EDC 621 – The Profession of School Counseling
Common Course Assessment: Comparison of Real and Ideal School
Counseling Programs
Common Course Standards:
MDE Content Standards for the Preparation of School Counselors Standards
o Understand the philosophy, principles, and practice of school counseling that
contribute to K-12 students’ academic achievement, career, and personal/social
development
o 1.4 – Understand counseling theory and practice as these apply to individual and
group procedures, administration and coordination relationships, professional
relationships, and ethics
o 1.5 – Understand evaluation in the context of appropriate statistics and research
methodology, follow-up evaluation, and measurement methods
o 2.0 – Understand school counselor leadership skills in the school setting for the
purpose of supporting K-12 students’ academic, career, and personal/social
development
MDE Content Guidelines for the Preparation of School Counselors
o 1.1.3 – Articulate knowledge of the school setting and Michigan comprehensive
guidance and counseling program
o 1.4.8 – Understand how to plan, implement, and evaluation comprehensive
developmental school counseling programs
o 1.4.9 – Integrate current issues, policies, laws and legislation relevant to school
counseling
o 1.4.10 – Evaluate ethical behavior related specifically to the practice of school
counseling Directions to the Student
o 1.5.3 – Develop and critique comprehensive school counseling programs
o 2.1 – Serve as an advocate for student success
InTASC Standards
o 1 – Learner Development
o 4 – Content Knowledge
o 6 – Assessment
o 9 – Professional Learning and Ethical Practice
Directions to Student:
Each student will evaluate and compare an actual school counseling program in
an area of interest with an ideal program in that area in a typed paper of 6-8 pages
(following APA format). The paper will describe the ideal and compare it to the
reality. The purpose of the paper is to advocate for the implementation of the ideal
through the use of professional research and data.
Updated 2/8/16
Rubric for Comparison of Real and Ideal School Counseling Programs:
Elements
Knowledge of
the structural
and program
components of
a school
counseling
program (i.e.,
mission or
purpose
statement,
domains and
delivery
systems).
MDE
Content/Stand
ard Guideline:
1.1.3
Distinguished
(3)
Proficient
(2)
Progressing
(1)
Unsatisfactory
(0)
Student uses the
Michigan
comprehensive
guidance and
counseling model
in the paper and
extends the
description of the
ideal program to
incorporate
structural and
program
components as
suggested by
Michigan
comprehensive
guidance and
counseling
Student uses the
Michigan
comprehensive
guidance and
counseling model
in the paper but
limits the
description of the
ideal program to
structural or
program
components as
suggested by
Michigan
comprehensive
guidance and
counseling rather
than
incorporating
both components
Student
acknowledges the
framework
provided by the
Michigan
comprehensive
guidance and
counseling model
in an ideal
program but fails
to address both
structural and
program
components in
the description of
an ideal program
Student fails to
recognize the
framework
provided by the
Michigan
comprehensive
guidance and
counseling model
to inform the
ideal program
described in the
paper
Student develops
a needs
assessment that
is linked to
evaluating
student outcomes
in advocating for
a program
Student develops
a needs
assessment that
is not linked to
student outcomes
Student fails to
develop a needs
assessment as
part of the
advocacy for an
ideal program
Student fails to
discuss needs
assessments and
student outcomes
as part of the
advocacy for an
ideal program
Student applies
all of the
components of
the ASCA
National Model in
comparing and
contrasting an
ideal program vs.
existing school
Student applies
all of the
components of
the ASCA
National Model in
comparing and
contrasting an
ideal program vs.
existing school
Student clearly
presents an ideal
school counseling
program and
examines an
existing program
but does not
compare
structural or
Student fails to
present an ideal
school counseling
program and
examine an
existing program
InTASC
Standard: 4
Ability to apply
needs
assessment
and evaluation
to assess
student
objectives
MDE
Content/Stand
ard Guidelines:
1.4.8 & 2.1
InTASC
Standards: 1 &
6
Ability to
compare and
contrast ideal
and existing
school
counseling
programs to
reflect critical
thinking
Updated 2/8/16
MDE
Content/Stand
ard Guideline:
1.5.3
counseling
program and
draws a
conclusion that
reflects critical
thinking
counseling
program but fails
to reach a
conclusion that
reflects critical
thinking
program
components of
these programs
Student includes
a literature
review that
reflects both the
history and
current state of
school counseling
in a literature
review and uses
this literature
review to inform
conclusions
Student includes
a literature
review that
reflects both the
history and
current state of
school counseling
in a literature
review
Student includes
a literature
review that
reflects the
history of school
counseling or the
current state of
school counseling
but not both
Student fails to
include a
literature review
in the paper
Student makes
no spelling and
grammatical
errors, has
complete
references, uses
APA style format,
and refers to
appendices used
as resources in
the paper
Student makes
fewer than 5
spelling and
grammatical
errors, has
complete
references, uses
APA style format
but does not refer
to appendices
used as resources
in the paper
Student makes
fewer than 10
spelling and
grammatical
errors, has
incomplete
references, fails
to use APA style
format, and does
not refer to
appendices used
as resources in
the paper
Student makes
more than 10
spelling and
grammatical
errors, fails to
include
references, fails
to use APA style
format, and does
not refer to
appendices used
as resources in
the paper
InTASC
Standard: 9
Review of the
literature to
inform the
description of
an ideal
program and
the comparison
with an actual
program
MDE Content/
Standard
Guideline:
1.1.1
InTASC
Standard:
4
Quality of
writing
InTASC
Standard:
9
Updated 2/8/16