ASCA School Counselor Standards

The ASCA School Counselor Professional Standards and Competencies outline the mindsets and behaviors school counselors must possess to meet diversified needs of P-12 school settings. These standards and competencies assist school counselors in ensuring they are equipped to establish, maintain, and deliver a comprehensive school counseling program that addresses academic achievement, college/career readiness, and social/emotional development.

Using the ASCA School Counselor Professional Standards & Competencies Assessment Template located in the topic Resources, self-assess your mindsets and behaviors as a school counselor is training.

After completing the assessment template, complete a 250-500-word reflection addressing the following:

Describe how mastering these standards and competencies support your future practice as a school counselor.

  ASCA School Counselor
Professional Standards & Competencies Assessment
School counselors use this document to:
• Self-assess their own mindsets and behaviors
• Formulate an appropriate professional development plan
School/district administrators use this document to:
• Guide the recruitment and selection of competent school counselors
• Develop or inform meaningful school counselor performance appraisal
School counselor education programs use this document to:
• Establish benchmarks for ensuring school counseling students graduate with the knowledge, skills and attitudes needed to develop a
comprehensive school counseling program
ASCA SCHOOL COUNSELOR PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS & COMPETENCIES
MINDSETS
School counselors believe:
__ M 1. Every student can learn, and every student can succeed.
__ M 2. Every student should have access to and opportunity for a high-quality education.
__ M 3. Every student should graduate from high school prepared for postsecondary opportunities.
__ M 4. Every student should have access to a comprehensive school counseling program.
__ M 5. Effective school counseling is a collaborative process involving school counselors, students, families, teachers, administrators,
other school staff and education stakeholders.
__ M 6. School counselors are leaders in the school, district, state and nation.
__ M 7. Comprehensive school counseling programs promote and enhance student academic, career and social/emotional outcomes.
PROFESSIONAL FOUNDATION
B-PF 1. Apply developmental, learning, counseling
and education theories
__ a. Use human development theories to have an impact on
developmental issues affecting student success
__ b. Use learning theory to support student achievement and
success, including students with diverse learning needs
__ c. Use established and emerging evidence-based counseling
theories and techniques that are effective in a school
setting to promote academic, career and social/emotional
development, including but not limited to rational emotive
behavior therapy, reality therapy, cognitive-behavioral
therapy, Adlerian, solution-focused brief counseling, personcentered counseling and family systems
__ d. Use counseling theories and techniques in individual,
small-group, classroom and large-group settings to promote
academic, career and social/emotional development
__ e. Use career development theories to promote and support
postsecondary planning
__ f. Use principles of multitiered systems of support within the
context of a comprehensive school counseling program to
provide instruction and interventions matched to student
need
PROFESSIONAL FOUNDATION, cont.
B-PF 2. Demonstrate understanding of educational
systems, legal issues, policies, research and trends
in education
__ a. Explain the organizational structure and governance of the
American educational system as well as cultural, political and
social influences on current educational practices
__ b. Explain educational systems, philosophies and theories and
current trends in education, including federal and state
legislation
__ c. Explain and/or inform the process for development of policy
and procedures at the building, district, state and national
levels
__ d. Explain the history of school counseling to create a context for
the current state of the profession and comprehensive school
counseling programs
__ e. Explain the nature of academic, career and social/emotional
counseling in schools and the similarities and differences
between school counseling and other fields of counseling,
such as mental health, marriage and family, substance abuse
counseling, social work and psychology, within a continuum of
care
__ f. Delineate the roles of student service providers, such as
school social worker, school psychologist or school nurse, and
identify best practices for collaborating to have an impact on
student success
__ g. Articulate a rationale for a comprehensive school counseling
program
__ h. Use education research to inform decisions and programming
__ i. Use current trends in technology to promote student success
B-PF 3. Apply legal and ethical principles of the
school counseling profession
__ a. Practice within the ethical principles of the school counseling
profession in accordance with the ASCA Ethical Standards for
School Counselors
__ b. Adhere to the legal responsibilities of the role of the school
counselor including the unique legal and ethical principles of
working with minor students in a school setting
__ c. Adhere to the ethical and statutory limits of confidentiality
__ d. Fulfill legal and ethical obligations to families, teachers,
administrators and other school staff
__ e. Consult with school counselors and other education,
counseling and legal professionals when ethical and legal
