Field 193: School Counselor S

Question 1

Staff at a middle school implement several activities to promote students’ awareness of offensive language and how to avoid it. With students’ increased awareness of and comfort in discussing this issue, the school counselor sees an uptick in self-referrals from students who have experienced interactions that included offensive language, leaving them feeling distressed and anxious. To assist the students in coping with their emotions, the school counselor uses the “push button” approach.

• Ask the student to reflect on their feelings about the interaction and assess their anxiety level.
• Ask the student to bring to mind an interaction in which they felt content and validated and assess their anxiety level.
• Guide the student to recognition of their power to control their emotional responses by substituting a positive image in a negative situation.

Answer 1

The school counselor’s approach is most consistent with which theoretical model?

A. Carl Rogers’s principles for promoting individuals’ ability to control their own destinies
B. Alfred Adler’s strategies for helping individuals develop new ways of thinking about their situation
C. B.F. Skinner’s methods for changing individuals’ unwanted behaviors through reinforcement
D. Albert Ellis’s techniques for assisting individuals in correcting faulty thinking about their situation

Correct Response: B

This item requires examinees to demonstrate knowledge of theories and models of individual counseling and the application of individual counseling theories in the educational setting. Alfred Adler’s theoretical model focuses on the idea that humans are social beings whose behaviors impact relationships and the ability to be connected to others, especially those in a larger community. Adlerian therapy includes techniques for helping individuals develop insights into their behaviors and develop new, healthier adaptive behaviors. In this scenario, the school counselor helps students who are experiencing distress and anxiety as a result of encountering offensive language by developing new coping strategies for difficult emotions and uncomfortable or offensive social interactions. This approach is in line with Adler’s strategies.

Question 2

A school counselor is implementing solution-focused brief therapy (SFBT) with a student who is experiencing challenges with peer interactions. Which technique by the school counselor most closely aligns with the principles of SFBT?

Answer 2

A. reframing the student’s challenges with peer interactions using humorous cartoons or stories to help the student take the challenges less seriously
B. posing a question to the student as to whether the challenges with peer interactions will matter as much a year from now
C. asking the student what peer interactions would look like if the student’s challenges with peer interactions suddenly did not exist
D. using free association with the student to uncover buried feelings about the challenges with peer interactions

Correct Response: C

This item requires examinees to apply knowledge of research-based practices, evidence-based practices, techniques, and skills associated with specific counseling approaches. Solution-focused brief therapy (SFBT) is an evidence-based therapeutic approach that emphasizes identifying solutions that can be readily implemented, rather than focusing on analysis of problems. In this scenario, the school counselor uses questioning to help a student think about how their peer interactions would look if the challenges did not exist. The counselor’s approach is directly modeled on SFBT techniques for guiding individuals to identify positive behavioral changes that they can implement in the short term.

Question 3

Which school counselor competency is the foundational component of culturally responsive counseling for diverse populations?

Answer 3

A. seeking feedback from cultural leaders on the effectiveness of communication strategies
B. identifying reliable sources of information about different cultures’ traditions and practices
C. participating regularly in the activities of various cultural organizations in the community
D. working actively to identify and address previously held ideas about individuals or groups based on cultural factors

Correct Response: D

This item requires examinees to demonstrate knowledge of theories of culturally responsive counseling, identity development, and social justice. In order to ensure equitable access for all students to the school counseling program, school counselors must cultivate their own cultural competency, including the awareness, knowledge, and skills to understand, appreciate, and interact with people from diverse backgrounds, cultures, or belief systems. To achieve this goal, school counselors must first engage in reflection on their own practices, behaviors, and assumptions to identify and address previously held beliefs about individuals and groups that are based on cultural factors. This action is a foundational component of culturally responsive counseling for diverse school populations.

Question 4

A middle school counselor observes that students frequently change their manner of dress, hairstyles, and ways of interacting with others. Many students also join an extracurricular activity only to stop participating after a short period in favor of a different activity. According to Erik Erikson’s theory of psychosocial development, the students are engaged in which developmental process?

