Alvord High School

Comprehensive Developmental Guidance Program

AHS Counseling Department
2015 2016

Comprehensive Developmental Guidance Program

Part I. Foundations of the CDGP
Advisory Team
An advisory team is a group of stakeholders and school employees that is assembled to
review and advise on behalf of the school counseling program (ASCA, 2012). This group offers
support, feedback, and evaluates the program and works together to make sure everything
follows the school counseling program. In many situations, this team/council will meet at a
minimum of twice a year and each time minutes are taken and an agenda is followed.
The ASCA National Model advises that when working to set up the advisory team, school
counselors should consider items such as goals and objectives, representation, size, appropriate
candidates, chairperson, terms of membership, agenda and minutes, first meeting, and additional
meetings (ASCA, 2012). This team should consist of a minimum of eight members and a
maximum of 20 members. The advisory team would consist of:

School Principal
Influential teachers
Parents representing diverse populations
School Board members, if interested

School Mission Statement

A schools mission statement should provide the school districts plan and purpose as well as
outline its core values. Administrators, teachers, and even parents can use this statement as they
can read to see if this school district has the values and plans that they would like for their child
to experience. This mission statement for Alvord High School states: It is the purpose and
mission of the Alvord Independent School District to provide all students with a safe educational
program which will allow them to develop to their full potential intellectually, physically, and

socially in order to be responsible citizens and contributing members of society. Inherent within
this purpose and mission is the belief that all students can learn and that the school, the home,
and the community can make a difference in the lives of its students (Alvord ISD, 2014).
Counseling Program Mission Statement
The importance of the school counseling mission statement is to help keep the program
focused on the ideas that are already established in the school districts mission statement. It also
helps to create structure for the program as well as creates one vision within the school (ASCA,
2012). The counseling mission statement for Alvord High School states: By participating in our
school counseling program, all learners will be inspired, motivated, and supported for present
and future success.
Personal Counselors Mission Statement
The importance of a personal counselor mission statement is to help myself stay focused
on the beliefs about helping students without losing ground when I am confronted with a difficult
situation. It is also important to provide clarity about my role as a professional school counselor
by laying the guidelines for who school counselors are, how we work, and our roles and
responsibilities to helping students become successful. This statement will again be a daily
reminder to myself as a school counselor regarding my expectations to the students and faculty
and staff of Alvord High School.
ASCA Standards
The American School Counselor Associations (ASCA) School Counselor Competencies
(2012) that align with section of information are as follows:
I. School Counseling Programs - School counselors should possess the knowledge, abilities,
skills and attitudes necessary to plan, organize, implement and evaluate a comprehensive,
developmental, results-based school counseling program that aligns with the ASCA National
Model.

I-B: Abilities and Skills - An effective school counselor is able to accomplish measurable
objectives demonstrating the following abilities and skills.
I-B-1a. Creates a vision statement examining the professional and personal competencies
and qualities a school counselor should possess
I-B-1d. Describes, defines and identifies the qualities of an effective school counseling
program.
I-B-1e. Describes the benefits of a comprehensive school counseling program for all
stakeholders, including students, parents, teachers, administrators, school boards,
department of education, school counselors, counselor educators, community
stakeholders and business leaders
II. Foundations - School counselors should possess the knowledge, abilities, skills and
attitudes necessary to establish the foundations of a school counseling program aligning with
the ASCA National Model.
II-A. Knowledge - School counselors should articulate and demonstrate an understanding of:
II-A-1. Beliefs and philosophy of the school counseling program that align with current
school improvement and student success initiatives at the school, district and state
level
II-B. Abilities and Skills - An effective school counselor is able to accomplish measurable
objectives demonstrating the following abilities and skills.
II-B-1.
Develops the beliefs and philosophy of the school counseling program that align
with current school improvement and student success initiatives at the school,
district and state level
II-B-1a. Examines personal, district and state beliefs, assumptions and philosophies about
student success, specifically what they should know and be able to do
II-B-1b. Demonstrates knowledge of a schools particular education philosophy and
mission
II-B-1c. Conceptualizes and writes a personal philosophy about students, families,
teachers, school counseling programs and the education process consistent with
the schools education philosophy and mission
II-B-2.
Develops a school counseling mission statement aligning with the school, district
and state mission
II-B-2a. Critiques a school district mission statement and identifies or writes a mission
statement aligning with beliefs
II-B-2b. Writes a school counseling mission statement that is specific, concise, clear and
comprehensive, describing a school counseling programs purpose and a vision of
the programs benefits every student
II-B-2c. Communicates the philosophy and mission of the school counseling program to all
appropriate stakeholders
II-B-3.
Uses student standards, such as ASCA Student Standards, and district or state
standards, to drive the implementation of a comprehensive school counseling
program.
IV. Management School counselors should possess the knowledge, abilities, skills and
attitudes necessary to manage a school counseling program aligning with the ASCA National
Model

