Marysville School District school counselors will provide a safe and inclusive environment and align our counseling services (PK-12 grades) in providing continuity of care with evidence-based, culturally responsive practices by developing proactive systems of support for the diverse academic and social needs of our students. We are committed to preparing students with prosocial and self-regulation skills to thrive at school and in all aspects of their lives to prepare them for their future. We are committed to nurturing the whole child and fostering their creative thinking, self-directed problem-solving, and lifelong learning. Our mission and vision will align with the strategic plan of the Marysville District’s priorities, which are: relationships, structures and systems, teaching and learning, communication, and resource management—specifically, allocating equitable resource distribution within our counseling department.

The Marysville School District Counseling Program supports our schools and districts mission through service to our students, parents, staff, and community by: 

• Creating and providing a safe, non-punitive space for all

• Providing solution-focused services

• Nurturing social/emotional learning

• Connecting needs to resources

• Intentional engagement with our families and community 

• Intentional credit checks and high school and beyond planning  

The Marysville School District Counseling Program believes:

• The quality of a student’s education is dependent upon the investment of all key collaborators

• All decisions should be made in the best interest of the education, safety, and well-being of students to create successful schools and strong communities

• Educational counselors should maintain ethical, personal, and professional accountability as set forth by the ASCA national standards.

• Education is a shared responsibility between home, school, and community 

The written plan for a Comprehensive School Counseling Program (CSCP) must include the following: 

1. Related state and national model standards that align with the 3 domains

2. Explanation of how direct and indirect services will be delivered through the CSCP

3. Program planning and support

4. Use of time calculations to ensure proper use of time

5. Annual review and assessment 

6. The role of the school counselor

SECTION 1: USE OF STANDARDS

State and national model standards that align with the 3 domains.

ASCA Student and Professional Standards 

School counseling standards for students and professional practice serve as defining documents of the school counseling profession. Three sets of standards help new and experienced school counselors develop, implement, and assess a school counseling program. We will be using the following standards in our classroom, small group and individual sessions. 

• Student Standards

  • ASCA Student Standards: Mindsets & Behaviors for Student Success

• Professional Standards

  • ASCA Ethical Standards for School Counselors

  • ASCA School Counselor Professional Standards & Competencies

• Additional Guidance on the Role of the School Counselor: 

  • The School Counselor and Trauma-Informed Practice - American School Counselor Association (ASCA)

  • The School Counselor and Multitiered System of Supports - American School Counselor Association (ASCA)

  • The School Counselor and Character Education - American School Counselor Association (ASCA)

Social Emotional Learning (SEL) State Standards

• Washington Social Emotional Learning Standards

ASCA Domains of School Counseling:

• Social-Emotional Development

• Academic Development

• Career Readiness 

Activities to Support ASCA Domains

Below outlines some strategies and data sources counselors will utilize in the three domains. ASCA provides a list of Appropriate and Inappropriate Activities for School Counselors.

1. Social-Emotional Development:

DISTRICT-WIDE SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Data sources to support and assess social-emotional development:

• Screeners

  • Panorama

• School-wide needs assessments/survey

• Healthy Youth Survey

• Safety plans for suicide ideation and self-harm

• MTSS/SEL team data

• Skyward data

• Attendance data

• Tier 3 referral data

• Washington State Report Card

• Pre and Post surveys

ELEMENTARY SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

SECONDARY SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

2.Academic Development:

ACADEMIC DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT-WIDE

ELEMENTARY ACADEMIC DEVELOPMENT

SECONDARY ACADEMIC DEVELOPMENT

Data sources to support and assess academic development:

• Math and Reading STAR scores

• Math and Reading SBA scores

• Skyward

3. College and Career Readiness:

DISTRICT-WIDE COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS

ELEMENTARY COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS

SECONDARY COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS

Data sources to support and assess college and career readiness:

• Skyward

SECTION 2: USE OF DATA

The CSCP will use a multi-tiered process of data review and analysis to identify student needs. 

1. School Counselors and other ESA staff assigned to implement the CSCP will biannually evaluate a breakdown of time spent providing direct and indirect student services, program planning and school support, and non-school counseling tasks using the ASCA Use of Time Template or other district-designated tools.

2.  School Counselors and other ESA staff assigned to implement the CSCP will collect and review program results data through the following measures: Process Data, Perception Data, and Outcome Data. This data collected will be shared with the district and building administrator(s) during the annual review. This will include the use of the ASCA Classroom and Group Mindsets & Behaviors Action Plan or other tools to identify process data. This will include the use of surveys and post-strategy tools to identify perception data. This will include the use of ASCA Annual Student Outcome Goal Plans or other tools to identify outcome data. 

3. School Counselors and other ESA staff assigned to implement the CSCP will collect and review data related to communication with administrators, families, students, and community partners. This data will be collected on a biannual basis as frequency data utilizing the ASCA Use of Time Template or other district-designated tools and will be shared with the district and building administrator(s) during the annual review.

