001Welcome to the Texas model for comprehensive school counseling. This is a training webinar for administrators. Thank you for being here. This training satisfies the requirements established by Texas Education Code 21.054 while providing a general comprehensive school counseling program training. Districts can also provide additional school counseling training to their administrators based on local district decisions. Let's get started. This is a QR code to the presentation survey with the slides for this presentation and the handouts. It is best to open the QR code now so that you can click on the first PDF link to follow along with the presentation since I will be sharing lots of linked resources. Consider pausing this webinar for a moment here so that you can access the presentation PDF and handouts in the QR code. Let's begin with a brief introduction.
002My name is Stephanie Learner and I am the counselor support program manager on the counseling advising and student supports team at TEA. Our team works to empower Texas school districts to plan, implement, and evaluate a comprehensive school counseling program that prepares students for post-secary success. We work on this goal within the college career and military preparation division division of TEA, which is tasked with ensuring that all Texas students have access to high quality pathways to college and career. My role at TEA includes serving as the primary point of contact for school counselors. I develop resources for school counselors and I conduct trainings to support the effective implementation of comprehensive counseling programs. Before joining TEA in 2020, I was an elementary and secondary school counselor for 12 years in central Texas. You can reach me at
003Stephanie. TEA.ex. texas.gov which is listed on this slide at the third bullet. The objectives for this presentation are to understand the role of comprehensive school counseling programs or CSCPS in the school environment, to explore collaboration opportunities with school counselors in implementing a CSCP and finally to learn about the various resources that we have at TEA for implementing the Texas model for comprehensive school counseling programs. You will also have an opportunity to give feedback on your ideas and experiences related to CSCPs. Now let's turn to our first objective which is that participants will understand the role of CSPs in the school environment. And so let's begin with answering the question, what is a CSCP? It is a developmental and systematic framework that organizes resources to meet the needs of students in Texas. This is done through
004the four delivery service components. The first component guidance curriculum involves large or small group lessons that facilitate student growth in educational, career, personal and social development. The second component, responsive services, includes preventative, remedial, or crisis support provided to students in their time of need. The third component, individual planning or advising, is assistance provided directly to students in developing and achieving their academic, career, personal and social goals. And finally, we have the system support component, which is divided into two types of tasks. foundational activities to establish, manage, and evaluate the school counseling program and indirect student services to collaborate with staff, families, and community on behalf of the student and their development. Now, let's talk about the Texas model for comprehensive counseling programs and why it matters. The Texas model for comprehensive school counseling programs, also
005known as the Texas model, is based on the statutory description of Texas school counseling programs and school counselor duties as described in the Texas Education Code 330005, 330006, and 330007. You can download a free copy of the Texas model by clicking on the orange link at the top of this slide. Following the Texas model to plan, implement, and evaluate your schools or district's CSCP ensures that three crucial things can happen. First, students can receive optimal support. Second, the counseling program will be based upon campus data and goals, the school's mission, and school counseling professional standards. And finally, using the Texas model ensures that the school's counseling program complies with the Texas education codes. In addition, CSCPs also foster improved student outcomes. Studies have shown that a CSCP can positively impact K12 student outcomes in academic
006achievement, college, and career readiness, and personal development. Findings show that for Texas districts during the school years in which the district employed a greater number of counselors per student, schools had higher graduation rates, lower dropout rates, higher student achievement, and lower achievement gaps. Furthermore, comprehensive datadriven school counseling programs improve a range of student learning and behavioral outcomes. For more information on these outcomes, please see the references slide at the end of this presentation deck. CSCP development is crucial these days as at risk behaviors are increasing for nearly all groups of youth. Additionally, 70% of public schools reported that the percentage of students who have sought wellness services has increased steadily in the last few years. CCPs provide a structure for school-based counseling programs and a starting point to prioritize program components during these challenging times.
