School Guidance Centers

This article presents an overview of school guidance centers in U.S. public schools and the functions, staffing, and activities they offer. School guidance centers differ among schools due to funding, school district support, staffing, and school size. However, all school guidance centers play an important role in the student populations' educational, social, and career development. Staffing levels at guidance centers vary according to the school population but primarily include master's level counselors certified by the state's professional teaching standards board. With an increase in the identification of at-risk issues in schools, guidance centers find themselves providing a range of services from individual to group counseling, consultations to staff, parents, and community members, and information referral to services and programs outside the school system.

Keywords Academic advising; Career counseling; Counseling services; Disciplinary services; Guidance department; Prevention services; Student services; Student records

Overview

A school guidance center in a public school is a central location for students to access programs and services that assist in their development. Through the years, school guidance centers and their structure have changed to meet the needs of growing communities, changing student populations, and school districts' philosophies on the appropriate programs that most effectively serve students. The school guidance center is also known as an academic advising center, counseling services, student services, or the registrar or student records. Regardless of the name, what was once a service primarily sought out by college bound students is now a broad provider of programs in counseling and other services for all students. School size, geography, and staffing can significantly affect the range of services offered by a guidance center at a public school. Overall, there are five general areas that school guidance center staff focuses on:

• Program management

• Guidance services

• Consultation

• Coordination and community partnerships, and

• Registration/recordkeeping

Other ancillary roles include testing services, job placement, college fair planning, and coordination with administration on disciplinary issues. Many schools have adopted competency based guidance programs which track student results after they have accessed the services provided.

While these centers exist at the elementary, middle or junior high school level and high school level, the high school guidance center has the broadest and most comprehensive services. In elementary grades parent education plays a central part of a guidance center's functions. Guidance centers at this grade level focus on educating parents on how to help their children in their growth and development. Middle/junior high and high school guidance centers focus on academic and career preparation. High school centers often focus on career counseling and personal-social development issues. They often collaborate with teachers on work-based learning experiences available through school curriculum and courses. In high at-risk populated schools there is also a trend towards school health based centers. The purpose of these health centers is to focus on preventative health issues and work with guidance staff to identify students' physical and mental health needs.

Technology continues to add dynamism to the roles and function of school guidance centers with computerized guidance systems.

Applications: Five Primary Functions of a School Guidance Center

Program Planning & Management

One of the key functions of a school guidance center or student service center is the planning and management of annual programs. Programs can range from parent education, testing schedules, and other school-wide projects such as drug prevention education. Herr, Cramer & Niles (2004) recognized the need for systemic planning for guidance programs with five stages that include:

1. Developing A Program Philosophy
2. Specifying Program Goals And Behavioral Objectives
3. Selecting Alternative Program Processes,
4. Describing Evaluation Procedures, And
5. Identifying Milestones (p. 331).

With increased diversity in schools it is important that efforts are made to make sure that all students are being adequately served when planning programs and services. An important part of planning is identifying interventions that will help the school's particular student population. This task is often completed through a school wide committee lead by the School Guidance Director. Overall, the planning and management completed by the director of guidance and staff can contribute to the success and use of a center at a public school.

Guidance Services

According to McCurdy (2003), guidance services are for "assisting individual students or groups of students through psycho-educational curriculum presentations consisting of broad goals and objectives for a specified target population…" (p. 5). School guidance centers work with staff to balance a range of individual and group guidance opportunities through school counselor's schedules. Woodward & Malone (2002) share information about developmental guidance programs that include an area that they call "responsive services." This area "is an ongoing daily responsibility in which the counselor intervenes on behalf of those students whose immediate personal concerns or problems put their continued personal-social, career, and/or educational development at risk" (p. 175).

Gysbers (1995) sees career plans that students develop and use as a critical part of the individual planning part of a guidance program. In the Southern Regional Education Board's (1994) report on practices in High Schools that Work (HSTW) guidance was redefined as "a program designed to help all youth make informed decisions about a program of study that prepares them for continued learning at work and in an educational setting" (p. 8). In some schools, a guidance curriculum is established as a course, or is infused across academic coursework through collaboration with academic and vocational teachers.