Answer 4

A. asserting control over their immediate environment to learn initiative
B. participating in broader social situations to gain a sense of competence
C. forming intimate relationships with others that are meaningful and long-lasting
D. exploring different roles and behaviors to form a personal identity

Correct Response: D

This item requires examinees to demonstrate knowledge of theories of child and adolescent development and developmental progressions in the social, emotional, physical, language, and cognitive domains; developmental challenges at different stages of development; and how to support students’ development across domains. Erik Erikson’s theory of psychosocial development holds that individuals progress through eight distinct stages as they face new decisions and turning points during development. Adolescents between the ages of approximately 12 and 18 are at a developmental stage characterized in large part by the exploration of social roles and the formation of personal identity, a process influenced by peers and social interactions. In this scenario, the changing behavior the school counselor observes in middle school students is in keeping with this stage in Erikson’s theory.

Question 5

One goal for an elementary school is helping students learn to respect others. The school counselor can best support this goal by engaging students in developmentally appropriate activities designed to:

Answer 5

A. promote students’ abstract reasoning abilities.
B. build students’ perspective-taking skills.
C. encourage students to regulate their behavior.
D. prompt students to think reflectively.

Correct Response: B.

This item requires examinees to apply knowledge of how to plan and implement developmentally appropriate activities and experiences that are responsive to individual and group needs and facilitate optimal development and wellness across the life span. Supporting student wellness by implementing appropriate activities during specific stages of development is a critical responsibility of the school counselor. For children who are developing social awareness, perspective-taking (the ability to recognize and understand the perspective of another person) is an essential component in feeling empathy for others. To meet a goal of helping elementary students learn to respect others, activities that build their perspective-taking skills are developmentally appropriate.

Question 6

With regard to academic achievement, students who consistently experience prejudice and internalize negative stereotypes associated with prejudice frequently also experience:

Answer 6

A. a low sense of self-efficacy and expectations for success.
B. an increased need for extrinsic rewards for performance.
C. enhanced motivation to perform and overcome learning barriers.
D. strong preference for independent learning activities.

Correct Response: A.

This item requires examinees to demonstrate knowledge of systems of oppression and forms of diversity (e.g., culture, race, ethnicity, language, religion, age, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, family structure, gender identity); how systems of oppression and diversity influence student learning; and the implications of systems of oppression and diversity for teaching and learning, including the effects of racism, bias, and stereotyping in the educational environment. Prejudice is a prejudgment of individuals based on their identity or background, often relying on stereotypes. Students who experience prejudice on a consistent basis, whether in school, outside of school, or both, may internalize the negative stereotypes underlying that prejudice. Research has shown that these experiences are associated with students who have decreased self-esteem and self-efficacy, as well as lowered expectations for success in school.

Question 7

An experienced school counselor who is new to the school is reviewing the school counseling program mission statement to determine if it should be updated. In this review, the school counselor considers the following questions.

• Is the mission statement aligned with the school and district mission statements?
• Does the mission statement identify the population to be served by the program?
• Is the mission statement concise and easy to understand?

Answer 7

Which additional question is most important for the school counselor to consider in the review of the mission statement?

A. Has the mission statement recently been reviewed by school leadership?
B. Are the components of the program clearly identified in the mission statement?
C. Does the mission statement include the goal of ensuring equity and access for all students?
D. Will the mission statement be viable and relevant five years from now?

**Correct Response: C. **

This item requires examinees to demonstrate knowledge of strategies for and factors to consider in developing a meaningful, purposeful, and data-driven vision and mission statement for the comprehensive school counseling program. As change agents and advocates for all students, school counselors help every student achieve their full potential by using evidence-based strategies to provide equitable preventative and responsive services. The school counseling program’s mission statement defines the program’s purpose, values, and future goals. Confirming that the stated goals of the comprehensive school counseling program include ensuring equity and access for all students is essential in any review of the program’s mission statement.

