Importance of the CACREP school counseling standards: school counselors' perceptions - Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs

Professional School Counseling, Dec, 2002 by Cheryl Holcomb-McCoy, Julia Bryan, Stephanie Rahill

There are several implications for counseling research which are evident from this study. First, a replication of this study should be implemented with a sample including existing school counselors from across the United States who are members and nonmembers of ASCA. Since the sample in this study consists of only ASCA members, the results can only be generalized to school counselors who choose to join ASCA. Second, further studies examining the relationship between the CACREP standards and school counselor effectiveness is needed. Additional research designed to determine if the standards improve the quality of services rendered by school counselors would be advantageous. For instance, comparing students' perceived effectiveness of graduates of CACREP-approved programs with graduates of non-CACREP approved programs might provide useful data regarding the relationship between the CACREP standards and school counselor effectiveness. Third, further research regarding school counselor education and school setting (i.e., elementary, middle, high schools) is warranted. If the results of this study are accurate, then it is possible that the preparation of school counselors should be based on the setting in which the counselor will work. Although this is not a new phenomenon (Morse & Russell, 1988), research should be implemented to further examine this issue. And finally, further exploration of knowledge and skill domains necessary for effective school counseling practice are needed. Although this study's findings suggest that there are four factors or domains underlying the CACREP standards, it is possible that there are more or less than four. More studies should be implemented that investigate the underlying skill and knowledge base necessary for the many activities in which school counselors engage.

SUMMARY

The results of this study provide a more clear description of school counseling's professional identity by supporting the knowledge and skill base upon which school counseling programs are accredited. Through examination of the CACREP knowledge and skill areas one can easily see the dual influence of both counseling (e.g., Ability to implement individual and group counseling for children and adolescents) and education (e.g., Knowledge of the school setting and curriculum) in school counseling. This dual orientation has historically placed school counseling in a position to advocate both as a specialty area within counseling and as a related profession among the family of education disciplines (e.g., teacher education, special education). These overlapping relationships have also served to acknowledge both the uniqueness of school counseling and the shared or common bond school counselors have with the larger counseling and education communities.

APPENDIX

1. Knowledge of philosophy, history, and trends in school counseling.

2. Ability to relate school counseling training to the academic and student services program in the school.

3. Knowledge of role and function of the school counselor in conjunction with the roles of other professional and support personnel in the school.