Consultation

Consultation is a practice that school guidance center staff conducts regularly. Staff can provide consultation to teachers to help a student struggling with an academic subject or they might meet with parents regarding their child's special education services needs and review their Individual Education Plan (IEP). Another example of consultation is working with the school's administrator to understand student performance data released by the State or district. Often staff needs assistance with knowing how to be more effective in their consultation skills. Miles (2002) notes that "topics for professional development include[d] cross-cultural counseling, strategies for parent involvement, small-group counseling, public relations, and skills in consultation" (p. 20).

School guidance center staff also consults with law enforcement officials and school disciplinary services to best address the most effective approaches to student behavior problems and their resolution. Addressing curriculum issues such as the development of prevention programs and remedial services are just two of the areas where teachers might work in a consultation relationship with school guidance center staff.

Coordination & Community Partnerships

Guidance center staff also coordinates and links students with resources in their communities. The Utah State Office of Education's (2002) implementation of work-based learning recognizes that this approach allows "students to master the skills they need to become successful throughout life and to familiarize themselves with the concepts of exploration and career decision-making and provides the motivation to do better in academic areas" (p. 3). Through the process of student education plans and student educational occupation plans guidance can be provided to assist students in this educational program of study through community partnerships.

Schools at the high school level work in partnership with community members to provide opportunities for students to receive hands-on learning in the workplace. According to Lewis, Arnold, House & Toporek (2007), guidance counselors play a unique role in the advocacy of students and can keenly work with community groups to share issues related to student development in an effort to help them. Assisting families with community information services and getting the support of community agencies is the job of a school guidance and counseling program (Kuhl, 1994).

Registration & Record Keeping

Two critical tasks that school guidance centers complete each year for students is course registration and compliance with maintaining student records. Evans & Ward (2002) suggested school districts use an internet/telephone registration system. According to the authors, the counselor's role would be to "guide, advise, inform, and in general be an information resource to students" (p. 123) in assisting them with such an electronic registration system and process. One area of sensitivity is the issue of student records and access to information. According to Stenger (2003), guidance departments and in particular, school counselors, must assure that under the law they ensure parents' access to their children's schools records and should have an awareness of legal issues surrounding records. With the introduction of electronic records, staff needs to understand issues related to safekeeping this type of data. Davis (2002) notes that part of the guidance center's role is electronic access for parents to their children's grades, attendance, assignments, and other resources. Mediating questions regarding the processes of these systems is another responsibility of the staff who works at the center.

Further Insights

Staffing

School guidance centers are staffed with counselors who can assist students on an individual and group basis. School counselors interface with parents, teachers, administrators, psychologists, diagnosticians, the school nurses, social workers, and other professionals that work to advocate for the children at the school. Staffing ratios vary due to the school size, geography, and funding levels. In centers with small staffs, guidance staff and counselors have been resourceful in tapping into parents to assist with programs and services. According to Larivee (2002) a District Director of Guidance is an essential position for providing leadership and enhancing program implementation in schools. Overall, the staffing should be an appropriate ratio to adequately address and service both individual and programmatic needs of the particular student population. With increased accountability through the 2001 No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), staff also support standardized testing and provide an integral link to parents in test interpretation.

School Based Health Centers

According to Brown (2006), school based health centers have a good record and have been shown to positively affect children's physical, emotional, and educational growth. School counselors and guidance personnel often are liaisons to the health center staff that comes in to assist students. The prospective success of these holistic attempts to help students is contingent upon the existing guidance and counseling staff's roles to integrate this new model into the school.

Collaboration will be the key to this model's success in helping students and their families. Since guidance centers' roles have been to provide referral, community resource, and insight into student development they provide an important role in this new model. Additional training may be needed as health centers more closely align with school counseling centers in an attempt to focus on the whole student's needs--health (physical and mental), social, educational and developmental.

Parental Involvement

Parent involvement is integral to the success of many guidance center programs. Often with limited funding to execute programs, low staff ratios, and multiple demands due to increased accountability evaluation through No Child Left Behind (NCLB) parents can play an important role in augmenting a program and helping its success through time and dedication. Price (2002) recognizes that there can be a diversity of attitudes, cultures and socioeconomic levels of parents and that counselors at centers must strive to build relationships with all parents to engage in programs that will ultimately meet the needs of the student population.