SECTION 3: USE OF TIME

It is recommended that school counselors spend 80% or more of their time on direct and indirect services. Direct services are in-person interactions between school counselors and students. Indirect services are services provided on behalf of students as a result of the school counselor’s interaction with others.

Program Planning & Support
It is recommended that school counselors spend 20% of their time to plan and prepare. This includes activities such as analyzing data, goal setting, lesson planning, developing an annual calendar, creation of action plans, and student outcomes. 

Annual Student Outcome Goals: 
The annual data review is a systemic examination of current school achievement, attendance, and discipline data. The data collected from the annual data review helps determine gaps or concerns, which students need additional support, and where resources will be devoted. Once this information is collected, the school counseling team can create annual student outcome goals, which are statements identifying the measurable impact the school counseling program will have on student achievement, attendance, or discipline. 

Annual Student Outcome Goal Plan.docx

Action Plans:
To provide quality instruction in the form of classroom counseling, small groups, and individual settings, it is of paramount importance that school counselors are strategic and intentional in their planning which is completed by developing action plans. The two types of ASCA action plans are Mindsets and Behaviors and closing the gap. These action plans define the scope, focus, timing, and setting of planned instruction. As ASCA explains, these plans are working documents designed to be reviewed and adjusted as needed to meet the needs of students. The classroom and group mindsets and behaviors action plan allows school counselors to effectively implement and teach ASCA Mindsets and Behaviors in various settings, regardless of student’s developmental level. Closing-the-gap action plan serves as a guide to address the academic, attendance, or disciplinary discrepancies existing between student groups. In order to develop the closing-the-gap action plan, data must first be collected and analyzed from the school data profile that identifies gaps or discrepancies between student groups. 

Closing-the-Gap Action Plan and Results Report.docx

Annual Administrative Conference
The annual administrative conference is a formal discussion between school counselors and the administration. The main purpose of this annual conference is to discuss, collaborate, and agree upon school counseling program priorities based on student and building needs. The objective is to align the school improvement plan goals with school counseling program goals and plan for tier-one interventions that all students will receive. This conference helps foster transparency in communication for both administration and counselors to maximize best practices on behalf of students, families, staff, and the community. Included in this annual conference are:

• School counseling program priorities 

• The alignment of school counseling goals with school & district strategic goals

• School counselor use of time and recommended use of time in the future 

• Direct and indirect services to be delivered 

• Review of caseload 

• Review of the Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) within the building 

Advisory Council
The advisory council is a group of key collaborators selected to review and advise on the implementation of the school counseling program. Advisory councils can include student support such as parents/guardians, community members (Tribal members, equity team partners, safety and security, mental health therapists, Snohomish county representatives, etc), and students. The primary function of this group is to allow key collaborators the opportunity to provide feedback and recommendations for the school counseling program. The advisory council assists school counselors by: 

• Making recommendations about the school counseling program

• Advocating and engaging in public relations for the school counseling program 

• Advocating for funding and resourcing 

• Advising and reviewing annual student outcome goals

It is recommended that the council has a minimum of 6 members and a maximum of fifteen and should meet at least twice a year to collaborate and provide feedback. 

Advisory council meeting agenda examples:  

Advisory Council Agenda.docx

Advisory Council First Semester Agenda.docx

Advisory Council First Semester Minutes.docx

SECTION 4: USE OF PERSONNEL

The purpose of the Use-of-Time data is to have counselors reflect upon their practice and align their use of time with the ASCA national standards. This is a tool that can be reviewed during the administrative conference to assess the balance of the ASCA recommendations of 80% direct services and 20% indirect services that counselors provide. 

Counselors will work with their administrators on reviewing use-of-time data (quarterly). ASCA recommends utilizing use-of-time data twice per year. Counselors will communicate with their administrators and establish a system of tracking time. 

Possible systems might include: 

•  Use-of-Time-5-Day-Calculator.xlsx

• Google Calendar

• Counselor yearly calendar

• Annual school-specific comprehensive counseling program/calendar

• Google Surveys

Annual Review & Assessment 
To achieve and maintain an effective and intentional CSCP, school counselors need to assess and review the effectiveness of the program regularly. School counselors engage in assessment of the school counseling program to determine potential improvements and adjust the program accordingly due to student needs. This is imperative and drives the program delivery, approach, and implementation of the school counseling program. Reviewing the program is essential because school counselors can show key collaborators how students are different as a result of the school counseling program. Sharing the school counseling program and results with key collaborators helps educate others on the impact and importance of the program for student outcomes. 

• School Counseling Program Assessment.docx

• Annual Results Reporting

  • Closing-the-Gap Action Plan and Results Report.docx

  • Classroom and Group Results Report.docx

Some Additional data sources that support this include: 

• Advisory council results

• Data over time 

  • Washington State Report Card

  • High School Graduate Outcomes | Washington State Education Research and Data Center

  • Panorama

  • Skyward