Implementing a Counselor

Performance Management
System
Katie Chilton
April 27, 2014
Salem College
Anne Sourbeer Morris, Ed.D.

Introduction
As we look at the performance management system, we look at important components
such as standards, supervision, evaluation, professional development, and attending to
diversity. Though the steps may seem overwhelming they are necessary to build a strong
foundation for the success of managing a comprehensive school counseling program.

Standards
The State Board of Education approved the North Carolina Professional School Counseling
Standards on December 4, 2008. The North Carolina Professional School Counseling
Standards will guide the professional development of school counselors in the twenty-first
century; provide focus for schools and districts as they support, monitor, and evaluate school
counselors, and assist higher education programs in developing the content and requirements
for school counselor education curricula.

NC School Counseling Standards: Click Here

ASCA National Model

Through the ASCA National Model we see the framework for school counselors to go from a
service-centered approach to a program-centered approach.

Ethical Standards
School Counselor Ethical Standards: Click Here

Job Description
The job description, rooted in the generic job
description based on the roles fulfilled by all
school counselors carrying the same job title,
clarifies the expectations for individual
counselors, given their caseloads, work setting,
special assignments, specific goals, and any
other relevant specifics (Gysbers, Henderson,
2012, pg. 285). When school counselors are able
to clearly show others what their role is then they
are better able to implement a well-balanced and
comprehensive program that students benefit
from.

School Counselor Role Statement: Click Here

Supervision
Supervision helps implement a performance management system by allowing school
counselors to enhance professionally by looking at both challenges and opportunities.

The process that involves effective supervision looks at:

A. Observing a counselors behavior
B. Comparing and contrasting the behavior with established performance, ethical, or
professional standards
C. Assessing how the behavior matches the standards
D. Establishing objectives for providing relevant feedback
E. Delivering feedback in a style that is most apt to lead the counselor to growth
F. Setting goals for performance improvement (Gysbers, Henderson, 2012, pg. 311).

Assessments
Below is a sample needs assessment survey, which shows
examples of types of questions that may be included. However, it is
best if each school or district committee creates its own survey form
based upon the school guidance and counseling program design
and the unique characteristics of the school and community.
SAMPLE School Counseling Program Survey

(Reprinted from the New Hampshire Implementation Manual for

Comprehensive School Guidance and Counseling)
The members of the Comprehensive School Guidance and
Counseling Program Steering Committee would like your help in
planning the school counseling program. Please read the directions
and give your honest feedback. Do not sign the survey; just circle
whether you are a parent, teacher, community member or student.
If you are a student, please indicate your grade in school.
Parent
Teacher
(Grade level______)

Community Member

Student

The following list names some topics that might be addressed in a

comprehensive school guidance and counseling program. Even
though all of these topics may sound interesting or valuable, we are
trying to find out what students, parents, teachers, and community
members consider are the most important topics. We would like you
to indicate the top 3 topics that you feel would be most valuable in
terms of your own needs or the needs of the whole school. First,
read all of the topics. Then, go back and put the number 1 next to
the topic that you feel would be the most important. Your lowest
numbers will equal your highest priorities.
_____Help with non-English-speaking students.
_____Help with post-secondary options, admissions, applications,
recommendations, and financial aid.
_____Help with students with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
_____Job-seeking and job-keeping skills.
_____Peer pressure.
_____Peer relationships.
_____Physical/sexual abuse or neglect concerns.
_____Resolving conflicts and joint problem solving.
_____School adjustment (making friends, getting along with
people).
_____School/classroom behavior.
_____Self-awareness and self-concept.
_____Sexual issues.
_____Study skills.
_____Substance use/abuse.
_____Suicide

Evaluations

Professional Development

In order to be an effective school counselor and manage a comprehensive program,

professional development is the key.

Professional Identity

Counselor Competencies
The competencies can be used in a variety of ways including:
School counselors
Self-assess their own competencies
Formulate an appropriate professional development plan
School administrators
Guide the recruitment and selection of competent school counselors
Develop or inform meaningful school counselor performance evaluation
School counselor education programs
Establish benchmarks for ensuring school education students graduate with the
knowledge, skills and attitudes needed for developing comprehensive school counseling programs
(ASCA, 2012).