It is important to note that while parental involvement is key, with the economic demands of dual family incomes less time is available for parents to be offering this valuable time. Cuthbert (2002) suggests "adapting time-intensive programs or workshops to more parent-friendly time frames" (p. 82). These steps directly contribute to the success, attendance and overall climate of a school's guidance center to receive and accommodate parents into their programs. The premise is that parents who feel a part of their child's school will have a positive interest and impact on their child's social and educational progress.

Guidance Leadership

The success of many school guidance centers is contingent on the leadership efforts of the director of counseling or guidance. This staff member plays a key role in assuring that the school's program is a thriving center of student focused activity. Price (2002) affirms that the delivery of a complete guidance service requires "competent leadership via a guidance director or principal, competent district leadership via a district director or coordinator of guidance services or superintendent, and statewide leadership via a director of state guidance services" (p. 93).

While requirements for staff vary from state to state with the professional teaching board standards, there is some uniformity in training. Most individuals have at least a Master's degree in Guidance and Counseling. While this training assures competency in counseling, other skills of coordination, program evaluation, consultation, program management, and supervisory/leadership skills are also required. Opportunities for professional development of staff to be competent on current topics that affect schools are critical to the development of staff and leaders at these centers. Lopez (2002) affirms it is up to the guidance department and counselors to assure that administrators know the work of a program and how students benefit overall from these programs.

Technology & Guidance Centers

One aspect that has affected every area of public school operation is information technology. School districts are increasingly using technology and computing to provide uniform and current resources to students. Some school districts have sought consultation to establish guidelines for the timely management and implementation of information technology resources. In the area of school guidance centers, technology and computers are integral in student's accessing information and resources. Bowers (2002) writes that through computer technology "a number of commercial companies have published career and college software that enables students to take an interest inventory, review a list of job options or look into postsecondary programs of study" (p. 116).

Guidance center staff uses e-mail and the internet to see best practice programs of other districts, maintain current professional development in organizations that support guidance and counseling, and find students the timeliest information needed to make critical career choices. Computerized Career Guidance systems are offered at many centers, allowing students to explore career options quickly and efficiently.

Competency & Results Based Guidance Programs

One area of development in school guidance centers is the adoption of a results-based evaluation and assessment process for its programs and initiatives. This accountability framework couples a program evaluation model with program development to discern the effect of services provided to students. According to Maliszweski & Mackiel (2002) "enlisting the support of university counselor education faculty can add much needed research expertise during the planning stages of the evaluation process" (p. 148). In addition to this expert guidance it is vital to understand the range of measures and data tracked and established as performance outcomes of the school guidance center. Staff plays an integral role in tracking data of students and assuring the accuracy of this information for reporting purposes.

Viewpoints: A Global View

With increased globalization it is important to consider the school guidance center in light of a variety of cultural and country contexts. With the global economy, students are competing amongst students around the world. Plant (2005) sees guidance playing a crucial role in helping individuals who may feel marginalized and provide them with services or information that helps integrate them into communities. This theme of marginalization is one that with increased immigration in the U.S. school guidance centers needs awareness of in order to serve all students.

It's important that prospective school counselors and staff have an awareness of global approaches to guidance and counseling. A better understanding of the opportunities and challenges that exist when serving diverse student populations is necessary with increased immigration in the U.S., and an increasingly mobile society. In examining these diverse views one can see both the novel individual and programmatic approaches focused on helping students grow and find best practices.

Terms & Concepts

Academic Advising: At some public schools the academic advising center is synonymous with the guidance department where counselors provide students with help in course selection, registration, and post high school plans.

Career Counseling: Career counseling provides students with focused information on how to find a job and make decisions about present and future career choices. Career counseling can occur in individual or group sessions in which students review interest inventories and career assessments to understand areas where they might enjoy success in working.

Consultation: Consultation is provided by school counselors as requested by students, parents, and teachers on student issues. Consultation can be provided to mediate a student's learning difficulty, special needs, or assistance with social and educational issues.

Counseling Services: School guidance centers are known as counseling services. School counselors work with students individually and in groups to mediate problems and help them in their social and educational development.

