Comprehensive developmental school counseling programs positively impact
students, parents, teachers, administrators, boards and departments of
education, school counselors, postsecondary institution, student service
personnel, business and industry, and the community. The benefits include
the following:
Benefits for Students
1. Prepares students for the challenges of the 21st century through academic,
career, and personal/social development
2. Relates educational program to future success
3. Facilitates career exploration and development
4. Develops decision-making and problem-solving skills
5. Assists in acquiring knowledge of self and others, and assists in
developing interpersonal relationship skills
6. Enhances personal development and fosters resiliency factors for students
7. Encourages facilitative, cooperative peer interactions
8. Assists in academic placement
9. Enhances articulation and transition of students to other schools
10. Provides advocacy for students and assures equitable access to educational
opportunities
Benefits for Parents
1. Provides support for parents in advocating for their child’s
academic, career, and personal/social development
2. Develops a system for their child’s long-range planning and
learning
3. Increases opportunities for parent/school interaction
4. Enables parents to access school and community resources
5. Provides interpretation and analysis of standardized assessments
Benefits for Teachers
1. Provides an interdisciplinary team effort to address student needs
and educational goals
2. Provides skill development for teachers in classroom management, teaching
effectiveness, and affective education
3. Provides consultation to assist teachers in addressing the needs/concerns
of their students
Benefits for Administrators
1. Integrates school counseling with the academic mission of the school
2. Provides a program structure with specific content
3. Assists administration to use school counselors effectively to enhance
learning and development for all students
Benefits for Boards and Departments of Education
1. Provides rationale for implementing a comprehensive developmental
counseling program in the school system
2. Provide assurance that a quality counseling program is available to
all students
3. Supports appropriate credentialing and staffing
4. Provides a basis for determining funding allocations for school counseling
programs
5. Furnishes program information to the community
6. Gives information about standards attained through school counseling
program efforts
Benefits for School Counselor
1. Provides a clearly defined role and function
2. Provides a tool for program planning, management and evaluation
3. Enhances the role of the school counselor as a student advocate
4. Ensures involvement in the academic mission of the school
Benefits for the Community and Business
1. Creates community awareness and visibility of the school counseling
program
2. Connects the community to the needs of the school and the school to
the needs of the community
3. Provides a potential workforce with decision-making skills, pre-employment
skills, and increased worker maturity
4. Provides an increased opportunity for collaboration and participation
of community members and businesses with the school program |