Question 8

A school counselor gathers a variety of data from students, teachers, and families/family systems when evaluating the school counseling program. These data include perception, process, and outcome data. When using these data, the school counselor can best ensure sound inferences about needs by taking which action?

Answer 8

A. summarizing collected data for review by a group of stakeholder representatives
B. creating a graphic representation of collected data to facilitate analysis
C. comparing collected data to standards defined by professional organizations
D. disaggregating collected data according to a range of demographic factors

Correct Response: D.

This item requires examinees to apply knowledge of processes and techniques (e.g., disaggregating data according to student demographic factors) for engaging in ongoing data collection and analysis to evaluate, adapt, improve, and assess the effectiveness of the comprehensive school counseling program. Data collection and analysis is a means for school counselors to identify student issues, needs, and challenges and is a critical component of any evaluation of the school counseling program. In order to ensure that the data collected provide a basis for understanding how the program meets the needs of all students, the school counselors must disaggregate data for the different demographic groups represented in the student population to help plan targeted programs and evidence-based interventions.

Question 9

Middle school counselors recently completed an evaluation of the comprehensive school counseling program. They will be presenting the results of the evaluation to families/family systems, teachers, and external stakeholders. Which information is most important to include when presenting the results to all audiences?

Answer 9

A. concepts of measurement that were applied when interpreting the various program data
B. individuals who participated in the collection of various program data and their roles in the evaluation process
C. recommendations of programmatic conditions established by state and national organizations
D. outcomes of the evaluation showing strengths and areas for growth in relation to program goals and objectives

Correct Response: D

This item requires examinees to apply knowledge of criteria for evaluating school counseling programs and effective methods for presenting program evaluation data. Among the responsibilities of school counselors is evaluating the counseling program, using needs assessments, action plans, and results reports as tools to help ensure the program’s effectiveness and improve student outcomes. An effective evaluation will provide valuable information about both the strengths of the counseling program and areas for growth. Following such an evaluation, school counselors can demonstrate accountability by clearly communicating the program’s strengths and areas in need of growth to internal and external stakeholders.

Question 10

When working with students to address behavioral challenges, a school counselor often uses a standardized behavioral rating scale with a form for students to self-report, a form for families/family systems to report, and a form for teachers to report. The forms all include similar questions related to the student’s behavior. Which outcome is the most important benefit of using this approach?

Answer 10

A. enhancing the validity of conclusions drawn about the student’s behavioral needs
B. ensuring an objective and fair evaluation of the student’s behavior
C. providing a multi-faceted assessment of the student’s behavior from various perspectives
D. offering insights into the effect of targeted behaviors on the student’s learning

**Correct Response: C. **

This item requires examinees to apply knowledge of appropriate assessment strategies, tools, and methods, including the use of technology, that can be used to gather information and evaluate a student’s academic, social-emotional, and college/career development and how to use assessment information to systematically identify students’ strengths and needs. In this scenario, a standardized behavioral rating scale functions as a collaborative tool for quantitatively measuring the intensity, frequency, or duration of specific behaviors in order to address behavioral challenges. The school counselor can compare information obtained from the students’ perspectives with the perspectives of students’ families/family systems and from teachers, providing a multi-faceted assessment of each student’s behavior that will help the school counselor provide appropriate supports and interventions.

Question 11

In the context of educational assessment, the concept of cultural loading is described as the:

Answer 11

A. extent to which culture-specific knowledge is needed to understand or answer a test item.
B. provision of unique test forms that are responsive to different cultures.
C. inclusion of a large number of items that represent varied cultural perspectives.
D. feature of a test for which individuals may request special accommodations to prevent bias.

Correct Response: A.