Disciplinary Services: School guidance centers mediate student problems with teachers and staff. Sometimes in tandem with a law enforcement official and the administration, they work to develop programs and implement policy on disciplinary issues.

Guidance Department: The guidance department in a public school provides students with information on classes, registration, and post high school planning. The department may also coordinate a variety of testing, preventative programs, and counseling (both group and individual) for students.

Personal - Social development: The focus of many of the programs offered by school guidance centers recognizes students' personal and social development as they become adolescents. Personal and social development programs can range from developing study skills to relationship building, conflict resolution, and dating.

Prevention Services: Prevention services include programs and services offered by school guidance centers that deter negative behaviors such as drug abuse, violence, and bullying in a school.

Records: The records section of a school is housed in the guidance or student services center. Student records can include test scores, attendance, and course grades.

Registrar: The registrar works with students who are enrolling or transitioning into a particular school. The registrar works with administration and the guidance department on issues related to attendance, testing, and enrollment.

Remedial Services: School guidance centers provide a clearinghouse of support and information for students who need remedial help in certain subjects. Often centers provide lists of tutors, courses on study skills, and testing services to assist students.

School-Based Health Centers: Public schools with high at-risk populations are beginning to integrate school-based health centers which offer preventative and health oriented services. Counseling staff play a complementary role in assisting students with access to the services at the particular location.

Special Education Services: School Guidance Centers work with professional staff such as psychiatrists, social workers, special education teachers and counselors to provide Individualized Education Programs (IEP's) and other services to accommodate students with special needs.

Standardized Testing: One professional role of the school guidance center is to coordinate standardized testing at some public schools. Standardized testing ranges from state and federally mandated tests to locally adopted district testing, and pre-college testing such as the SAT or ACT.

Student Performance Data: School guidance centers keep the academic records of students which includes student performance data. This data in aggregate is shared with administrators who want to know how the school is performing. This performance data is also relayed to parents and students through reports disseminated by the center.

Student Services: The student services center at a public school can offer a range of services to include guidance, advice and counseling to students.

Work-Based Learning: Many schools offer vocational programs and career academies which include work based learning. These academies can provide occupational specific training on site at a school.

Bibliography

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Cuthbert, B. (2002). Involving and responding to parents: Opportunities and challenges. Washington, DC: Education Resources Information Center (ERIC Document No. ED461787). Retrieved April 16, 2007 from http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICDocs/data/ericdocs2/content_storage_01/0000000b/80/0d/bf/9e.pdf

Davis, D. (2002). Revising and enhancing the Davis school district comprehensive guidance program: Working together. Washington, DC: Education Resources Information Center (ERIC Document No. ED461798). Retrieved April 11, 2007 from http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICDocs/data/ericdocs2/content_storage_01/0000000b/80/0d/bf/ca.pdf

Evans, B., & Ward, S. (2002). Solving the "time and information" dilemma through technology: Electronic student registration and data systems. Washington, DC: Education Resources Information Center (ERIC Document No.

ED461792). Retrieved April 11, 2007 from http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICDocs/data/ericdocs2/content_storage_01/0000000b/80/0d/bf/b2.pdf

Gysbers, N. (1995). Evaluating school guidance programs Greensboro, N.C. ERIC Clearinghouse on Counseling and Student Services. (ERIC Document No. ED388887). Retrieved April 11, 2007 from http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICDocs/data/ericdocs2/content_storage_01/0000000b/80/2a/24/6c.pdf

Kuhl, J. (1994). Guidance and counseling program evaluation. Des Moines independent community school district. Washington, DC:Education Resources Information Center (ERIC Document No. ED375342). Retrieved April 11, 2007 from http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICDocs/data/ericdocs2/content_storage_01/0000000b/80/23/09/96.pdf

Larivee, G. (2002). Establishing a new position: District director of guidance. Washington, DC: Education Resources Information Center (ERIC Document No. ED461783). Retrieved April 11, 2007 from http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICDocs/data/ericdocs2/content_storage_01/0000000b/80/0d/bf/8e.pdf

Lewis, J., Arnold, M., House, R., Toporek, R. (2007) Advocacy competency domains. Retrieved April 16, 2007 from http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=++Lewis+Arnold+House+%26+Toporek

