Targeted White House Commitments/Objectives

Rev 1/15

School Counseling in North Carolina and the White House Reach Higher Initiative/Strengthening School Counseling and College Access

Note: This is a team planning document and does not indicate endorsement or adoption by the North Carolina State Board of Education or Department of Public Instruction

Targeted White House Commitments/Objectives:

1 – Higher education institutions ensuring non-negotiable preparation standards in College and Career Readiness (CCR)

6 – Strengthening non-profit organization’s training of direct services staff, district or other credentialing requirements

Initiative/Objective / Goals / Measurement / Next Steps
Pre-Service:
School Counselor higher education preparation programs to include education on specific skills for effective K-12 college and career guidance and counseling / School Counselors will graduate from NC higher education programs with knowledge and skills to effectively promote College and Career Readiness / ·  Pre-post surveys
·  Higher Education institution implementation of identified objectives
·  FAFSA completion numbers
·  Graduation Data Verification System/ College-going rates
·  www.ncpublicschools.org/data
·  Number of higher education institutions offering CCR course or similar in counselor education programs
·  Number of school counselors taking CCR course in counselor education programs
·  Number of higher education institutions offering effective school counseling/ student services roles training in school administrator education programs
·  Number of school administrators taking school counseling/student services course in administrator education programs
·  (continue to identify best sources of data) / ·  Complete identification of key stakeholders to be invited to be a member of the NC School Counseling Leadership Team to develop and facilitate strategies for accomplishing goals.
·  Plan logistics of initial NC School Counseling Leadership Team meeting (to be held by summer 2015)
·  Extend invitation to identified potential NC School Counseling Leadership Team
·  Identify meeting date for NC School Counseling Leadership Team (to be held by summer 2015)
·  Convene meeting of NC School Counseling Leadership Team at which we
o  Review initiative and objectives
o  Facilitate discussion of strategies and next steps to accomplish goals and objectives
o  (to be held by summer 2015)
School Administrator higher education preparation programs to include education on professional roles of School Counselors (and/or student services) / School Administrators will graduate from NC higher education programs with knowledge and understanding of the effective, appropriate roles of School Counselors and of supporting a college- going culture
School Administrator higher education preparation programs to include education on creating a college-going culture
In-service:
Expand availability of College and Career Readiness (CCR)/College and Career Counseling Initiative (CCCI) training / ·  Increase number of trained CCCI facilitators
·  Expand use of 6 – 12 online CCCI modules
·  Implement pre-service version of CCCI
·  Add elementary K- 5 version of CCCI module / ·  Number of CCCI facilitators
·  Number of CCCI module completers
·  Number of higher education institutions offering a pre-service version of CCCI
·  Development of K-5 version of CCCI module / ·  Targeted recruitment –
o  Invitations to NCSCA Board and committee members
o  CCCI completers
·  Discuss logistics with SREB representative
Provide training opportunities in various formats for school administrators on professional roles of school counselors (webinars, conference sessions, regional trainings, etc.) / Enhance school administrator understanding of G.S. 115C-316.1 and effective roles of school counselors in order to enhance their capacity to best utilize school counselors to support students / ·  Documentation of number of trainings held
·  Numbers of participants in trainings
·  Evaluation feedback
·  Survey feedback from school administrators and school counselors / ·  Develop, advertise and implement trainings

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Rev 1/15

RELATED INFORMATION:

From the NCDPI School Counseling Updates December Newsletter (page 2) -

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Rev 7/15

FYI –

Some Related State Statutes

NC G.S. 115C-316.1. Duties of school counselors.

(a) School counselors shall implement a comprehensive developmental school counseling program in their schools. Counselors shall spend at least eighty percent (80%) of their work time providing direct services to students. Direct services do not include the coordination of standardized testing. Direct services shall consist of:

(1) Delivering the school guidance curriculum through large group guidance, interdisciplinary curriculum development, group activities, and parent workshops.

(2) Guiding individual student planning through individual or small group assistance and individual or small group advisement.

(3) Providing responsive services through consultation with students, families, and staff; individual and small group counseling; crisis counseling; referrals; and peer facilitation.

(4) Performing other student services listed in the Department of Public Instruction school counselor job description that has been approved by the State Board of Education.

(b) School counseling program support activities do not include the coordination of standardized testing. During the remainder of their time, school counselors may assist other staff with the coordination of standardized testing.

NC G.S. 115C-286.1. Evaluations of principals.

Local school administrative units shall evaluate all principals and assistant principals at least once each year. Either the superintendent or the superintendent's designee shall conduct the evaluations.

The State Board of Education shall ensure that the standards and criteria for the evaluations include the accountability measures of teacher retention, teacher support, and school climate. The State Board shall revise its evaluation instruments to include these measures. A local board shall use the performance standards and criteria adopted by the State Board unless the board develops an alternative evaluation that is properly validated and that includes standards and criteria similar to those adopted by the State Board.(2005-276, s. 7.29.)

