Examining the Impact of Regulatory Mandates on School Counselor and Building Leaders' Perceptions and Practices

• In Event: Creating Social Capital Through School Counselor-Principal Collaboration: Fostering Equitable and Accessible Student Learning Environments

Abstract

Objectives
The New York State Education Department (2016) recently updated regulations for school counseling practice going into effect in 2019. Prior to implementation, baseline data were collected from school counselors, building leaders, and counseling supervisors regarding the roles and expectations of practicing school counselors. With implementation underway, the purpose of this paper is to provide the results of a follow up survey to assess changes in perceptions among these three groups.

Theoretical Framework
School principals and school counselors potentially can forge a collaboration to provide equitable educational access and ultimately improve student outcomes. Traditionally, school counselors have shifted the focus of their work as deemed by their principals. Literature revealed that principals and school counselors, utilizing a traditional approach to school counseling do not engage in ongoing models of collaboration and partnership (Clemens et al., 2009; Gysbers & Henderson, 2012; Lashley & Stickl, 2016). Diverging views of the school counselor’s role as described by principals, school counselors, and counselor educators, continues the role identity dialogue. The College Board, NASSP, and ASCA have concurred that the success of a school counseling program, lies with the principal’s support and involvement (2009). The ASCA National Model (2019) urges collaborative goal setting as school counselors implement a comprehensive school counseling program.

Methods
This follow up study utilized the Assessment of School Counselor Needs for Professional Development (ASCNPD; 2019). Data analyses included descriptive and inferential statistics. Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was used to compare mean scores on each of the 65 sub-scale items for reported positions within their school district. The post-hoc Bonferroni analysis clarified the significant relationships between the participants’ identified positions per item.

Data Sources
The researchers utilized available list-serves from the 2018-19 school year to identify principals, supervisors of school counseling, and school counselors. At the time of distribution, fall 2020, no updated data bases were available. Despite three electronic reminders, only 1535 surveys out of approximately 14,000 requests were returned. All partially completed surveys were eliminated with a final N= 1041 and response rate of 7.4%.

Results
Preliminary analyses revealed that mean scores for 17 of the 65 items showed significant variance in relation to the participants’ position within their school. These recent results revealed a reduction in the number significant differences between and among groups. However, differences continue to persist among and between building administrators, school counselors and school counseling supervisors when analyzing school counselor priorities, roles, responsibilities, and expectations.

Scholarly Significance of the Study
New York State is in a potentially pivotal position to lead the nation in the implementation of comprehensive school counseling programs and demonstrate how mandates can lead to positive academic, social-emotional, and college and career readiness outcomes for K-12 students. However, for mandates to lead to meaningful change, it requires the commitment of both school leaders and school counselors to collaborate and come to consensus on roles, expectation, and perceptions. This study will contribute to the body of research that supports positive student outcomes as a result of school counselor and building leader collaboration.

Authors

• Carol A. Dahir, New York Institute of Technology

• Robert Feirsen, Manhattanville College

• Daniel Cinotti, New York Institute of Technology