School Counseling Program Development and Evaluation – COSC 661

Course Description

Rationale

Based on a biblical world view, the goal is to synthesize academic knowledge and skills with biblical values, moral dimensions, and ethical implications. The school counselor licensure program at Liberty University maintains a continuous cycle of evaluation and revision in order to achieve its mission of developing competent professionals with a biblical world view for Christian, public, and private schools. This course is designed to examine the planning, development, organization, implementation, and evaluation of comprehensive developmental K–12 school counseling programs that promote access and equity for all students. Each student will learn about academic- and systems-focused programming, strategies for closing the achievement gap, and methods for working with culturally diverse students and students with special needs.

Course Assignment

Textbook readings, lecture presentations, and articles

Course Requirements Checklist

After reading the Course Syllabus and Student Expectations, the student will complete the related checklist found in the Course Overview. 

Discussion: The Role of a School Counselor

In a written discussion, briefly explain the school counselor's role as a:

1) Leader

2) Collaborator (and who might a school counselor collaborate with)

3) School counselor in consultation with families, P-12 and postsecondary personnel, and community agencies

4) Promoter of Systemic Change within a K-12 school setting (how might a school counselor promote systemic change)

5) Advocate (how might a school counselor advocate for students and for the profession)

6) Choose a person in the Bible that exemplifies these characteristics and support that claim with specific examples and at least 1 Biblical citation. 

The student will post one original thread of at least 500 words (but no more than 600 words) and 1 reply post of at least 250 words (but no more than 300 words). For the original thread, the student must support his or her assertations with at least 1 scholarly citation and at least 1 Biblical reference in current APA format. Assertations in the reply post should be supported with at least 1 scholarly citation in current APA format. (CLO: J, K)

Discussion: ASCA Lesson Plan

Using the ASCA lesson plan template provided, the student will create a lesson plan that incorporates standards blending to promote academic achievement, college, and career exploration. His or her topic of choice must be applicable to all three ASCA domains (academic, career and social emotional). This lesson plan should be developmentally appropriate for students in grades six through twelve although a specific grade level must be chosen to complete this assignment. The student will use all the Read and Watch items from this module to assist him or her in creating this lesson plan and must use the provided ASCA Lesson Plan template. The lesson plan must include 1-2 ASCA Student Mindsets and Behaviors for Student Success as well as 1 Language Arts standard, specifically one that addresses reading methods and reading in the content area, into the lesson. The student must include one pre-/post-test per ASCA standard to be assessed. The lesson will be delivered later in the course and will have incorporated feedback from professor and peers. The student should plan to use differentiated instructional strategies and classroom management strategies in his or her delivery of the lesson. The student must also reply to 2 peers' lesson plans. Each reply must be between 250-300 words. (CLO: A, B, C, D, E, I, L)  

Discussion: Needs Assessment

Using any technology resource the student either read about in Young and Kaffenberger (2019) chapter 4 or learned about via ASCA webinars, he or she will create a needs assessment which will be distributed to his or her classmates. The survey should be 10 questions in length and should assess in such a way so that it will prioritize the top academic, career, or social emotional concerns of the student's “class.” The student will upload his or her survey in a PowerPoint (title slide, then 1 slide per survey question). Each slide should display gathered data in chart or graph form. The student must then take 6 of his or her peers' surveys. (CLO: F, M)

Resource Guide Assignment

After reviewing the sample resource guide, the student will create his or her own resource guide based on resources in his or her community. The student's resources guide should include the following community resources:

• Hotlines and Crisis Assistance
• Community Agencies (e.g. support services, food pantries, mental health services, child protective services, law enforcement information)
• Family Service Agencies/Parenting Resources
• Private Therapists, Counselors, Psychologists, and Psychiatrists
• Medical Resources
• Residential Placements and Treatment Centers
• School Counselor Resources (CLO: E, K)

Delivery of a Classroom Guidance Lesson Plan Assignment

Using the lesson plan created in Discussion: ASCA Lesson Plan and having incorporated feedback from peers and professor, the student will record his or herself delivering this lesson via PowerPoint. The student is required to demonstrate or role play one classroom management strategy, differentiated instructional strategies, and at least one teaching strategy used with English Learners during the presentation. This presentation should be 15-20 minutes in length. (CLO: A, B, C, D, E, F, I, L)