questions arise
__ f. Resolve ethical dilemmas by employing an ethical decisionmaking model in accordance with the ASCA Ethical Standards
for School Counselors
__ g. Model ethical behavior
__ h. Engage in continual professional development to inform and
guide ethical and legal work
B-PF 4. Apply school counseling professional
standards and competencies
__ a. Stay current with school counseling research and best
practices
__ b. Conduct and analyze self-appraisal and assessment related to
school counseling professional standards and competencies
__ c. Use personal reflection, consultation and supervision to
promote professional growth and development
__ d. Develop a yearly professional development plan to ensure
engagement in professional growth opportunities related
to relevant professional standards and competencies and
personal limitations
B-PF 5. Use ASCA Mindsets & Behaviors for Student
Success standards to inform the implementation of
a comprehensive school counseling program
__ a. Select ASCA Mindsets & Behaviors for Student Success
standards to address student needs demonstrated in data
__ b. Prioritize ASCA Mindsets & Behaviors for Student Success
standards aligned with school improvement goals
__ c. Select or create competencies aligned with the ASCA Mindsets
& Behaviors for Student Success and the Common Core State
Standards or other state-specific standards
B-PF 6. Demonstrate understanding of the impact
of cultural, social and environmental influences on
student success and opportunities
__ a. Demonstrate basic knowledge and respect of differences in
customs, communications, traditions, values and other traits
among students based on race, religion, ethnicity, nationality,
sexual orientation, gender identity, physical or intellectual
ability and other factors
__ b. Explain how students’ cultural, social and economic
background may affect their academic achievement, behavior,
relationships and overall performance in school
__ c. Maintain and communicate high expectations for every
student, regardless of cultural, social or economic background
__ d. Explain the dynamics of cross-cultural communications and
demonstrate the ability to communicate with persons of
other cultures effectively
__ e. Collaborate with administrators, teachers and other staff
in the school and district to ensure culturally responsive
curricula and student-centered instruction
__ f. Understand personal limitations and biases, and articulate
how they may affect the school counselor’s work
B-PF 7. Demonstrate leadership through
the development and implementation of a
comprehensive school counseling program
__ a. Identify sources of power and authority and formal and
informal leadership
__ b. Identify and demonstrate professional and personal qualities
and skills of effective leaders
__ c. Apply a model of leadership to a comprehensive school
counseling program
PROFESSIONAL FOUNDATION, cont.
__ d. Create the organizational structure and components of an
effective school counseling program aligned with the ASCA
National Model
__ e. Apply the results of a school counseling program
assessment to inform the design and implementation of the
comprehensive school counseling program
__ f. Use leadership skills to facilitate positive change for the
comprehensive school counseling program
__ g. Define the role of the school counselor and the school
counseling program in the school crisis plan
__ h. Serve as a leader in the school and community to promote
and support student success
__ i. Participate in the school improvement process to bring the
school counseling perspective to the development of school
goals
B-PF 8. Demonstrate advocacy for a comprehensive
school counseling program
__ a. Model school counselor advocacy competencies to promote
school counseling program development and student success
__ b. Advocate responsibly for school board policy and local, state
and federal statutory requirements in students’ best interests
__ c. Explain the benefits of a comprehensive school counseling
program for all stakeholders, including students, families,
teachers, administrators and other school staff, school boards,
department of education, school counselors, school counselor
educators, community stakeholders and business leaders
__ d. Articulate and provide rationale for appropriate activities for
school counselors
__ e. Articulate and provide rationale for discontinuation of
inappropriate activities for school counselors
__ f. Use data (e.g., closing-the-gap reports) to promote reduction
in student-to-school-counselor ratios and reduction of
inappropriate non-school-counseling-related tasks
__ g. Participate in school counseling and education-related
professional organizations
B-PF 9. Create systemic change through the
implementation of a comprehensive school
counseling program
__ a. Act as a systems change agent to create an environment
promoting and supporting student success
__ b. Use data to identify how school, district and state educational
policies, procedures and practices support and/or impede
student success
__ c. Use data to demonstrate a need for systemic change in areas
such as course enrollment patterns; equity and access; and
achievement, opportunity and/or information gaps
__ d. Develop and implement a plan to address personal and/or
institutional resistance to change that better supports student
success
DIRECT AND INDIRECT STUDENT SERVICES
B-SS 1. Design and implement instruction aligned
to the ASCA Mindsets & Behaviors for Student
Success in large-group, classroom, small-group and
individual settings
__ a. Use student, school and district data to identify achievement,
attendance and discipline issues to be addressed through