Lopez, H. (2002). Seizing opportunities: Advocating for the development of a comprehensive guidance program. Washington, DC: Education Resources Information Center (ERIC Document No. ED461789). Retrieved April 11, 2007 from http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICDocs/data/ericdocs2/content_storage_01/0000000b/80/0d/bf/a6.pdf

Lott, K. (2001). Comprehensive school guidance planning in Ontario, Canada. Building your elementary school guidance program: Implementing "choices into action" in your school while getting ready for the program effectiveness survey. Washington, DC: Education Resources Information Center (ERIC Document No. ED458459). Retrieved April 11, 2007 from http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICDocs/data/ericdocs2/content_storage_01/0000000b/80/0d/8f/04.pdf

Maliszewski, S. & Mackiel, J. (2002). Comprehensive guidance results-based evaluation: Developing a practical approach. Washington, DC:Education Resources Information Center (ERIC Document No. ED461793). Retrieved April 11, 2007 from http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICDocs/data/ericdocs2/content_storage_01/0000000b/80/0d/bf/b6.pdf

McCurdy, K. (2003). A General scope of practice for professional school counselors Washington, DC: Education Resources Information Center (ERIC Document No. ED473617). Retrieved April 11, 2007 from http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICDocs/data/ericdocs2/content_storage_01/0000000b/80/28/04/f1.pdf

Miles, R. (2002). Tailoring the comprehensive guidance program model to fit Richland County school district one: Building the foundation. Washington, DC: Education Resources Information Center (ERIC Document No. ED461781). Retrieved April 11, 2007 from http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICDocs/data/ericdocs2/content_storage_01/0000000b/80/0d/bf/86.pdf

Plant, P. (2005). Guidance policies: The Trojan horse. International Journal for Educational and Vocational Guidance. 5, 101-109.

Price, C. (2002). A variety of parent involvement strategies: Enhancing program delivery through productive relationships. Washington, DC: Education Resources Information Center (ERIC Document No. ED461788). Retrieved April 11, 2007 from http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICDocs/data/ericdocs2/content_storage_01/0000000b/80/0d/bf/a2.pdf

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Southern Regional Education Board. (1994). Involving teachers, parents, and the community in guiding all students into a challenging program of study. Washington, DC: Education Resources Information Center (ERIC Document No. ED381697). Retrieved April 11, 2007) from http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICDocs/data/ericdocs2/content_storage_01/0000000b/80/26/16/7f.pdf

Stenger, R. (2003). The school counselor and the law: New developments. In Remley, T., Hermann, M., & Huey, W. (Eds.) Ethical and Legal Issues in School Counseling (2nd Ed.). American School Counselors Association.

Usher, R., & Edwards, R. (2005). Subjects, networks and positions: Thinking educational guidance differently, British Journal of Guidance and Counseling 33 , 397-410.

Utah State Office of Education (2002). Utah work-based learning manual. Washington, DC:Education Resources Information Center (ERIC Document No.

ED473423). Retrieved April 11, 2007) from http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICDocs/data/ericdocs2/content_storage_01/0000000b/80/27/f7/38.pdf

Woodard, S., & Malone, B. (2002). Accountability for comprehensive guidance program delivery and quality: Program templates. Washington, DC:Education Resources Information Center (ERIC Document No. ED461794). Retrieved April 11, 2007 from http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICDocs/data/ericdocs2/content_storage_01/0000000b/80/0d/bf/ba.pdf

Suggested Reading

Gysbers, N., & Henderson, P. (2000). Developing and managing your school guidance program. (3rd ed.) Virginia: American Counseling Association.

Herr, E., Cramer, S., & Niles, S. (2004). Career guidance and counseling through The lifespan. (6th Ed). New York: Pearson.

Madden, J. (2002). Displacing non-guidance tasks and initiating program improvements: Data collection initiatives and program innovations. Washington, DC: Education Resources Information Center (ERIC Document No. ED461785). Retrieved April 11, 2007 from http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICDocs/data/ericdocs2/content_storage_01/0000000b/80/0d/bf/96.pdf

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