Related State Board of Education Strategic Plan Goals and Objectives

Selected exerts from most directly related State Board Goals and Objectives are below. Note that other goals and objectives may also relate indirectly. The complete Strategic Plan can be found at http://stateboard.ncpublicschools.gov/strategic-plan

Goal / Objectives
1.  Every student in the NC Public School System graduates from high school prepared for work, further education and citizenship / 1.  Increase the cohort graduation rate
2.  Graduate students prepared for post‐secondary education
3.  Graduate students pursuing a Career and Technical Education (CTE) concentration prepared for careers
4.  Reduce the percentage of students needing remediation in post‐ secondary education
3.  Every student, every day has excellent educators / 1.  Develop and support highly effective principals
2.  Increase the number of principals graduating from quality traditional and alternative educator preparation programs

Related State Professionals Standards/Evaluation Criteria

Selected exerts from most directly related professional standards are below. Note that other standards may also relate indirectly. The complete Standards documents can be found at http://www.ncpublicschools.org/effectiveness-model/ncees/standards/

School Counselor

The word “career” appears 20 times in the North Carolina Professional School Counselor Standards.

Standard 1: School Counselors Demonstrate Leadership, Advocacy, and Collaboration

·  Create data driven goals and strategies that align with the school improvement plan

·  Discuss the comprehensive school counseling program with the school administrator

·  Choose professional development activities that foster their own professional growth

·  Advocate for positive change in policies and practices affecting student learning

·  Participate in the implementation of initiatives to improve the education and development of all students

Standard 2: School Counselors Promote a Respectful Environment for a Diverse Population of Students

·  Understand how a student’s culture, language, and background may influence school performance and consider these influences in the programs and services they provide

·  Maintain high expectations for all students

Standard 3: School Counselors Understand and Facilitate the Implementation of A Comprehensive School Counseling Program

·  Support equity and access to rigorous and relevant curricula

·  Develop and apply strategies to enhance student success

·  Address the academic, career, and personal/social development of all students

·  Support teachers and other specialists’ use of the North Carolina Guidance Curriculum to develop and enhance students’ twenty-first century skills and promote global awareness

·  Incorporate into their programs the life skills that students need to be successful in the twenty-first century

Standard 4: School Counselors Promote Learning for All Students

·  Discuss the comprehensive school counseling program with school administrators and communicate the goals of the program to stakeholders

·  Consult and collaborate with colleagues, parents/guardians, and other stakeholders

·  Make their programs responsive to cultural diversity and student needs

·  Utilize the Guidance Curriculum, Individual Student Planning, and Preventive and Responsive Services in meeting the needs of students as they strive to raise achievement and close gaps

·  Assist all students with developing academic, career, and personal/social skills

·  Help students utilize sound reasoning, understand connections, and make complex choices

·  Help students learn problem-solving techniques that incorporate critical thinking skills such as identifying problems, recognizing options, weighing evidence, and evaluating consequences

·  Encourage students to use these skills to make healthy and responsible choices in their everyday lives

·  Use a variety of methods to communicate effectively in support of the academic, career, and personal/social development of all students

Standard 5: School Counselors Actively Reflect on Their Practice

·  Think systematically and critically about the impact of the comprehensive school counseling program on student academic, career, and personal/social development

·  Link professional growth to the needs of their school and their program goals

·  Actively investigate and consider new ideas that improve student academic, career, and personal/social development as well as the school counseling profession

·  Collaborate with students, staff, parents, and other stakeholders to implement these ideas

School Executives/Principals and Assistant Principals

Standard 1 Strategic Leadership

·  Is able to share a vision of the changing world in the 21st century that schools are preparing children to enter;

·  Is a driving force behind major initiatives that help students acquire 21st century skills;

·  Facilitates the successful execution of the school improvement plan aligned to the mission and goals set by the State Board of Education;

·  Communicates strong professional beliefs about schools, teaching, and learning that reflect latest research and best practices and in preparing students for success in college or in work;

Standard 2 Instructional Leadership

·  Challenges staff to reflect deeply on and define what knowledge, skills and concepts are essential to the complete educational development of students;

Standard 4 Human Resource Leadership

·  Models the importance of continued adult learning by engaging in activities to develop personal knowledge and skill along with expanded self- awareness;

·  Creates and monitors processes for hiring, inducting and mentoring new teachers and other staff to the school;

·  Evaluates teachers and other staff in a fair and equitable manner and utilizes the results of evaluations to improve performance;

·  Continuously searches for the best placement and utilization of staff to fully benefit from their strengths;

Standard 5 Managerial Leadership

·  Creates processes to recruit and retain a high-quality workforce in the school that meets the diverse needs of students;

·  Collaboratively develops and enforces clear expectations, structures, rules and procedures for students and staff.

Competencies

·  Creative Thinking – Engages in and fosters an environment for others to engage in innovative thinking.

·  Delegation – Effectively assigns work tasks to others in ways that provide learning experiences for them and in ways that ensure the efficient operation of the school.

·  Global Perspective – Understands the competitive nature of the new global economy and is clear about the knowledge and skills students will need to be successful in this economy.

·  Organizational Ability – Effectively plans and schedules one’s own and the work of others so that resources are used appropriately, such as scheduling the flow of activities and establishing procedures to monitor projects.

·  Personal Responsibility for Performance – Proactively and continuously improves performance by focusing on needed areas of improvement and enhancement of strengths; actively seeks and effectively applies feedback from others; takes full responsibility for one’s own achievements

·  Systems Thinking – Understands the interrelationships and impacts of school and district influences, systems and external stakeholders, and applies that understanding to advancing the achievement of the school or team.

·  Visionary – Encourages imagineering by creating an environment and structure to capture stakeholder dreams of what the school could become for all the students.

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