Exploring the Role of School Counselors and Principals to Promote Equity and Inclusion in Schools

Session Type: Symposium

Abstract

Data can assist school counselors and principals to uncover the systemic policies, procedures, interventions, and services that may perpetuate bias (Beasley & Ieva, 2022). School counselors and principals can lead efforts to unite school stakeholders to create change in fighting against racism. In this symposium, we discuss how school counselors and principals may work together, as co-conspirators, with school stakeholders to ensure all PK-12 students have access to comprehensive school counseling programs to support their needs. This symposium includes three paper presentations by school counseling and educational leadership faculty. The paper presentations represent qualitative and mixed-methods methodologies with a focus on equitable and inclusive practices of school counselors and principals as they collaborate to combat inequities and biases in schools.

Sub Unit

• Division E - Counseling and Human Development / Division E - Section 1: Counseling

Chair

• Rachel L. Geesa, Ball State University

Papers

• Missing the Forest for the Trees: Equity and Implementation of New York’s School Counseling Mandate - Carol A. Dahir, New York Institute of Technology; Robert Feirsen, Manhattanville College

• Equity of Access to Comprehensive School Counseling: Examining Arkansas' School Counseling Improvement Act of 2019 - Christopher E. Trombly, Southern Connecticut State University; Pam Dixon, Arkansas Tech University

• Exploring Equity and Access in Iowa Schools Through School Counselor–Principal–Teacher Collaboration - Rachel L. Geesa, Ball State University; Rochelle Lea Maynard, Morningside University; Sherri Barrow, Ball State University

Discussant

• Cameka Hazel, New York Institute of Technology - CUNY