Missing the Forest for the Trees: Equity and Implementation of New York’s School Counseling Mandate

• In Event: Exploring the Role of School Counselors and Principals to Promote Equity and Inclusion in Schools

Abstract

Purpose
This study compares and contrasts the purpose of the amended New York State School Counseling Regulations concerning equity and access and the perspectives of school counselors and school leaders implementing the regulations.

Theoretical Framework
The New York State Education Department (NYSED) recognizes that the education of students from marginalized communities has been stained by, “a complex system of biases and structural inequities…deeply rooted in our country’s history, culture, and institutions” (NYSED, 2018). Recently, the Board of Regents adopted a Diversity, Equity, Inclusion Framework and Policy Statement to address inequities and promote social justice (NYSED, 2021). School districts were advised to adopt a multi-pronged approach to remedy this history of injustice, with initiatives spanning the domains of curriculum, social-emotional learning, family involvement, and professional learning.
School counselors are well positioned to perform key roles in the pursuit of social justice and antiracist goals (ASCA, 2022; Pica-Smith & Poynton, 2014). The school counselors’ role in an equity-based agenda aligns with the policies adopted in the most recent update of state regulations for school counseling (NYSED, 2017). The implementation of this mandate also provides opportunities for school counselors and school principals to develop and utilize social capital to confront institutional barriers impeding the success of all students (Authors, f). However, the distance between policy-as-conceived and policy-as-implemented can be great (Loveless, 2023).

Methods
This investigation draws upon multiple data sources from a series of current and recent studies exploring the impact of policy on the school counseling and school leader community. This paper explores the quantitative and qualitative findings in these studies and includes an analyses of participant comments from focus groups.

Data Sources
1465 survey research respondents, 460 qualitative open-ended responses, and 30 participated in the focus groups.

Results
Preliminary review of data reveals stark contrasts between the Board of Regents intentions to address inequities and racism in P-12 education and the lived experiences and implementation challenges shared by participants at the building level. Responses focus on the mechanics and regulatory expectations associated with compliance rather than the potential to leverage the mandate’s provisions to bolster the role of school counseling in confronting racism and promoting equity.

Scholarly Significance
While the NYSED mandates and ASCA Ethical Standards (2022) support an anti-racist and equity-based agenda for school improvement, the qualitative and quantitative responses of school counselors and school leaders demonstrate little recognition of these desired outcomes. Attention instead focused on practical aspects and impact challenges of implementation; not one of the of the written comments or points raised in the focus groups addressed the role of school counselor challenging institutional privilege or on equitable progress of students of color.
This study appears to confirm previous findings that policy mandates alone are not sufficient to ensure alignment in fidelity with broad policy goals. In New York, current changes in practices at the school level are focused on minimal compliance expectations. Professional development and intentional, sustained focus on goals are essential to connect the regulatory changes to address bias and racism in schools.
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Authors

• Carol A. Dahir, New York Institute of Technology

• Robert Feirsen, Manhattanville College