007Consider taking a moment here to pause this webinar and reflect on the questions in the gray box. Or if you are watching this webinar with colleagues, take a minute to talk with them about how you are feeling about your school's counseling program this year and what resources you need. And now let's turn our attention to the second objective of this presentation which is exploring collaboration opportunities with CSCPS. In order to understand how to collaborate about comprehensive school counseling programs, let's begin with learning what the law states regarding counseling programs. According to Texas Education Code 330005, which is linked in the orange code on this slide, a school counselor shall work with school faculty, staff, students, parents, and the community to plan, implement, and evaluate a comprehensive school counseling program that conforms to the most recent
008addition of the Texas model for comprehensive school counseling programs. The school counselor shall design the program to include these four components that we covered earlier in the presentation. A guidance curriculum to help students develop their full educational potential, including the students interests and career objectives. A responsive services component to intervene on behalf of any student whose immediate personal concerns or problems put the students continued educational, career, personal, or social development at risk. the individual planning system to guide a student as the student plans, moni monitors, and manages the students own educational, career, personal, and social development. And last but not least, a component to support the efforts of teachers, staff, parents, and other members of the community in promoting the educational, career, personal, and social development of students, also known as the system support component.
009The next school counseling law, Texas Education Code 330006, goes on to outline the general duties of school counselors. It is linked in the orange code and it states that the primary responsibility of a school counselor is to counsel students to fully develop each student's academic, career, personal, and social ability. 330006 also includes the newest amendment to school counseling statute, which is that the board of trustees of each school district shall adopt a policy that requires a school counselor to spend at least 80% of their total work time on duties that are components of a counseling program developed under the previous education code 330005. Next, let's take a look at the rule related to this 8020 policy. The commissioner's rules concerning counseling public school students, which is linked in the orange title, implements the statutory requirement
010for school districts to annually assess compliance with the district policy requiring a school counselor to spend at least 80% of their total work time on duties that are components of a counseling program. This rule requires each district school counselor to track and document using a district standardized tracking tool all of their work duties performed by the school counselor throughout the school year. It also identifies the elements that district assessments must include and the documentation to be included in annual requests by TEA for district assessments. Now, let's take a look at some examples of these district counseling assessment items. Each year by November 15th, randomly selected districts must provide their annual assessment submission to TEA. The following slides show examples of the three main items of a clear submission. Accompanying each item is specific information and
011informal guidance regarding its content. content. Let's take a look at each item. This slide shows an example of the first main item that districts have to submit, the board policy upload. You can see a screenshot on the slide of this district's 33006D local board policy. This next slide illustrates the second main item that districts must submit, which is the district annual assessment or DAA. The DAA must include the worktime tracking documentation for each school counselor employed by the district. It must include the number of school counselors whose work complied with the district policy adopted under 3300060. and it must include the number of school counselors whose work did not comply with the district policy. The reporting format is determined by the local district but must align with rule guidelines and the statutory duties of school
012counselors and the counseling program. On the next slide is an example of a district's annual assessment. The example shown here is is a summary chart created using the Texas model time tracker. You can access this Texas model worktime analysis resource or time tracker at the orange link on the slide. It is a free downloadable on there is a free downloadable on slide 19 of the orange presentation link which gives you a downloadable time tracker. This slide presents the third main item that districts must submit, the proposed strategies item. This item should outline the strategies that the district will implement to asssure all school counselor's work complies with the district policy adopted under 33006D and it includes any additional findings from the district annual assessment. The screenshot shows an example of a district's proposed strategies. Keep
013in mind you also have um the full document that goes with each of these screenshots on um the introductory page of this section. If I go back, I can show it to you right here. you can find the full document um that goes with each of the screenshots if you're wanting to see more detail. So, we have seen the counselor duties and programming per Texas Education Code 330005 and 330006 um in the previous slides. Now, this law, Texas Education Code 21.054 054 specifies the training required for both counselors and administrators regarding the effective implementation of a CSCP. All of these statutes provide an opportunity for school counselors and administrators to collaborate and identify appropriate school counselor duties to ensure that students receive optimal support. Let's talk about how this collaboration can work. Principles are encouraged
014to meet regularly with their school counselors to discuss how the school's CSCP aligns with the Texas model and addresses students current needs. These meetings should focus on aligning the counseling program goals with the overall campus goals or mission by discussing the Texas model school counselor duties chart and following the steps to ensure school counselors have the necessary time to counsel students. The Texas model even provides steps on page 117 for administrators and school counselors to work together to decrease non-counseling duties if those are interfering with school counselors spending at least 80% of their time counseling students. If more detail and information is needed on this administrator school counselor collaboration, section four of the Texas model provides guidance on how administrators can support their school counselors and school counseling programs most effectively. At this point, let's