IV-B. Abilities and Skills An effective school counselor is able to accomplish measurable
objectives demonstrating the following abilities and skills.
IV-B-2. Establishes and convenes an advisory council for the comprehensive school
counseling program
IV-B-2a. Uses leadership skills to facilitate vision and positive change for the
comprehensive school counseling program
IV-B-2b. Determines appropriate education stakeholders who should be represented on the
advisory council
IV-B-2c. Develops meeting agendas
IV-B-2d. Reviews school data, school counseling program audit and school counseling
program goals with the council
IV-B-2e. Records meeting notes and distributes as appropriate
IV-B-2f. Analyzes and incorporates feedback from advisory council related to school
counseling program goals as appropriate
Part II: Understanding the Importance of CDGP Components
Needs Assessment Summary
To be able to evaluate the needs of the students in the school, school counselors must
develop the campus needs assessment. This assessment is necessary to create and analyze in
order to establish goals that are data driven. This tool is important to have in the early part of the
planning process (Dollarhide & Saginak, 2012). School counselors use the data collected to
determine the interventions that need to occur on their campus such as small group sessions,
presentations or workshops, classroom guidance lessons, school wide initiatives and even
professional development initiatives to work through the campus needs assessment. School
counselors who closely monitor, through evaluation, the effects that programs and interventions
are having on factors that directly associate with learning and attainment are providing
invaluable information for sustaining their role within schools (Dollarhide & Saginak, 2012, p.
114).
Alvord High School is one of three campuses in Alvord Independent School District.
The district is located approximately 10 miles north of Decatur, Texas and has approximately 700
students with 218 students being in the high school. Alvord High School offers many research-

based programs such as dual-credit, Advanced Placement (AP), and Honor courses. The high
school also offers credit recovery programs and STAAR remediation classes. These help the
students whom were not successful on the states standardized exams.
Alvord High School is predominately composed of middle class European American
families. The breakdown of each student demographic is likely not the same as a large school
district in the metropolitan area. The race and ethnicity of AHS is the following: 84%
Caucasian, 15% Hispanic, and 1% African American. The high school population is made up of
51% male and 49% female. Of this population, 25 total students are involved in the Gifted &
Talented (GT) program, 16 students are served under the special education umbrella while 30 are
served under the 504 umbrella, and of these students 5 students meet the needs and are served as
English Language Learners (ELL) through the schools English as a Second Language (ESL)
program. As far as the faculty and staff is concerned, the population is 99% Caucasian with 30%
male and 70% female. Majority of the teachers on this campus have at least five years of
teaching experience and 100% are considered highly qualified teachers.
Assessment Instruments
This section focuses on the instruments needed to complete the comprehensive needs
assessment. These assessments may be conducted through surveys, which can easily be done in
person, by e-mail, online, or by mail. Online surveys such as Survey Monkey or Zoomerang are
often used at the district where I currently work. These online surveys are cost effective and
allow school counselors to collect responses to a large number of questions quickly, easily
summarize results and data, assure participants are anonymous, and receive results due to the
ease of the survey.