Pre-/Post-Test Assessment Assignment

Using the outcome goal identified in the student's lesson plan from Discussion: ASCA Lesson Plan, the student will create a five-question pre-/post-test assessment that will measure change in his or her attitude, knowledge, and/or skills. (CLO: F, I)

Benchmark School Counseling Brochure Assignment

Building on the School Counseling Brochure Assignment he or she began in COSC 660, the student will create a comprehensive school counseling brochure which includes the following information:

1. Well-written statements which inform the stakeholders of the mission, vision, beliefs, and objectives of the comprehensive school counseling program. This statement ensure that all students benefit from a equitable, accessible, and successful SC program which produces long-range results.
2. Three interventions that promote the academic, career, and social/emotional services provided to students in each of these domains. Each domain should be labeled separately in the student's brochure. Interventions should include both direct and indirect services for each and reflect the ASCA National Standards: Mindsets and Behaviors for Student Success.
3. A statement which successfully advocates for the school counseling profession should be included with a rationale for providing a comprehensive school counseling program (CSCP). Benefits of offering a CSCP should be explained, and a list of 3-4 appropriate activities of the school counselor should be detailed.
4. Three clear interventions used to promote equity in student achievement and college access should be detailed for the chosen building level. The interventions should include both direct and indirect services and should reflect the ASCA Student Standards: Mindsets and Behaviors for Student Success.
5. Three strategies to increase promotion and graduation rates at the chosen building level should be identified. The interventions should include both direct and indirect services and should reflect the ASCA Student Standards: Mindsets and Behaviors for Student Success.
6. Three interventions to promote college and career readiness (at the student's chosen building/ grade level). Interventions should include both direct and indirect services and be developmentally appropriate for the student's chosen grade level. Career counseling assessments are developmentally appropriate and are appropriate for the school setting.
7. Three strategies for implementing and coordinating peer intervention programs should be outlined in detail. These strategies should align with the ASCA Student Standards: Mindsets and Behaviors for Student Success. Note: The student is not being asked to simply identify a program. The student is being asked to identify three strategies for how he/she as the school counselor will implement and coordinate a peer intervention program. Refer to the assigned module: week's learn resources for assistance with this section.
8. Specific and concrete examples of both direct and indirect services offered to students including individual, group, classroom, collaboration, and consultation.
9. A clear and concise statement about the student's philosophy of data collection, methods of data collection, how he or she will use data to advocate for programs and students, and how results will be shared with stakeholders.
10. At least three peer-reviewed scholarly sources must be used to support the brochure contents. These sources must be cited both in-text and in a reference section. (CLO: A, B, E, H, J)

Benchmark Data Presentation Assignment

Using the survey data gathered in Discussion: Needs Assessment, the student will prepare and present a data presentation using the provided Data Presentation Template. The presentation should be approximately 10-15 minutes in length and follow all current APA formatting guidelines. Five to six scholarly citations must be used in the presentation and cited both on the appropriate slide as well as a reference slide. (CLO: A, B, F, G, H)

The student will copy and paste their graded rubric (including feedback and final comments) from their COSC 660 School Counseling Brochure Assignment into a Word document and submit it as a file upload. There is no time limit on this quiz and multiple attempts are allowed. This assignment is worth 40 points. (CLO: A, B, J)

Quiz: Deliver and Assess

The student will complete one 20-minute, multiple choice, open-book/open-notes, timed quiz that covers content from the Learn materials from every module. The quiz can only be accessed one time and taken one time.

The student may use the text book; however, he or she has approximately 2 minutes per question, which means that the student would need to have read the chapters in order to do well on the assessment. The student must read and study the textbook material prior to the quizzes. Once the quiz is accessed, the timer begins. The student will know his or her scores immediately. The student should anticipate technological issues and have a back-up plan in place prior to starting each quiz. There is 10 items on this quiz. Each item is worth 2 points for a total of 20 points. If the student exceeds the allotted 20 minutes, 1 point will be deducted for every 5 minutes over the allotted time-frame. The quiz can only be taken one time. (CLO: K, D, F, H)

Quiz: Dispositions Reflection

This Dispositions Reflection quiz will ask the student to rate him or herself on the nine dispositions required for this program by our accrediting bodies. This quiz consists of 9 multiple-choice questions, 1 essay question, and will have a time limit of 1 hour.