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ACADEMICALLY
or the first time in recent history,
a majority (51%) of the nations
public school children come from
families living below, at, or not far
RESILIENT,
above the poverty line (Suitts, 2015).
More troubling than the high num-
ber of low-income students are the
long-term trends and impact of
LOW-INCOME
poverty on the academic achieve-
ment of students at all levels, pre-K
through college (Lacour & Tissington,
2011). For example, Reardon (2011)
found that the gap in standardized
STUDENTS
test scores between affluent and low
income students grew by 40% since
the 1960s. Reading scores data from
the National Association of Educa-
PERSPECTIVES OF
tional Progress (NAEP, 2011) contin-
ues to show that fourth graders who
were eligible for free or reduced lunch
scored 29 points lower than those not
HOW SCHOOL
eligible, and a similar pattern exists
for eighth graders (NCES, 2011).
Furthermore, according to the U.S.
Department of Education (USDOE,
COUNSELORS
2014b), from 1990 to 2012, the
status dropout rates (i.e., the percent-
age of 16- through 24-year-olds who
are not enrolled in school and have
ACADEMIC NEEDS
families with lower incomes. Similarly,
between 1990 and 2012, significant
gaps in college-going rates persisted
across income levels (USDOE, 2014a).
For instance, in 2012, the immediate
DOI: 10.5330/1096-2409-19.1.155
WHEN ASKED, MARGINALIZED STUDENTS HAVE MUCH TO need to succeed academically despite
exposure to adversity.
FINDINGS
care about them; without a caring rela- Stephanie noted that school coun-
tionship, nothing they say or do is going selors need to be more visible and let
to matter. Jacob shared that school people know what they do, apart from
The participants perspectives of what counselor[s] can show that they care by academic scheduling. Another stu-
school counselors can do to promote listening to and taking a personal inter- dent, Lauren, suggested that school
the academic achievement of students est in students and providing extra help counselors can find creative ways to be
from low-income backgrounds is pre- to students when necessary. Lauren more readily accessible to students and
sented below. These participants (iden- also described ways that teachers can families.
tified by pseudonyms) reflected three show that they care, such as being
main themes: (a) build meaningful respectful towards students and being Build on the Cultural
relationships, (b) build on the cultural warm and approachable. Wealth of Students
wealth of students, and (c) provide Challenge personal biases about Student participants emphasized the
mental health services in schools. Each poor students. Some of the partici- importance of finding ways to discover
theme had corresponding subthemes pants (n=14) indicated that school and mobilize low-income students
and is described below. counselors should challenge their strengths and resources related to
understandings of and attitude about their goals. The participants offered
Build Meaningful Relationships people in poverty. As Andreal stated, two examples of personal strengths
Students in the current study per- Im poor, not stupid. Sometimes I and resources that school counselors
ceived meaningful counselorstudent have to remind my friends and teach- can utilize to promote their academic
relationships as a protective factor ers about that. Another student, Jas- achievement: (a) nurturing aspirational
for students from low-income back- mine, mentioned that school personnel capital (i.e., the ability to maintain
grounds. According to these students, need to high hopes and dreams in the face of
such relationships are essential for real obstacles and barriers) and (b)
school counselors to learn about the do a better job of recognizing leveraging social capital (i.e., networks
challenges students from low-income poor students who have potential of people, contacts, and community
backgrounds face, help students for honors class, even if the stu- resources that enable the achievement
navigate those challenges, and show dent hasnt quite met the require- of goals).
students how much counselors care. ments. I feel like I get passed up Nurture students aspirational
Students also identified specific ways a lot because I live on the wrong capital. Participants (n=17) ex-
school counselors can build positive side of the tracks, per se. pressed the belief that school coun-
relationships with their students from selors should help nurture students
low-income backgrounds, such as (a) According to Malique, I feel like I hopes and dreams for themselves,
show students you care, (b) challenge have to work extra hard to prove that even in the face of struggle. Accord-
personal biases about poor students, I can compete with my friends whose ing to students, hopes and dreams
and (c) be visible and accessible. families have more money than I do. shape the choices they make and the
IMPLICATIONS
several methods counselors can use using academically resilient students
to promote and maintain school-wide and/or alumni to lead workshops,
FOR SCHOOL
intentions to reduce implicit bias, such serve on panels, and visit elementary
as: (a) setting goals related to implicit and middle schools, thereby reinforc-
COUNSELORS
bias at the school level, (b) develop- ing presenting students own aspira-
ing committees to address implicit tions and plans. School counselors
bias within the school community, (c) also can use professional development,
These findings have clear and direct setting aside specific funds and time common planning time, or school
implications for how elementary and for professional development related counselor-created incentives (e.g.,
middle school counselors can best to implicit bias, and (d) providing op- coffee talks) to educate teachers and
serve their students from low-income portunities to assess personal implicit school staff about the importance
backgrounds. First, school counselors biases and process the results. of setting high expectation for and
can work on school improvement Third, school counselors might con- nurturing the career and academic as-
teams (represented by school staff, sider sharing data with their adminis- piration of students from low-income
economically disadvantaged students, trators about non-school-counseling families and the barriers some students
and their families) to help schools cre- activities that affect their ability to may face.
