The Wisconsin Adopted ASCA National Model
In 2003, The American School Counselor Association (ASCA) published its model for school counseling programs. The ASCA Model is in its fourth revision, with the most recent revision in 2019. The ASCA Mindsets and Behaviors student competencies were updated in the summer of 2020. The Model includes four components, which are Define, Manage, Deliver, and Assess. In addition, the ASCA Model incorporates the four themes of leadership, advocacy, collaboration, and systemic change to evidence how critical it is for school counselors to work in these areas to maximize the program’s impact on student achievement and student behavior.
Why a Comprehensive School Counseling Model Program?
The ultimate goal of a comprehensive school counseling program is student success. The program's design, delivery, and content are dedicated to enhancing the ability of all students to fully utilize the educational opportunities available to them. The PreK-12 program is delivered through direct and indirect services designed to address three domains of student development: academic, personal/social, and career.
Comprehensive school counseling programs are integral to the school's educational environment and partner with other academic and behavioral initiatives to effect positive changes in student achievement and behavior. Professional school counselors plan the comprehensive school counseling program, facilitating and implementing its delivery in collaboration with school administrators, other professional educators, and community members to produce measurable results. In a comprehensive program, the school counselor serves as a leader, advocate, and collaborator working to recognize and remove systemic barriers to student success. Resulting positive changes include increased student achievement, an improved graduation rate, better attendance, reduced disciplinary referrals, completed individual learning plans, and increased student participation in the community.
Culturally Sustaining School Counseling Programs
The ASCA National Model promotes the development and implementation of culturally sustaining school counseling programs that:
- are based on data-informed decision making,
- are delivered to all students systematically,
- include a developmentally appropriate curriculum focused on the mindsets and behaviors all students need for postsecondary readiness and success,
- close achievement and opportunity gaps,
- and result in improved student achievement, attendance and discipline.
The Four Components of the ASCA National Model
Resources
If you would like to order a copy of The ASCA National Model: A Framework for School Counseling Programs (Copyright 2003; ISBN 1-929289-02-2), contact the American School Counseling Association, (800) 306-4722, or www.schoolcounselor.org
- ASCA: The School Counselor and School Counseling Programs
- ASCA National Model Executive Summary
- 2021 ASCA Mindsets and Behaviors - Student Competencies
- ASCA Position Statements - Describes the organization’s position on specific topics in education and define the role of the school counselor relative to those topics.
- ASCA Ethical Standards (revision in progress)
- ASCA School Counselor Professional Standards and Competencies
- ASCA Student Standards Crosswalk with the CASEL Framework
- Social and Emotional Learning Competencies and ASCA Mindsets and Behaviors Alignment