School Counselors, Comprehensive School Counseling Programs, and Academic Achievement: Are School Counselors Promising More Than They Can Deliver?

Abstract

The ASCA National Model ® (ASCA, 2003) suggests that the school counselor's primary mission is the improvement of academic achievement. This article examines the research literature regarding school counselors' efforts related to academic achievement and concludes that there is little support for the supposition that comprehensive school counseling programs improve achievement. Conversely, there is a growing body of evidence that suggests that school counselors can use strategic interventions to improve academic achievement.