Interviews are another form of evaluation that can often be completed. This can either
occur face-to-face or through some means of technology such as phone or computer. The
benefits of conducting an interview are depth of information is greater than any other form of
assessment due to the interviewee being able to ask more and more questions to find out more
information and messages can be communicated more clearly.
Using focus groups as an assessment is a great way to collect data. The advantages to
using this as a needs assessment are it is efficient and inexpensive and attendees can take the
dialogue that occurs and turn into other discussion questions. This is great due to the nature and
feeling of security of the group. It is not just a one-on-one situation, but also a group of people
sitting together and discussing the needs.
Personal observation is the final assessment that can be used to create data for the needs
assessment. This type of assessment can easily be completed, as they can be formal, where
guidelines are set forth, or informal where someone just looks in to see what is going on in the
classroom or guidance session. An advantage of this type of assessment is they are easy to
implement.
Guidance Curriculum
Guidance curriculum includes classroom guidance lessons, large-group activities, and
structured small-group guidance (Dollarhide & Saginak, 2012, p. 212). This type of curriculum
is great for school counselors to get to know the students they are servicing and they are able to
create a rapport with them. Four reasons to show that using guidance curriculum is important
are:

Developmentally appropriate classroom lessons (Academic lessons, career

lessons, or personal/social lessons).

Group counseling activities.

Parent resources (workshops on student transitions from elementary to middle

school or middle school to high school).

Rachels Challenge (educates teachers and students on creating a safe learning
environment, which is also caring and supportive, and proven to improve
academic learning).

Responsive Services
Responsive services include activities that meet the immediate needs and concerns of
students and include consultation, personal counseling, crisis counseling, and referrals to
community services (Dollarhide & Saginak, 2012, p. 212). Four reasons that responsive
services are important to the CDGP are:

Meeting the immediate needs and concerns of all students (Dollarhide & Saginak,

2012).
Consultation includes working with all stakeholders (Dollarhide & Saginak,

2012).
Personal Counseling includes meeting the needs of not only individual students
but small group students as well (anger management, grief, divorce) (Dollarhide

& Saginak, 2012).

Crisis Counseling is counseling that occurs when a student has experienced the
death of a friend or family member (Dollarhide & Saginak, 2012).

Individual Planning

Individual planning occurs with the counselor and one student, or a small group of
students whom are struggling with any issues that might affect their academic performance
(Dollarhide & Saginak, 2012). The four components of individual planning are:

Consulting with the students parent or guardian to make referrals as necessary.

Individual counseling based on lessons that can be found online relating to dating

violence or rape.
Presenting large group classroom counseling sessions to help students work

through test anxiety.

Structured small group counseling sessions dealing with grief if the student
population has experienced a death.

Program Support
Program support of the comprehensive school guidance and counseling program consists
of services and management activities that establish, maintain, and enhance the comprehensive
developmental guidance plan. This support indirectly benefits the students but at the same time
provides feedback and data to the stakeholders to assure the delivery of a strong counseling
program. Program support is important as the school counselor often serves as the campus
testing (STAAR) coordinator. In this role, the counselor is able to provide data and information
that is very useful to administrators, teachers, and even stakeholders. The school counselor is
also responsible for providing staff development or meetings on ADD/ADHD or any other
disorder that seems to occur often at his or her campus. Being a participant on school leadership
teams is another support the school counselor can participate in. By serving on a leadership team
or other campus collaboration team, the counselor can help to influence positive behavior
intervention strategies. Finally, the counselor is responsible for planning and coordinating any
At-Risk and Response to Intervention (RTI) programs.
ASCA Standards