015turn our attention to our final objective, which is to explore and identify resources for the Texas model for comprehensive school counseling programs. So, we've mentioned the Texas model throughout this presentation. At this point, let's take a look at the content of our main resource, the Texas model, in more detail. The Texas model is divided into five sections. Section one covers the responsibilities in school counseling. Section two describes the program implementation cycle of planning, implementing, and evaluating the CSCP. Section three has stepbystep instructions and workbook boxes for creating the foundation of the school counseling program. Section four covers the role and duties of the school counselor with step-by-step instructions and workbook boxes for creating those four components of the school counseling program. And finally, we have section five, which has the counseling program guidance curriculum scope
016and sequence for tiers 1 and two. Keep in mind that section 5 only includes the student learning objectives for K12, K through 12. It does not include instructional materials. A helpful resource to find instruction materials is the Texas school mental health best practices site which I will share with you in a few minutes. Now let's discuss multi-tered system of supports or MTSS as a resource and we will talk about how the Texas model fits in to the organizational framework of MTSS. As you probably know, MTSS is an educational framework that provides an intentional and systematic approach for meeting all students academic and behavioral needs. You can find additional resources and information on MTSS at the orange link in the middle of the slide. School counselors align their Texas model program with MTSS by providing direct
017and indirect interventions at three tiers. In tier one, school counselors provide classroom instruction and they assist with schoolwide programming and initiatives. At tier 2, school counselors provide small groupoup and shortterm individual counseling as well as indirect services through consultation and collaboration with staff, families, community. And then finally, at tier three, school counselors provide indirect services to students through staff and family consultation and collaboration as well as providing referrals to other professionals. So this slide has a summary of the Texas model training that TEA or ESC's or school counseling district level leaders provide to districts. You can email me, you can email your ESC counselor specialist or contact your school counseling district leader to request this training. You can also find a link to it at the end of the presentation, which I will point out
018when we get there. This checklist outlines all of the chronological steps to plan, implement, and evaluate a Texas model aligned comprehensive school counseling program. Administrators and counselors can use this checklist to collaboratively create or revise their school's counseling program. You have a copy of this checklist in your QR code handouts and it is also linked in orange at the top of this slide. This next slide provides an example of a CSCP plan for any level, elementary, middle, or high school. You have a copy of this example in your handouts and it is also linked in orange at the top of the slide. If you'd like a blank version of this CSCP plan to use with your own school or district, you can find it in your handouts. At this point in the webinar, I always
019like to remind everybody that Rome wasn't built in a day and neither are counseling programs. So, here are some tips for tackling this project so that no one gets overwhelmed. First, consider creating your CSP as a multi-year project. Second, feel free to move through the CSP checklist at a pace that works for your campus and district. And third, work with your counseling advisory team or your cat to determine which checklist steps should be prioritized so that the so that this project can be completed in a manageable way. Finally, remember to strive for measurable program and student progress. Small progress is still very important progress. Another resource that we have related to the Texas model is our TEA web page on school counselor evaluations. Districts evaluate school counselors using evaluation tools based on the statutory duties
020of a school counselor listed in Texas Education Code 330006. It is important to avoid evaluating school counselors according to criteria developed for classroom teachers or other educational professionals. On this slide are links to helpful evaluation tools and information for school counselors and administrators. As mentioned in the beginning of this presentation, we have an opportunity here for you to give feedback on your ideas, experiences, and needs related to CSCPs. So, at this point, please pause the webinar and take a few minutes to complete the survey. If you are willing to participate in additional stakeholder opportunities, provide your contact information in the additional comments section. of the survey. This slide has some additional resources specifically focused on administrator support and training. One that I'd like to point out is the Texas school mental health website that I
021mentioned earlier on in this presentation. The Texas School Mental Health website, which is located at the second bullet, has the best practices tab linked where you can find instructional materials for the guidance curriculum in section five of the Texas model. This slide has our main school counseling resources and trainings that we offer from TEA. The third bullet on this slide is the full day training for school counselors on the Texas model. And that brings us to our conclusion of this presentation. Um let's review quickly the main topics that we covered today. We learned about the definition and the importance of Texas model aligned CSCPs. We explored collaboration between administrators and school counselors for implementing the Texas model. And finally, we reviewed various resources to plan, implement, and evaluate a Texas model aligned comprehensive school counseling
022program. And that brings us to the end of this webinar. Thank you so much for attending. Please reach out at the email on this slide if you have any questions. Have a wonderful day.