American School Counselor Association (ASCA) Position
Professional school counselors recognize that each student possesses unique interests, abilities and goals, which will lead to various future opportunities. Collaborating with students, families, educational staff and the community, the professional school counselor works to ensure all students develop an academic and career plan reflecting their interests, abilities and goals and includes rigorous, relevant coursework and experiences appropriate for the student.
Rationale
Academic and college/career planning provides all students with the opportunity to identify strengths, areas in need of improvement and areas of interest early on so students and their families can set post-secondary goals and make informed choices to support students in reaching the desired outcome. The focus of academic and career planning is threefold: to help students acquire the skills to achieve academic success, to make connections between school and life experiences and to acquire knowledge and skills to be college and career ready upon high school graduation. ASCA recognizes that college and career readiness is exemplified by students who are prepared for any post-secondary experience without the need for remediation and that all students possess the skills and knowledge needed to qualify for and succeed in their chosen field.
The Professional School Counselor’s Role
Professional school counselors understand national, state and local requirements and programs that may affect future opportunities for college and career readiness and therefore play a critical role in academic and career planning. The professional school counselor takes a proactive role in assisting students, families and staff as they assess student strengths and interests and encourage the selection of a rigorous and relevant educational program supporting all students’ college and career goals. Professional school counselors provide all students the opportunity to:
• Demonstrate skills needed for school success
• Demonstrate the connection between coursework and life experiences
• Make course selections that allow them the opportunity to choose from a wide range of post-secondary options
• Explore interests and abilities in relation to knowledge of self and the world of work
• Identify and apply strategies to achieve future academic and career success
• Demonstrate the skills for successful goal setting and attainment
• Develop a portfolio to highlight strengths and interests
Summary
Professional school counselors collaborate with administrators, teachers, staff, families and the communities to ensure all students have the opportunity to design a rigorous and relevant academic and career program preparing them to be college- and career-ready. Professional school counselors design and implement a comprehensive school counseling program that includes educational and career planning activities for all students designed to assist students in reaching academic, career and personal/social goals.
Professional school counselors recognize that each student possesses unique interests, abilities and goals, which will lead to various future opportunities. Collaborating with students, families, educational staff and the community, the professional school counselor works to ensure all students develop an academic and career plan reflecting their interests, abilities and goals and includes rigorous, relevant coursework and experiences appropriate for the student.
Rationale
Academic and college/career planning provides all students with the opportunity to identify strengths, areas in need of improvement and areas of interest early on so students and their families can set post-secondary goals and make informed choices to support students in reaching the desired outcome. The focus of academic and career planning is threefold: to help students acquire the skills to achieve academic success, to make connections between school and life experiences and to acquire knowledge and skills to be college and career ready upon high school graduation. ASCA recognizes that college and career readiness is exemplified by students who are prepared for any post-secondary experience without the need for remediation and that all students possess the skills and knowledge needed to qualify for and succeed in their chosen field.
The Professional School Counselor’s Role
Professional school counselors understand national, state and local requirements and programs that may affect future opportunities for college and career readiness and therefore play a critical role in academic and career planning. The professional school counselor takes a proactive role in assisting students, families and staff as they assess student strengths and interests and encourage the selection of a rigorous and relevant educational program supporting all students’ college and career goals. Professional school counselors provide all students the opportunity to:
• Demonstrate skills needed for school success
• Demonstrate the connection between coursework and life experiences
• Make course selections that allow them the opportunity to choose from a wide range of post-secondary options
• Explore interests and abilities in relation to knowledge of self and the world of work
• Identify and apply strategies to achieve future academic and career success
• Demonstrate the skills for successful goal setting and attainment
• Develop a portfolio to highlight strengths and interests
Summary
Professional school counselors collaborate with administrators, teachers, staff, families and the communities to ensure all students have the opportunity to design a rigorous and relevant academic and career program preparing them to be college- and career-ready. Professional school counselors design and implement a comprehensive school counseling program that includes educational and career planning activities for all students designed to assist students in reaching academic, career and personal/social goals.