instruction
__ b. Assess cultural and social trends when developing and
choosing curricula
__ c. Identify appropriate evidence-based curricula aligned to the
ASCA Mindsets & Behaviors for Student Success or select/
develop other materials informed by research and best
practice if evidence-based materials do not exist
__ d. Demonstrate pedagogical skills, including culturally responsive
classroom management strategies, lesson planning and
personalized instruction
__ e. Create lesson plans identifying activities to be delivered,
standards to be addressed, to whom activities will be
delivered, how they will be delivered and how data will be
assessed to determine impact on student outcomes
__ f. Use a variety of technologies in the delivery of lessons and
activities
__ g. Engage with school administrators, teachers and other staff to
ensure the effective implementation of instruction
__ h. Analyze data from lessons and activities to determine impact
on student outcomes
B-SS 2. Provide appraisal and advisement in largegroup, classroom, small-group and individual
settings
__ a. Develop strategies to provide appraisal and advisement to
students and families about attaining the ASCA Mindsets &
Behaviors for Student Success
__ b. Use assessments to help students understand their abilities,
values and career interests
__ c. Include career opportunities, labor market trends and global
economics to help students develop immediate and longrange plans
__ d. Help students cross reference individual assessment results
(e.g. MBTI, Holland Code, ASVAB, O*Net) with occupational/
career goals
__ e. Help students understand how academic performance relates to
the world of work, family life and community service
__ f. Help students understand the importance of postsecondary
education and/or training as a pathway to a career
__ g. Help students and families navigate postsecondary awareness,
exploration, admissions and financial aid processes
__ h. Connect students to workplace experiences to deepen
understandings and explore career interests
B-SS 3. Provide short-term counseling in
small-group and individual settings
__ a. Use data to identify students in need of counseling
intervention
__ b. Provide support for students, including individual and smallgroup counseling, during times of transition, heightened
stress, critical change or other situations impeding student
success
__ c. Explain the difference between appropriate short-term
counseling and inappropriate long-term therapy
__ d. Explain the impact of adverse childhood experiences and
trauma, and demonstrate techniques to support students
who have experienced trauma
__ e. Respond with appropriate intervention strategies to meet the
needs of the individual, group or school community before,
during and after crisis response
B-SS 4. Make referrals to appropriate school and
community resources
__ a. Maintain a list of current referral resources, consistent with
school and district policies, for students, staff and families
to effectively address academic, career and social/emotional
issues
__ b. Communicate the limits of school counseling and the
continuum of mental health services
__ c. Articulate why diagnoses and long-term therapy are outside
the scope of school counseling
B-SS 5. Consult to support student achievement
and success
__ a. Gather information on student needs from families,
teachers, administrators, other school staff and community
organizations to inform the selection of strategies for student
success
__ b. Share strategies that support student achievement with
families, teachers, administrators, teachers, school staff and
community organizations
__ c. Consult with school counselors and other education and
counseling professionals when questions of school counseling
practice arise
__ d. Facilitate in-service training or workshops for families,
administrators, other school staff, teachers or other
stakeholders to share school counseling expertise
B-SS 6. Collaborate with families, teachers,
administrators, other school staff and education
stakeholders for student achievement and success
__ a. Partner with others to advocate for student achievement and
educational equity and opportunities
__ b. Explain the potential for dual roles with families and other
caretakers
__ c. Identify and involve appropriate school and community
professionals as well as the family in a crisis situation
__ d. Supervise school counseling interns consistent with the
principles of the ASCA School Counseling Professional
Standards & Competencies
PLANNING AND ASSESSMENT
B-PA 1. Create school counseling program beliefs,
vision and mission statements aligned with the
school and district
__ a. Analyze personal, school, district and state beliefs,
assumptions and philosophies about student success
__ b. Compose a personal beliefs statement about students,
families, teachers, school counseling programs and the
educational process consistent with the school’s educational
philosophy and mission
__ c. Analyze the school’s vision and mission
__ d. Create a school counseling vision statement describing
a future world where student outcomes are successfully
achieved
__ e. Create a school counseling mission statement aligned with
school, district and state missions
__ f. Communicate the vision and mission of the school counseling
program to administrators, teachers, other school staff and
stakeholders
B-PA 2. Identify gaps in achievement, attendance,
discipline, opportunity and resources
__ a. Collect and analyze data to identify areas of success or
gaps between and among different groups of students in
achievement, attendance, discipline and opportunities
