Top 10 Ways to Prepare
Your School or District to
Implement the
ASCA National Model
Eric Sparks
American School Counselor Association
President
WCPSS Implementation
 134,000 students
 147 schools district wide
 320 School Counselors
13. Present the National Model
to Stakeholders to get Buy-In
 Principals
 Superintendent/Asst
Superintendent
 Curriculum and
Instruction Admin
 PTA
 Faculty Meeting
 School Counselors
How are students
different as a result
of the
school counseling program?
12. Connect with school/district
goals and plans
 School Improvement
Plans
 District Goals
 State Goals
WCPSS Goal 2008
By 2008:
 95% of students in grades 3 through
12 will be at or above grade level as
measured by NC EOG or EOC tests
 All student groups will demonstrate high
growth
1 goal for entire district!
11. Provide Appropriate Training
 Great for teambuilding!
 Foundation
 Action Plans
 Use a team approach
 Social Workers
 Psychologists
 Nurses
 Administrators
 Career Development Coordinators
 Instructional Resource Teachers
 Intervention Coordinators
More About Training . . .
 Provide time away from school to train
and develop plans
 Follow up with work sessions
throughout the school year for a booster
shot
 May need to supplement with activities
specific to your needs
10. Understand Measurable
Goals and Objectives
 Counselors may have
difficulty writing clear
action plans
 Goals are broad statements that
describe expected outcomes
 Objectives are are clear, realistic,
measurable and time-limited statements of
actions which, when completed, will move
towards goal achievement
Writing Goals and Objectives
for Action Plans
 Choose a reasonable number of action
plans
 All school counseling goals should be
written in the terms of improving:
 Academics
 Behavior
 Attendance
 Strategies are counseling
strategies, and fit within the
activities in the Delivery System
Example of Goals and
Objectives
Area
Goal
Objective
Academic
To increase number
of promotions
In 06-07, the promotion rate of
3rd grade students will increase
by 10% as compared to 05-06
Behavior
To create a safer
school climate
In 06-07, incidents of fighting at
school will be reduced by 5% as
compared to 05-06
Attendance
To increase the
attendance rate
In 06-07, the attendance rate of
9th grade repeating students will
increase by 50%
9. Define “At-Risk”
 How do you define “at-risk”?
 How does NCLB define “at-risk”?
Define “At-Risk”
 Big 3
 Academics
 Behavior
 Attendance
WCPSS Academic Risk Factors
for High School
1. Below Grade Level
(8th)
1. Math
2. Reading
2. Competency Not
Met
1. Math
2. Reading
4. Below grade level any
of 5 End of Course
Tests
5. F in one course last
year
6. F in more than one
course last year
7. Retained last year
3. F on Computer
Competency
8. Data, Data, Data
 May be the most difficult piece for
counselors
 Counselors must



interpret data
collect data
get comfortable with data
 Not turning counselors into statisticians or
researchers
Student Information Given To
Counselors
Student Information Given To
Counselors
7. Collaborate on Data
 Data may be difficult to get – it is
“confidential”
 Determine who has the data



School level
District level
State level
 Find out what data is available
 Can they make it simple to use?
Getting Comfortable with Data
Phase I
 Learning to use data, technology, to target
students
Phase II
 Identifying effective practices
Phase III
 Asking questions that can be answered with data
Phase II: Identifying Effective
Practices
•
Increased minority enrollment in AP courses
•
Fewer suspensions
•
More ESL parent participation at conferences
•
Increased test scores
•
Documentation and evidence of success has
clarified their roles
•
Teachers have begun to make students more
accessible for services
Phase III: Asking Questions
 Are there variables that can predict who is
likely to drop out as 9th graders?
 Can we use this data to identify effective
practices for serving these students?
 Can we identify students to target for
interventions who are likely to drop out as 9th
graders?
Identify Effective Practices for Serving Students
Predicted to Dropout in 9th Grade
 Data shows:
 At
one high school, 6% of students with
one of these risk factors dropped out;
 At another high school, nearly 25% of
students with one of these risk factors
dropped out.
What is the difference?
 What programs did these students
participate in?

How can you reduce the number of
students with these risk factors?
Increase success in Algebra:
Research shows that success in algebra varies
for high average (C+) students, based on 8th
grade math placement--%s of C+ students who
pass 2 college prep math classes:
2% of those placed in low track
23% of those placed in average track
91% of those placed in top track
High achieving White students are 3 times as
likely to be tracked into top classes, compared
with equivalent minority students.
Burris, Heubert, & Levin (2006). Accelerating mathematics achievement using
heterogeneous grouping. American Educational Research Journal, 43(1), pp. 105-136.
6. Determine what services are available
in your school–district–community
 Large schools offer many services
 Who knows all of the services?
 Counselors
 Social Workers–Nurses–Psychologists
 Teachers
 Administrators
 Parents
 Students
 How do you let students and parents know
about these services?
 The power of resource lists
Resource Checklist
5. Focus on Leadership,
Advocacy, Collaboration
 Need 1 person with a vision
 You’re here
 (This is you!)
 Expect difficult questions
 Answer questions within these categories
(leadership, advocacy, collaboration)
 All lead to Systemic Change
4. Develop a Long-Range Plan
 Be clear about your vision
 Create a 3-5 year
implementation plan
 Divide model into
manageable chunks
 Start wherever it makes the
most sense for your district
 Remember … accountability
takes time
WCPSS Recognition
(Implementation Plan)
 ¼ carat
 ½ carat
 ¾ carat
 Full carat!
(RAMP Ready)
What Level 1 (1/4 carat)
Schools Do . . .
Beginning of Year (by Nov. 9)
 Calendar (Including Suicide Prevention Activities MS & HS)
 Action Plans
 Management Agreement
 Resource Checklist
End of the Year (by June 15)
 Results Report (year end)
 Results Over Time
3. Accept the “Yeah, buts . . .”
 Learn from “probletunities*”
 Not everyone will embrace the
model
 Improve from their questions–
comments–complaints
 Acknowledge issues
 Won’t solve all the issues in one
year
 Look for solutions
 Keep Moving!
* from David Langford
2. Find Your Sardines!
 Some school counselors and administrators will
buy in immediately
 Only need 20% to get going
 Start with volunteers
Blue Whales
Blue
whales
take 3-5
minutes
to turn
180
degrees
Committed Sardines
from Doug Manning
If 15 – 20 %
commit
to a direction, all
others will turn
and go with them
almost
instantaneously!
Critical Mass!
1. The number one way to
prepare your school or
district to implement the
ASCA National Model …
Aren’t School Counselors
Amazing®?
Contact Information
Eric Sparks
American School Counselor Association
President
Wake County Public School System
919.858.1708
ericsparks4@aol.com