The researcher examined school counselors? perceptions of the readiness level of school districts in Mississippi to implement the American School Counseling Association (ASCA) National Model. The researcher also addressed certain school and counselor characteristics that could be predictors of this level of readiness. The predictor variables included grade level of counselor?s school (elementary, middle, high school/vocational), number of years of counseling experience, years of experience as a classroom teacher, student-to-counselor ratio, age, race, and level of education (M.S., Ed.S., Ph.D.). The dependent variable was the school counselor?s perceived level of readiness of the school district based on their overall scores on the ASCA National Model District Readiness Survey. The researcher also examined the perceived readiness level of school districts in the State of Mississippi in each of the 7 ASCA National Model readiness indicators (i. e., community support, leadership, guidance curriculum, school counselors? beliefs and attitudes, school counselors? skills, district resources, and staffing/time use). Based on mean scores for the seven readiness indicators on the ASCA National Model District Readiness Survey, school counselors perceived two indicators as being ready to implement the ASCA National Model: School Counselors? Beliefs and Attitudes and School Counselors? Skills. School counselors perceived three indicators as being minimally ready: Community Support, Leadership, and Guidance Curriculum. School counselors perceived two indicators as being not ready to implement the ASCA National Model: District Resources and Staffing/Time Use. Based on school counselor perceptions, the ?overall? readiness level of Mississippi school districts to implement the ASCA National Model is a minimal level of readiness. For the dependent variable overall readiness level, student-to-counselor ratio and gender were the most influential predictor variables. Female school counselors perceived their school districts as being more ready to implement the ASCA National Model than male school counselors. Also, schools with lower student-to-counselor ratios perceived their school districts as more ready to implement the ASCA National Model than schools with higher student-to-counselor ratios.

The American School Counseling Association (ASCA) created the American School Counseling National Model to guide best practices in the school setting. Professional school counselors are encouraged to implement this model in order to increase student achievement and personal/social growth through a comprehensive school counseling program. Although this is the recommended model for school counselors, many districts have failed to implement it. This study examined the relationship among beliefs, various demographic variables, and program implementation to determine the combination of variables that would best explain the variance in program implementation. Data collected through the School Counseling Program Implementation Scale (SCPIS) and School Counseling Program Component Scale (SCPCS) instruments were analyzed through hierarchical multiple regression to determine regression models that best accounted for prediction of program implementation. Based on this research, school counselor beliefs in using data for program improvement accounted for the greatest degree of variance in specific model implementation.

This study examines the alignment between Arizona public high school Administrators' expectations of professional school counselors, the ASCA National Model (2005), and the instruments used in Arizona to evaluate professional school counselors. Participants included ten principals and assistant principals, and 103 of the 111 public school districts with at least one high school in Arizona. Data was obtained through semistructured interviews, document, and content analysis. Organizational Role Theory and Leader-Member Exchange Theory guided the qualitative and quantitative analysis. Findings indicate that administrators' expectations of professional school counselors align 62% with the ASCA National Model, while the instruments used in Arizona to evaluate professional school counselors align 13% with administrators' expectations of professional school counselors and 21% with the ASCA National Model. The best predictor of alignment was school district use of a school counselor-specific evaluation instrument. Recommendations focused on the need for clearer communication of role expectations between administrators and counselors, and for more meaningful evaluation practices that align with counseling standards.

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The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between demographic and occupational variables, the implementation of the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) National Model, and burnout in professional secondary school counselors. Participants in this study were professional secondary school counselors who were members of ASCA (n=494). All participants completed the Secondary School Counselor Demographic, Implementation of the ASCA National Model, and Burnout Survey that was designed to assess counselors’ perceptions and practices related to the level of implementation of the ASCA National Model and the degree of burnout. The instrument combined a researcher-developed questionnaire with the School Counseling Program Implementation Survey (SCPIS) and the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey (MBI-HSS). Descriptive statistics, Spearman’s rho correlations, and hierarchical multiple regression models were utilized for data analysis. The results of this study indicated that professional secondary school counselors had high levels of emotional exhaustion and depersonalization, yet also had high levels of personal accomplishment. In addition, results indicated that professional secondary school counselors believed they are making progress in implementing the ASCA National Model; however, the model is not fully implemented. An inverse, significant relationship was discovered between the level of implementation of the ASCA National Model and the degree of burnout.

Multicultural competence (MCC), despite its integral part in school counseling and the school setting, is not applied within the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) national model (NM). Rather, the ASCA NM is a guideline that is expected of school counselors with limited opportunity for deviation. Without incorporating multicultural practices in the school setting, student performance may suffer. Student performance affects everyone who is learning, working, or has a child who is or will be at the middle school level. The purpose of this study was to identify if perceived MCC, as measured by the MCCTS-R, and/or adherence to the ASCA NM, as measured by the SCPIS, could predict student performance and if there was a relationship between the perceived MCC and adherence to the ASCA NM. The school counseling and multicultural counseling theories were used together as a lens for the study. Florida middle school counselors (N = 115) were invited to participate electronically. Results were compiled in PsychData anonymously and transferred into SPSS. Multiple linear regression and Pearson correlation statistics revealed that perceived MCC and adherence to the ASCA NM collectively predict students' GPAs. Recommendations for future research include expanding to different educational levels and states. The results indicate that the ASCA NM would benefit from multicultural concepts within the guidelines, implicating positive social change for future learning, school counseling practices, and educational practices.

The purpose of this quantitative, cross-sectional survey study was to compare school counselors’ and principals’ perceptions of the frequency with which school counselors perform activities that align with the ASCA National Model (ASCA, 2005) and those activities that do not, as measured by the School Counselor Activity Rating Scale (SCARS) (Scarborough, 2005). Results indicate that the school counselors and principals that participated in the study agreed that school counselors are spending most of their time engaged in activities that align with the ASCA National Model (ASCA, 2005). Significant differences (p < .05) appeared on 10 items in which five were related to counseling activities, primarily as they relate to small group counseling. Principals indicated their school counselors were conducting small group activities related to academic and substance abuse issues more frequently than the school counselors indicated. Other areas that showed significant differences (p < .05) between school counselors’ and principals’ responses included conducting classroom guidance lessons on substance abuse issues, consulting with school staff regarding students’ behavior, and such coordination activities as professional development and school counseling advisory teams. School counselors indicated they engaged in the non-counseling activity of substituting/covering classes more frequently than principals indicated (p = .032). Implications for school counselors, principals, and counselor education and education administration faculty are discussed.