__ b. Review, disaggregate and interpret student achievement,
attendance and discipline data to identify and implement
interventions as needed
__ c. Create goals based on student, school and/or district data to
close the achievement, opportunity and/or information gaps
B-PA 3. Develop annual student outcome goals
based on student data
__ a. Use achievement, attendance and/or discipline data to
create annual student outcome goals aligned with school
improvement plans
__ b. Write goals in a measurable format such as the SMART goal
format, and include baseline and target data within the goal
statement
__ c. Use student data and results from survey tools to monitor and
refine annual student outcome goals
__ d. Communicate annual student outcome goals to
administrators, teachers, other school staff and stakeholders
B-PA 4. Develop and implement action plans
aligned with annual student outcome goals and
student data
__ a. Design and implement school counseling action plans aligned
with school and annual student outcome goals and student
data
__ b. Determine appropriate students for the target group of action
plans based on student, school and district data
__ c. Identify appropriate ASCA Mindsets & Behaviors for Student
Success standards addressing needs identified in action plans
__ d. Select evidence-based curricula and activities to accomplish
objectives, or select/develop other materials informed by
research and best practice if evidence-based materials do not
exist
__ e. Identify appropriate resources needed to implement action
plans
__ f. Identify intended impact on academics, attendance and
discipline as result of action plan implementation
__ g. Explain basic research sampling, methodology and analysis
concepts as they relate to research outcomes and action
research
B-PA 5. Assess and report program results to the
school community
__ a. Explain concepts related to program results and assessment
within a comprehensive school counseling program
__ b. Review progress toward annual student outcome goals
__ c. Analyze data to assess school counseling program
effectiveness and to inform program development
__ d. Collaborate with members of the school counseling team
and with administration to decide how school counseling
programs are assessed and how results are shared
__ e. Use data to demonstrate the value the school counseling
program adds to student achievement
__ f. Use presentation skills to share effectiveness data and results
of action plans and activities with administrators, advisory
councils, teachers, faculty and staff, families, school boards
and stakeholders
B-PA 6. Use time appropriately according to
national recommendations and student/school
data
__ a. Articulate the distinction between direct and indirect student
services
__ b. Assess use of time in direct and indirect student services
and program management and school support to determine
how much time is spent in each school counseling program
component
__ c. Articulate the best use of a school counselor’s time to meet
student needs as identified through student data and program
goals
__ d. Organize and manage time to effectively implement a
comprehensive school counseling program using skills
including scheduling, publicizing and prioritizing time
__ e. Create annual and weekly calendars to plan activities
reflecting annual student outcome goals
__ f. Identify, evaluate and participate in fair-share responsibilities
PLANNING AND ASSESSMENT, cont.
B-PA 7. Establish agreement with the principal and
other administrators about the comprehensive
school counseling program
__ a. Complete managing templates for the school counseling
program with other members of the school counseling staff
__ b. Discuss school counseling with the principal and/or
supervising administrator to formalize delivering, managing
and assessing the school counseling program
__ c. Explain and model the appropriate role of the school
counselor and the organization of the school counseling
program
__ d. Explain annual student outcome goals, their basis in student
data and their alignment with the school improvement plan
__ e. Advocate for the appropriate use of school counselor time
based on national recommendations and student needs
__ f. Finalize the annual administrative conference template after
presentation to and discussion with the principal and/or
supervising administrator
B-PA 8. Establish and convene an advisory council
for the comprehensive school counseling program
__ a. Determine appropriate education stakeholders for
representation on the advisory council
__ b. Develop effective and efficient advisory council meeting
agendas to inform stakeholders about the comprehensive
school counseling program
__ c. Explain and discuss school data, school counseling program
assessment and annual student outcome goals with the
advisory council
__ d. Record advisory council meeting notes, and distribute as
appropriate
__ e. Analyze and incorporate feedback from the advisory council
related to annual student outcome goals as appropriate
B-PA 9. Use appropriate school counselor
performance appraisal process
__ a. Explain and advocate for appropriate school counselor
performance appraisal process based on school counselor
standards and implementation of the comprehensive school
counseling program
__ b. Explain how school counseling activities fit within categories
of a performance appraisal instrument
__ c. Utilize components of the ASCA National Model to document
data-informed, student-focused activities that demonstrate
evidence of meeting standards of performance appraisal
instruments

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