Counselor Competencies: Click Here

Program Improvement Process

There are six major tasks that will help
establish the design of a school counseling
program. They are:
1. Define the basic structure that will be
the organizer for your program, including
crafting the structural components and
defining the program components to suit
your school or district program.
2. Identify and list student
competencies by content area and school
level or grade grouping.
3. Reaffirm the policy support for the
emerging guidance and counseling program.

4. Establish priorities for program

delivery, to complete the qualitative design.
5. Establish parameters for program
resources allocations, to complete the
quantitative design.
6. Put all of the decisions in writing
and distribute the program description to all
counselors and administrators. This task is
typically done by the guidance and
counseling program leader (Gysbers,
Henderson, 2012, pg. 140).

Resources
Relevant resources include pre-service training
experienced by certified school counselors, clear
definition of the guidance and counseling program
with specific expectations for school counselor positions,
and the personnel, financial, and political support
resources available to assist in professional development
efforts (Gysbers, Henderson, 2012, pg. 322).

New Counselors
The primary task for ensuring competency
of school counselors is to have the right
people in the right roles... Helping school
counselors fulfill the right roles requires the
program leader to place them properly and
to orient them to their new assignments
(Gysbers, Henderson, 2012, pg. 328).
Through collaboration, recruitment,
selection, proper placement, and orientation
all help new school counselors fulfill their
roles properly.

Diversity
A plan for capitalizing on
the rich diversity of a
school and district should
be a component of every
plan for program
improvement (Gysbers,
Henderson, 2012, pg.
211).
School counselors are
ethically bound to
advocate for ALL
students, for social justice,
and equity for ALL
(Gysbers, Henderson,
2012).

Conclusion
As one can see the performance management system
proposed through this presentation it shows the school
counselors roles and responsibilities needed to be
effective. It also shows the importance of the
relationship between school counselors and
administrators. To ensure that school counselors are
following the competencies and standards takes a lot of
hard work. Continuous program involvement depends
on continued improvement of staff members
competency (Gysbers, Henderson, 2012, pg. 343).
Through this presentation we have looked at
implementing a systematic approach to managing a
school counseling program through supervision,
evaluation, goal-setting, professional development,
resources, diversity, standards, and competencies.

References
American School Counselor Association. (2012). The ASCA
national model: A framework for school counseling programs (3rd
ed.). Alexandria, VA: Author.

Gysbers, N.C; Stanley, B. (2014). ASCA School Counselor: From

Position to Program. January/February 2014. Vo. 51 N.3.
Retrieved from: http://www.schoolcounselor.
org/asca/media/asca/Magazine/Archives/JanFeb2014.pdf

American School Counselor Association(2010).Ethical Standards

for School Counselors. Retrieved from: http://www.
schoolcounselor.org/asca/media/asca/Resource%20Center/Legal%
20and%20Ethical%20Issues/Sample%
20Documents/EthicalStandards2010.pdf

Gysbers, N.C., & Henderson, P. (2012). Developing and managing

your school guidance & counseling program (5th ed.). Alexandria,
VA: American Counseling Association.

American School Counselor Association. (2009). The Role of the

Professional School Counselor. Retrieved from http://www.
schoolcounselor.org/content.asp?contentid=240

North Carolina State Board of Education (2008). The North

Carolina Professional School Counseling Standards. Retrieved
from: http://www.dpi.state.nc.
us/docs/studentsupport/counseling/standards/counselingstandards.
pdf

American School Counselor Association. (2012). School Counselor

Competencies. Retrieved from http://www.schoolcounselor.org
Arredondo, P., Toporek, M. S., Brown, S., Jones, J., Locke, D. C.,
Sanchez, J. and Stadler, H. (1996) Operationalization of the
Multicultural Counseling Competencies. AMCD: Alexandria, VA

Stone, C. (2009). School Counseling Principles: Ethics and Law.

Alexandria, VA: American School Counselor Association.