ate focused, school-wide strategies to build relationships with and meet the Fifth, school counselors must meet
enhance conditions of care. Such strat- unique needs of students from eco- the needs of students in a way that
egies might include consulting with nomically disadvantaged backgrounds builds on the assets of students and
school personnel to create counseling, (ASCA, 2012). Presenting data to their communities. Community as-
academic, discipline, instructional, demonstrate the impact of specific in- set maps can be used to identify the
and classroom strategies and interven- terventions on individual students and resources (individual and community)
tions that create caring teacherstu- to inform administrators how coun- that are already available to students
dent relationships, or implementing selors are contributing to closing gaps (Griffin & Farris, 2010). Griffin
culturally relevant behavioral and and the mission of the school could and Farris (2010) provide a detailed
description of a four-step approach to
organizing and developing a communi-
SCHOOL COUNSELORS MUST MEET THE NEEDS OF ty asset map, including (a) developing
a multidisciplinary team, (b) examin-
STUDENTS IN A WAY THAT BUILDS ON THE ASSETS OF ing and assessing current and potential
resources, (c) contacting individual
STUDENTS AND THEIR COMMUNITIES. and community resources, and (d)
developing and maintaining a commu-
communicative strategies that relay help reduce the noncounseling tasks nity resource guide. Community asset
caring and support, high expectations, and fair-share responsibilities assigned mapping can enable school counselors
and affirmations for students from to school counselors (ASCA, 2012). to locate resources that meet the needs
low-income backgrounds (Britzman, School counselors should also create of students from low-income families.
2005; Cunningham & Sandhu, 2000; a plan to challenge the noncounseling Along the same lines, school coun-
Musheno & Talbert, 2002; Williams tasks assigned and develop the support selors should build alliances within the
& Bryan, 2013). needed to build relationships with school community with other student
CONCLUSION
support professionals to better serve
bias into counselor education.
the mental health needs of students
Counselor Education and Supervision,
in the school (DeKruyf, Auger, & 49, 210-227.
Trice-Black, 2013; Kaffenberger & It seems apparent that some students Boysen, G. A., & Vogel, D. L. (2008). The
ORorke-Trigiani, 2013). School coun- know what they need in order to relationship between level of training,
selors might also benefit from seeking succeed in school despite the pres- implicit bias, and multicultural
competency among counselor trainees.
additional training and clinical super- ence of adverse conditions associated
Training and Education in Professional
vision to improve the direct services with living in poverty. This qualitative Psychology, 2(2), 103-110.
offered and learn evidence-based skills inquiry revealed three powerful themes doi:10.1037/1931-3918.2.2.103
and strategies that can be used and and nine subthemes that came directly Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using
modified in school settings (Kaffen- from the students themselves and thematic analysis in psychology.
Qualitative research in psychology, 3(2),
berger & ORorke-Trigiani, 2013). indicate ways in which school counsel-
77-101. doi:10.1191/1478088706qp063oa
Last, small groups and classroom ors could more effectively assist these Britzman, M. (2005). Improving our moral
guidance lessons can be used to teach students. The voices of these students landscape via character education: An
everyday life skills that students from offer unique understanding of student opportunity for school counselor
low-income families need in order to achievement for high-achieving poor leadership. Professional School
Counseling, 8, 293-296.
effectively cope with the daily chal- students. Moreover, these comments
Constantine, M. G., & Sue, D. W. (2007).
lenges related to poverty. Many skills can serve as points of reflection for Perceptions of racial microaggressions
development groups incorporate ele- school counselors in evaluating their among black supervisees in cross-racial
ments of psychoeducational and sup- own professional dispositions, school dyads. Journal of Counseling
port; however, the primary goal is on counselor roles, school counseling Psychology, 54, 142-153.
doi:10.1037/0022-0167.54.2.142
building or strengthening behavioral programs, and efforts to promote
Cook-Sather, A. (2002) Authorizing
or cognitive resources to cope better in academic success among students from students perspectives: Toward trust,
their environment (Thompson, 2013). economically disadvantaged back- dialogue, and change in
grounds. n education.Educational Researcher, 4,
Limitations 3-14. doi:10.3102/0013189X031004003
Corwin, Z. B., Venegas, K. M., Oliverez, P.
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