This item requires examinees to demonstrate knowledge of curriculum design, lesson plan development, differentiated instruction, assessment of student competency attainment, culturally relevant instruction, and classroom management as applied to the developmental school counseling curriculum. The concept of cultural load describes the extent to which culturally specific knowledge is required to perform a task or be successful in a given environment. In educational assessment, a culturally loaded assessment tool or question assumes culturally specific knowledge of individuals who are assessed. For individuals who are from different cultural backgrounds, cultural loading can result in assessments that are not fully accessible and are thus inequitable.

Question 12

A high school counselor implements a career development program for students in grades 9–through12. The school counselor notes that, compared with ninth-grade students who tend to have frequently changing ideas about career choices, twelfth-grade students’ career choices tend to become clearer. According to Donald Super’s career development theory, this pattern is due primarily to:

Answer 12

A. knowledge and skills reaching a plateau.
B. self-concept becoming more fully developed.
C. cognitive abilities reaching peak development.
D. personality becoming more clearly defined.

Correct Response: B

This item requires examinees to apply knowledge of career development theories, decision-making models applicable to grade levels, the phases of career development (e.g., awareness, exploration, orientation, preparation), and strategies for promoting college and career readiness. Donald Super’s career development theory outlines five stages of career development throughout each individual’s life span. In ninth grade, according to Super’s theory, most students are in the “growth” stage of career development, during which they develop self-concepts, attitudes, needs, and aptitudes regarding possible careers. In contrast, most twelfth-grade students are in the “exploratory” stage of career development, characterized by a more fully formed self-concept and initial, tentative career choices and skill development.

Question 13

Which school counselor activity is most consistent with the expectations of the individual planning component of the comprehensive school counseling program?

Answer 13

A. developing a social and emotional learning curriculum for students based on school data
B. suggesting interventions for specific students to address challenges in the educational environment
C. collaborating with teachers to integrate affective objectives into academic instruction
D. engaging students in tasks that enable them to identify personal strengths, needs, and interests

Correct Response: D

This item requires examinees to demonstrate knowledge of individual educational planning, including college and career planning, as a component of the comprehensive school counseling program and how to provide individual advisement to students to enhance their academic development, college and career readiness, and social-emotional development for all students. Individual planning, one of the four components of the comprehensive school counseling program, centers on the program’s role in providing students with activities and opportunities tailored to their development through which they can identify their skills, needs, and interests. Promoting students’ identification of these traits and helping them to form goals is critical to the individual planning component and to helping each student plan for their future.

Question 14

High school counselors work closely with students with disabilities to support their transition planning to postsecondary settings. As part of this work, the school counselor facilitates sessions with small groups of students on topics related to life after high school. Which area of emphasis is most important to include in these sessions?

Answer 14

A. prompting students’ reflective thinking
B. helping students develop positive peer relationships
C. building students’ self-advocacy skills
D. assisting students in making individual decisions

Correct Response: C.

This item requires examinees to apply knowledge of strategies and procedures for supporting students’ transition to postsecondary educational and career settings, including awareness of information sources and procedures related to postsecondary program application and how to seek financial assistance. As students with disabilities prepare to transition to postsecondary settings as legal adults, supporting their development of self-advocacy skills is essential. These skills can help students navigate systemic barriers and the stigma associated with disabilities, as well as experiences that can result from other people’s lack of awareness about disabilities. The capacity to act on their own behalf in a variety of settings to accomplish goals and sustain their well-being will be important for these students, whether they pursue additional education or enter the work force.

Question 15

A middle school serves a population of students from many underrepresented groups. One goal of the school counseling program is to foster resiliency in students. The school counselor can best promote the goal of fostering resiliency by advocating for which schoolwide practice?

Answer 15

A. organizing opportunities for students to visit different parts of their community and interact with adults in various roles
B. supporting students in developing a reflective awareness of structures of oppression and strategies for navigating them
C. implementing small-group activities in which students self-select learning topics and peers to work with
D. providing students with incentives throughout the learning process to maintain motivation to achieve at the highest levels

Correct Response: B.