The ASCAs School Counselor Competencies (2012) that align with section of
information are as follows:
III. Delivery School counselors should possess the knowledge, abilities, skills and attitudes
necessary to deliver a school counseling program aligning with the ASCA National Model.
III-B. Abilities and Skills An effective school counselor is able to accomplish measurable
objectives demonstrating the following abilities and skills.
III-B-1. Implements the school counseling core curriculum
III-B-1a. Crosswalks ASCA Student Standards with appropriate guidance curriculum
III-B-1b. Develops and presents a developmental guidance curriculum addressing all
students needs, including closing-the-gap activities
III-B-1c. Demonstrates classroom management and instructional skills
III-B-1d. Develops materials and instructional strategies to meet student needs and school
goals
III-B-1e. Encourages staff involvement to ensure the effective implementation of the school
guidance curriculum
III-B-1f. Knows, understands and uses a variety of technology in the delivery of school
counseling core curriculum activities
III-B-1g. Understands multicultural and pluralistic trends when developing and choosing
school counseling core curriculum
III-B-1h. Understands the resources available for students with special needs
III-B-2. Facilitates individual student planning
III-B-2a. Understands individual student planning as a component of a comprehensive
program
III-B-2b. Develops strategies to implement individual student planning, such as strategies for
appraisal, advisement, goal-setting, decision-making, social skills, transition or post
secondary planning
III-B-2c. Helps students establish goals, and develops and uses planning skills in
collaboration with parents or guardians and school personnel
III-B-2d. Understands career opportunities, labor market trends, and global economics, and
uses various career assessment techniques to assist students in understanding their
abilities and career interests
III-B-2e. Helps students learn the importance of college and other post-secondary education
and helps students navigate the college admissions process
III-B-2f. Understands the relationship of academic performance to the world of work, family
life and community service
III-B-2g. Understands methods for helping students monitor and direct their own learning
and personal/social and career development
III-B-3. Provides responsive services
III-B-3a. Understands how to make referrals to appropriate professionals when necessary
III-B-3b. Lists and describes interventions used in responsive services, such as consultation,
individual and small-group counseling, crisis counseling, referrals and peer
facilitation
III-B-3c. Compiles resources to utilize with students, staff and families to effectively address
issues through responsive services.

III-B-3d.

Understands appropriate individual and small-group counseling theories and

techniques such as rational emotive behavior therapy, reality therapy, cognitivebehavioral therapy, Adlerian, solution-focused brief counseling, person-centered
counseling and family systems

IV. Management School counselors should possess the knowledge, abilities, skills and
attitudes necessary to manage a school counseling program aligning with the ASCA National
Model.
IV-B. Abilities and Skills An effective school counselor is able to accomplish measurable
objectives demonstrating the following abilities and skills.
IV-B-3. Collects, analyzes and interprets relevant data, including process, perception and
outcome data, to monitor and improve student behavior and achievement
Part III: Goal Setting
Goal I: To create and maintain a learning environment that recognizes and supports a diverse
population
Action Plan
An action plan is meant to support the school guidance program and encourages
participation from many people such as administrators, school counselors, teachers, support staff,
students, and community members. An action plan will include analyzing and disaggregating
data from previous years STAAR scores and current campus assessments to identify students
needs. By using this data, the advisory council will be able to target these students and get them
the additional help needed, in addition to remedial classes already offered. Members out side of
the school setting can work to create tutoring sessions or success clubs for the students to attend
outside of the regular school day. In addition to this work, the following plans must occur for
student success:

Attendance rates for students whom fail should increase by a minimum of 5%.
Student performance will reflect improvement on state and local exams.
Student enrollment in post-secondary education will increase.

Program Indicators

Low income or minority students will be encouraged to participate in advanced

or dual-credit courses.
An increase in student achievement regarding test scores for subpopulations.
Students will engage in appropriate behavior resulting in decreased discipline

referrals, expulsions, and suspensions.

Students will be offered additional study courses to help them be successful on

STAAR, SAT, ACT, and PSAT exams.

Support systems will be organized to help ensure students academic, social,
emotional, and physical well-being.

Student Competencies
1. Students will identify attitudes and behaviors that lead to successful learning
(Standard A:A1.5) (ASCA, 2004).
2. Students will demonstrate how effort and persistence positively affect learning
(Standard A:A2.2) (ASCA, 2004).

