The School Counselor’s Role in School Security

1. The School Counselor’s Role in School Security Gail M. Smith Advocacy Co-chair Georgia School Counselor Association

2. How are school counselors trained? Master’s level preparation in school counseling • Career awareness and development • Group and individual counseling • Delivery of classroom core curriculum • Legal and ethical standards • Multi-cultural counseling • Methods of research in education • Assessment interpretation • Data-based decision making • Collaboration, Advocacy, and Leadership • Completion of practicum and internship in school settings

3. What Is a Comprehensive School Counseling Program? • Standards based • Data driven • Addresses the academic, career, and social/emotional development of students • Delivered via classroom lessons (push in), small group (pull out) and individual consultation

4. What Is a Comprehensive School Counseling Program? Focus on • prevention and skill building • counseling, teaching, and advising • a continuum of support services in the school community Overall goal is provide equity and access for ALL students to high quality school counseling programming

5. Equity and Access for ALL Students Specialized Interventions Delivery of Responsive Services Individual Consultation Delivery of Individual Student Planning Delivery of Core Curriculum Small Group and Closing the Gap Core Curriculum School Improvement

6. School Counseling in the Absence of a Comprehensive Program Guidance Curriculum Intentional Guidance Individual Support Responding to the needs of a few Specialized Interventions Julie Hartline (2011)

7. School Counselor Therapist • Requires a master’s degree • Requires certification • Works in a school setting • Focuses on student behavior, academic, or career needs • Does not diagnose • Works with individual students short term • Teaches/utilizes standards in classroom and small group • May recognize early signs and symptoms of behavioral/mental health concerns • Does not use assessment instruments • Does not develop treatment plans • Requires a master’s degree or higher • Requires licensure • Works in an office/clinical setting • Focuses on a broad spectrum of needs • May diagnose and treat mental health disorders • Works with clients long term • Evaluates, treats, and improves mental health conditions • Uses assessment instruments • Develops treatment plans

8. Equity and Access for ALL Students Specialized Interventions Delivery of Responsive Services Individual Consultation Delivery of Individual Student Planning Delivery of Core Curriculum Small Group and Closing the Gap Core Curriculum School Improvement

9. FY18 Highlights Specific to School Counseling: • $4,051,741 for School Counselors to reflect HB 283 that originally passed during the 2013 Session (HB 283 set the funding ratio for counselors at 1 counselor per 450 FTEs and phased in the inclusion of funding for counselors in the weights of ESOL students, special needs, gifted, and remedial students). • $445,145 for additional School Counselors in school systems with military bases. • $1.2 million for a competitive grant program at the Governor’s Office of Student Achievement to hire certified School Counselor-Graduation Specialists for low performing high schools.  Priority will be given to chronically struggling schools. • $300,000 for PBIS Trainers at the Georgia Department of Education. • $1,269,950 to convert part-time PBIS specialists to full-time at RESA’s.

10. Considerations • Recommended ratios in Georgia are 1 to 450 • The American School Counselor Association recommends ratios of 1 to 250 • Georgia ranks 36th in average caseloads (476). The national average is 464

11. A Framework for Safe and Successful Schools Authored by: • American School Counselor Association (ASCA) • National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) • School Social Work Association of America (SSWA) • National Association of School Resource Officers (NASRO) • National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP) • National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP)

12. ImplicationsAccording to A Framework for Safe and Successful Schools that was published in 2013 (and still relevant today), “poor ratios restrict the ability of these professionals to devote time to important initiatives including school-wide prevention services (e.g., bullying, violence, and drop out prevention), safety promotion, and sustained school improvement. Many districts go without prevention and early intervention services that effectively link mental health, school climate, school safety and academic instruction.”

13. A Critical Role for School Counselors • Partner with school personnel to create a positive school climate • Identify signs and symptoms(early identification) of students experiencing difficulty in school • Collaborate with school staff, parents, and community resources to respond/assist students with behavioral/mental health concerns (triage) • Follow up with referrals utilizing school-based care management • Work with teachers and other school staff to assist in supporting students

14. GSCA Recommendations • Fully fund the lower school counselor ratios • Support the statewide implementation of comprehensive school counseling programming • Support the statewide implementation of the Counselor Keys Effectiveness System (CKES) • Continue to include school counselors in discussions concerning safety, climate, and social/emotional learning

15. Contact Information Gail M. Smith GSCA Advocacy Co-chair Gailcounselor.smith@gmail.com 404.623.9702 Georgia School Counselor Association info@gaschoolcounselor.com