Is your high school using your counselors to their full potential? Do they work as support for underperforming students? Do they have the time to discuss career and college paths with successful students?
According to a new report by the Education Trust, high school counselors feel they are spending too much time on menial tasks and with only a few troubled students. For the most part, counselors feel their time would be better spent showing students their options that will help them beyond high school, like college and career readiness programs.
If counselors feel their time would be better spent helping students prepare for college and career and there is a demand for more students entering the world of work with professional skills in place, why isn’t it as easy as adjusting their role?
According to Richard Lemons, co-author of the report Poised to Lead: How School Counselors Can Drive College and Career Readiness, counselors aren’t given the training, incentive, or time to provide college and career readiness help. Of many proposed changes, the report recommends for policymakers and educators to adopt the following changes:
- Change job descriptions for school counselors to include a focus on providing equitable education and college and career prep for all students.
- Provide professional development for school counselors to improve their ability to develop college- and career-readiness programs.
- Require all school counselors to get school-specific training on career and college counseling and on using student achievement data to spur change.
At LifeBound, we offer professional development training for all education professionals. We have seen firsthand the positive effects an academic coach has on the success of students, under-or over-achieving. If you’re interested in learning more about the professional development courses we offer at LifeBound, please visit our website for more information.
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Source:
“Report: Counselors Are Untapped Resource in College Readiness,” by Carlee Adams. 20 December 2011. Education Week. Accessed on 22 December 2011. http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/college_bound/2011/12/counselors_are_untapped_resource_in_college_readiness.html