Program Evaluation
By assessing numerous areas and having program accountability, school counselors are
able to look and see if the school counseling program is doing what it is intended to do which is
help students. There are many methods that can be evaluated such as how many students receive
counseling services, how long are each of these sessions, and what materials are used in the
sessions. The school counselor is able to use data from the school counseling program to
determine what is working, what is not, and what changes, if any, need to be made.
The measurement instruments for assessment will be as follows:

Analyze and compare/contrast student attendance rates

Career and Technical Education (CATE), Dual-credit, Advanced Placement (AP),

and Pre-AP enrollment numbers at the campus

STAAR, SAT, ACT, and PSAT scores
Student transcripts

The baseline, follow-up information, and evaluation plan will be as follows:

Analyze attendance rates and set a goal that students will maintain an attendance

of 95% or higher.
Review enrollment numbers and work to increase numbers, if possible.
Review STAAR, SAT, ACT, and PSAT data. Set goals that are specific to each

test to where the student will meet mastery.

Sort through transcripts and make sure every concept is covered and the student is

on the right graduation plan.

Discuss evaluation plan with the stakeholders and other important members a
minimum of once a year.

ASCA Standards
The ASCAs School Counselor Competencies (2012) that align with section of
information are as follows:
V. Accountability School counselors should possess the knowledge, abilities, skills and
attitudes necessary to monitor and evaluate the processes and results of a school counseling
program aligning with the ASCA National Model.
V-A. Knowledge School counselors should articulate and demonstrate an understanding of:
V-A-1.
Basic concept of results-based school counseling and accountability issues
V-A-2.
Basic research and statistical concepts to read and conduct research.
V-A-3.
Use of data to evaluate program effectiveness and to determine program needs
V-A-4.
Program audits and results reports
V-B. Abilities and Skills An effective school counselor is able to accomplish measurable
objectives demonstrating the following abilities and skills:
V-B-1.
Uses data from results reports to evaluate program effectiveness and to determine
program needs
V-B-2.
Understands and advocates for appropriate school counselor performance appraisal
process based on school counselors competencies and implementation of the school
counseling core curriculum and agreed-upon action plans
V-B-3.
Conducts a program assessment

V-B-3c.

Identifies areas for improvement or the school counseling program

V-C. Attitudes School counselors believe:

V-C-1.
School counseling programs should achieve demonstrable results
V-C-2.
School counselors should be accountable for the results of the school counseling
programs
V-C-3.
School counselors should use quantitative and qualitative data to evaluate their
school counseling program and to demonstrate program results
V-C-4.
The results of the school counseling program should be analyzed and presented in
the context of the overall school and district performance

Part IV: Goal Setting

Goal II: Students will work towards meeting post secondary goals and plans that support a
diverse population.
Action Plan
An action plan is meant to support the school guidance program and encourages
participation from many people such as administrators, school counselors, teachers, support staff,
students, and community members. An action plan will include analyzing and disaggregating
data from previous years STAAR scores and current campus assessments to identify students
needs. In addition to this work, the following plans must occur for student success:

Students will have a decrease of 5% in course failures.

Discipline referrals, expulsions, and suspensions will decrease by 5%.
Student performance will reflect improvement on state and local exams.
Student enrollment in post-secondary education will increase by 5%.

Program Indicators

Low income or minority students will be encouraged to participate in advanced

or dual-credit courses.
An increase in student achievement regarding test scores for subpopulations.

Students will engage in appropriate behavior resulting in decreased discipline

referrals, expulsions, and suspensions.

Students will be offered additional study courses to help them be successful on

STAAR, SAT, ACT, and PSAT exams.

Support systems will be organized to help ensure students academic, social,
emotional, and physical well-being.

c) Student Competencies
1. Students will develop and implement annual plan of study to maximize academic
ability and achievement (Standard B: A:B2:3) (ASCA, 2004).
2. Students will identify post-secondary options consistent with interests, achievement,
aptitude and abilities (Standard B: A:B2.7) (ASCA, 2004).
Program Evaluation
The measurement instruments that should be used for this assessment are:

STAAR, SAT, ACT, and PSAT scores

Career Interest Survey (Kuder, Career Cruising, etc.)
Student transcripts
TSI Assessment - Accuplacer

The baseline, follow-up information, and evaluation plan will be as follows:

Decrease in college or post secondary plans of 3% or more.

Decrease in career readiness numbers.
Review STAAR, SAT, ACT, and PSAT data. Set goals that are specific to each

test to where the student will meet mastery.

