Raising achievement test scores of early elementary school students through comprehensive school counseling programs

Professional School Counseling, June, 2003 by Christopher A. Sink, Heather R. Stroh

Glosoff and Koprowicz (1990) offered preliminary research findings in the area of elementary school counseling and its relationship to enhancing academic achievement, student retention rates, and children's socio-emotional behaviors, attitudes, and skills. However, research attesting to the potential efficacy of CSCPs as a scaffold for improving academic achievement, is scarce (House & Hayes, 2002). Program evaluation studies conducted in Missouri (see Gysbers, 2001; House & Hayes; Lapan, 2001, for summaries), and to a lesser extent in Utah (Nelson & Gardner, 1998), indicate that CSCPs can have a positive influence on various noncognitive and cognitive student outcomes, including achievement. It is unclear, however, whether CSCPs affect boys and girls differently. As such, these issues are examined in the current study.

CSCP studies tend to be correlational in nature and rely heavily on self-report surveys which measure student and staff perceptions of self-efficacy or change (Lapan, Gysbers, Multon, & Pike, 1997). For instance, in a large state-wide study of seventh-graders (13- to 14-year-olds), Lapan, Gysbers, and Petroski (2001) reported that in more fully implemented comprehensive school counseling programs, no matter what the socio-economic status (SES) of the surrounding community, middle school students "felt" they were doing better in school (earning higher marks) and were safer. These results appear to be largely consistent with previous CSCP studies conducted by Gysbers, Lapan, Hughey, and their research colleagues (e.g., Hughey, Gysbers, & Starr, 1993; Lapan, Gysbers, Hughey, & Arni, 1993; Lapan, Gysbers, & Sun 1997). Other research reviewed in the school counseling literature support these findings (Borders & Drury, 1992; Whiston, 2003; Whiston & Sexton, 1998).

To recap, initial research has shown that CSCPs are making a difference in students' lives. Modest improvements have been reported largely by secondary students across a variety of developmental domains. The literature, however, has provided little direct evidence that academic achievement is improving in schools with a well-established CSCE In addition, there is a paucity of research conducted using elementary school students. The findings reported here from a large investigation conducted in Washington state's elementary schools begin to fill this void.

RESEARCH AIM AND HYPOTHESES

In this causal comparative study, we attempt to answer in part this broad question: Does school counselors' work in elementary schools with well-established CSCPs promote higher academic achievement in students? To respond to this research query, the following alternative hypotheses were examined: (1) After accounting for SES differences, third and fourth grade students enrolled in elementary schools with a CSCP will significantly out perform those children who were attending schools with no systemic guidance and counseling program on various formal measures of academic achievement (e.g., reading, mathematics, and listening); (2) After accounting for SES differences, third and fourth grade students enrolled continuously (3 or more years) in elementary schools with at least 5 years of CSCP implementation (i.e., a well-established CSCP) will significantly out perform those children who were attending schools with no systemic guidance and counseling program on various formal measures of academic achievement; (3) After accounting for student differences in SES, there are significant gender differences across achievement domains in schools with or without a well-established CSCP.