall 2006. Additional information was also contributed by Tanisha Billy and Sarah Terek.