Sort through transcripts and make sure every concept is covered and the student is

on the right graduation plan.

Decrease in student achievement on TSI of 3% or more.
Discuss evaluation plan with the stakeholders and other important members a
minimum of once a year.

ASCA Standards
The ASCA School Counselor Competencies (2012) that align with section of information
are as follows:
V. Accountability School counselors should possess the knowledge, abilities, skills and
attitudes necessary to monitor and evaluate the processes and results of a school counseling
program aligning with the ASCA National Model.
V-A. Knowledge School counselors should articulate and demonstrate an understanding of:
V-A-1.
Basic concept of results-based school counseling and accountability issues
V-A-2.
Basic research and statistical concepts to read and conduct research
V-A-3.
Use of data to evaluate program effectiveness and to determine program needs
V-A-4.
Program audits and results reports
V-B. Abilities and Skills An effective school counselor is able to accomplish measurable
objectives demonstrating the following abilities and skills.
V-B-2.
Understands and advocates for appropriate school counselor performance appraisal
process based on school counselors competencies and implementation of the school
counseling core curriculum and agreed-upon action plans
V-B-3.
Conducts a program assessment
V-B-3a. Completes a program assessment to compare current school counseling program
implementation with the ASCA National Model
V-B-3b. Shares the results of the program assessment with administrators, the advisory
council and other appropriate stakeholders
V-B-3c. Identifies areas for improvement for the school counseling program
Part V: Sharing Results
Disseminating Results
As a school counselor, it is important to share the benefits of how the comprehensive
developmental guidance plan with all stakeholders. They should also focus on the year in
regards to academic, career, and personal/social development. The way this data is presented is a
huge factor that the counselor must consider. He or she should rarely just hand out the numbers
on a piece of white paper. Many times people understand things more by seeing the data in a
PowerPoint with charts and graphs or on colored paper with charts and graphs explaining what
the data is and what it means to them.

Each individual stakeholder can obviously use the data that is shared with these
stakeholders in different ways. Administration and teachers need to know how well each
individual student performed academically, as well as each classification/course as a whole, so
that they can work with these students to prepare them for next year, or to celebrate these
students for their success. Parents and other community members can use this information to see
about his or her son or daughter and see what they need to focus on over the summer to become
successful the next school year. Having your program visible and recognized across groups and
disciplines informs, promotes, and substantiates you as an accountable school counselor and a
professional leader in the field (Dollarhide & Saginak, 2012, p. 113).
ASCA Standards
The ASCAs School Counselor Competencies (2012) that align with section of
information are as follows:
V. Accountability School counselors should possess the knowledge, abilities, skills and
attitudes necessary to monitor and evaluate the processes and results of a school counseling
program aligning with the ASCA National Model.
V-B. Abilities and Skills An effective school counselor is able to accomplish measurable
objectives demonstrating the following abilities and skills.
V-B-1g. Reports program results to the school counseling community
V-B-1h. Uses data to demonstrate the value the school counseling program adds to student
achievement
V-B-3b. Shares the results of the program assessment with administrators, the advisory
council and other appropriate stakeholders
V-C. Attitudes School counselors believe:
V-C-3.
School counselors should use quantitative and qualitative data to evaluate their
school counseling program and to demonstrate program results
V-C-4.
The results of the school counseling program should be analyzed and presented in
the context of the overall school and district performance

References
Alvord Independent School District. (2014). Alvord High School Campus Improvement Plan.

Retrieved from
http://images.pcmac.org/Uploads/AlvordISD/AlvordISD/Divisions/DocumentsCategories
/Documents/13-14%20CIP%20Alvord%20High%20School.pdf
American School Counselor Association. (2012). The ASCA national model: A framework for
school counseling programs. (3rd ed.). Alexandria, VA: Author.
American School Counselor Association. (2004). ASCA national standards for students.
Alexandria, VA: Author.
Dollarhide, C. T. & Saginak, K. A. (2012). Comprehensive school counseling programs: K-12
delivery systems in action. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
Erford, B.T. (2015). Transforming the school counseling profession. (4th ed.). Upper
Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education Inc.