RISCA Toolkit Approach: Implementing School Counseling Programs

1. The RISCAToolkits Approachto Implementing Comprehensive School Counseling Programs

2. Primary Goalsfor Our Profession • Comprehensive school counseling programs, based on the ASCA National Model, are implemented in all schools • All students achieve the ASCA National Standards

3. How We Got Started • Began in Providence (RI) Public Schools by focusing on four building blocks: • District Framework for School Counseling • Administrative Handbook • Strategic and Annual Implementation plans • Professional Development Program • This process evolved into the RISCA Toolkits Approach to Implementing Comprehensive School Counseling Programs based on the ASCA model

4. Why Use the Toolkits Approach? • Answers the question: What do I do tomorrow to implement a comprehensive School counseling program based on the ASCA National Model? • Provides structured processes, clearly defined protocols and easy-to-use tools to capture and organize the results of your work • Produces quality documentation that can be used to promote the value of school counseling to student success and the health of the school community

5. 1—Strategic and Annual Planning 2—Essential Counseling Program 3—School Counseling Data Management 4—Professional Development Program 5—Family and Community Engagement 6—Program Implementation Management 7—Individual Counselors Planning for Results 8—Individual Student Learning Plans Eight Toolkits

6. 1—Strategic Plan and Annual Implementation plans 2—Curriculum Framework for School Counseling 3—Data reports on the impact of your counseling program and SPARCs 4—Professional Development program, modules and PD calendar 5—Plan for engaging families and community, and building partnerships 6—Counseling Department administrative handbook 7—Individual counselor plans for the school year 8—Individual Learning Plan program for students All Toolkits Produce Products

7. All Toolkits Consistof a Series of Steps • Each step is designed to help you reflect on your practice and dialog with your colleagues regarding the topic of the toolkit • Each step contributes to the final products produced by the toolkit

8. Step 1 in Each Toolkit is a Visitto the “Toolkit Welcome Center” • Four tasks are completed at the Welcome Center: • Assemble a work group • Gain knowledge about the focus of the toolkit • Assess the strengths and weaknesses of your current approach • Develop a plan for using the toolkit in your school and district

9. What You Will Do in Each Toolkit • The following slides identify the steps involved in each toolkit • Each step can involve one or more tools • Step 1 (Welcome Center) is assumed—the slides begin with step 2 • Completing all toolkits will establish the infrastructure for implementing comprehensive school counseling programs in your school and district

10. Toolkit 1—Strategic and Annual Planning • Examine the major forces impacting your school counseling program • Learn how to implement a complete planning cycle • Produce a strategic plan • Produce annual implementation plans • Implement your plan and monitor progress • Produce accountability reports based on your strategic and annual plans

11. Toolkit 2—Essential Counseling Program • Define your essential counseling program (based on four components of delivery system in ASCA National Model) • Develop a scope and sequence for your counseling curriculum • Define expected results for curriculum activities and align them with standards • Document your essential counseling curriculum • Produce a curriculum framework for school counseling for your district

12. Toolkit 3—School Counseling Data Management • Develop a School Counseling Data Management Program for assessing : • Student progress towards standards • The impact of implementing your school counseling program • Explore the CSCOR and EZAnalyze Web sites • Use data to respond to mandates (e.g., RI’s Commissioner's Review) • Produce a SPARC for your school and district

13. Toolkit 4—Professional Development Program • Develop a Professional Development (PD) program for school counselors • Publish a School Counseling PD calendar • Document PD modules

14. Toolkit 5—Family and Community Engagement • Develop plan for engaging families and community • Develop plan for developing/ enhancing partnerships (e.g., government agencies, higher education, business community) • Publish a handbook for family, community and partnerships

15. Toolkit 6—Program Implementation Management • Define and document school counselor roles and responsibilities • Define and document policies and protocols related to school counseling • Standardize processes and forms, where appropriate • Maintain logs of implementation activities • Produce an administrative handbook for school counseling

16. Toolkit 7—Individual Counselors Planning for Results • Produce individual counselor plans for the school year • Compile points to discuss with your department head and/or principal • Identify barriers to achieving results and strategies for overcoming them

17. Toolkit 8—Individual Learning Plans • Develop an Individual Learning Plan (ILP) program for your school and/or district • Develop materials to use with the ILP • Gather data that demonstrates student progress toward counseling standards • Gather data that demonstrates the impact of planning on student achievement

18. What Works for Us • Central coordinating function is key • Completing the toolkits implements a comprehensive counseling program • Professional development is ongoing and reinforces common themes • On-site visits to schools are effective for professional development • Districts have realistic and manageable targets to achieve during the year

19. Coaches Program • Goal is to have at least one counselor in every district trained in the use of the toolkits • Coaches are a primary link between RISCA (a statewide organization) and counselors in the schools • Coaches provide on-site technical assistance in how to implement comprehensive school counseling programs

20. Commissioner’s Review Process • Schools are required to demonstrate how they are using comprehensive school counseling to support and personalize student learning • RISCA provides technical assistance and tools to help counselors participate in this process

21. How Did/Will We Fund This? • School-to-Career and Perkins Grants • Fees for Professional Development events • A whole lot of in-kind contributions • Toolkits and EZAnalyze are free • RISCA is submitting grant proposals • You will find a donation box at the back door

22. What We Have Learned • These are essential: • A community of dialog and self-reflection • Leadership and ownership • Front-end planning • Facilitated process • Short and long-term goals • A smorgasbord of tools to use (jump in anywhere)

23. The Bottom Line • A community of dialog and self-reflection • We must reflect on our practice • We must talk with each other about how to improve our practice • Building this community requires common goals that are achieved through shared experiences • The RISCA Toolkits are the vehicles through which this community is built

24. How Do YOU Get Started?Decide What Toolkits to Use • Toolkits for All Counselors • Toolkit 2—Essential Counseling Program • Toolkit 3—School Counseling Data Management • Toolkit 7—Personal Planning for Results • Toolkit 8—Individual Learning Plans • Toolkits for Counselor Administrators • Toolkit 1—Strategic and Annual Planning • Toolkit 4—Professional Development Program • Toolkit 5—Family & Community Engagement • Toolkit 6—Program Implementation Management • We Recommend Beginning with Toolkit 2

25. RISCA Toolkits Are Free • The RISCA Toolkits are available for free download from the Rhode Island School Counselor Association’s Web site: www.rischoolcounselor.org • Tools are continuously developed, piloted and revised. Check our Web site periodically to obtain the latest version.