This item requires examinees to apply knowledge of how to design and implement preventive services for fostering resiliency and facilitating students’ development of strategies for coping with stress, anxiety, and challenging life situations. As a preventative service provided by school counselors, fostering resiliency is highly valuable in supporting students’ ability to reflect, learn, and grow in the face of challenges, including existing structures of oppression that disproportionately affect individuals from underrepresented groups. In this scenario, by supporting students as they recognize, reflect on, and navigate the structures of oppression that they may experience daily and in multiple contexts, educators can help them develop into engaged citizens who can effect positive change in their world.

Question 16

For school counselors, the first principle of crisis intervention is to:

Answer 16

A. use approved techniques to de-escalate the situation and ensure safety for students and staff.
B. establish a referral protocol for students and staff who feel the need for individual support.
C. communicate accurate information to district and building administrators regarding student and staff needs.
D. connect students and staff to community resources that can provide immediate and long-term support.

Correct Response: A.

This item requires examinees to apply knowledge of the principles of crisis prevention, intervention, and postvention and methods for developing and implementing programs to address identified individual, group, and schoolwide needs (e.g., related to suicide, public health crisis, or substance abuse). The American School Counselor Association’s position is that school counselors play an essential role in providing safe schools and intervening in crisis situations to prevent violence. During a crisis, approved, evidence-based intervention de-escalation techniques on the part of the school counselor can be critical tools for ensuring the safety of the school community.

Question 17

Several high school students who live in the same neighborhood recently witnessed a shooting that seriously injured a local business owner. In addition to providing individual and group counseling for the students, the school counselor should also make the students’ teachers aware that the students in these situations may frequently demonstrate which behavior?

Answer 17

A. pursuit of high-risk activities
B. hypervigilance and difficulty concentrating
C. development of delusional thinking
D. defiance and extreme reaction to criticism

Correct Response: B

This item requires examinees to demonstrate knowledge of signs and symptoms of mental health and trauma-related responses in children and adolescents and a variety of intervention skills and trauma-informed practices to respond effectively to the needs of individuals and groups experiencing crises or other adverse childhood experiences. Individuals who experience violence directly or indirectly, including the students in this scenario, may exhibit trauma-related behaviors such as hypervigilance, a state of heightened alertness for potential threats. Students demonstrating hypervigilance or other trauma-related responses would likely experience anxiety and difficulty maintaining concentration, posing significant obstacles to learning. In addition to providing appropriate support services for students, the school counselor is responsible for sharing information that teachers need to provide for the well-being, learning, and success of each student.

Question 18

A school counselor in a large rural district is leading a diverse group of internal and external stakeholders in a process called resource mapping. The process involves identifying assets, resources, and services that are available within the school, neighborhoods, and communities. Once assets, resources, and services are identified, the group will develop a directory that will be accessible to members of the school community. Which statement describes the most important benefit of this process?

Answer 18

A. The involvement of various stakeholder groups in the resource mapping process ensures broader engagement in the school counseling program.
B. The directory associated with the resource mapping process demonstrates school counselors’ accountability in providing equitable access to services and resources.
C. The resource mapping process and associated directory facilitates matching of services and resources to the specific needs of youth and families/family systems.
D. The time investment in the resource mapping process is cost effective for the long term of meeting the needs of the school communities.

Correct Response: C.

This item requires examinees to demonstrate understanding of methods and procedures for identifying, accessing, and coordinating school, family, and community resources to make appropriate in-school and/or out-of-school referrals. The resource mapping process described in this scenario is an effective means of identifying and cataloging resources and services available both within the school system and in the greater community so that the information can be shared with all stakeholders. When completed, the catalog will be an effective tool that allows school counselors and other stakeholders to match appropriate resources to address the specific needs of students and their families/family systems. In addition, increased communication between the internal and external stakeholders collaborating on the directory will support understanding of both community needs and the available assets, resources, and services.

Question 19

A school counselor establishes an advisory committee to help guide decisions about the school counseling program. The committee is composed of internal and external stakeholders, including teachers, students’ families/family systems, business partners, and representatives from community agencies. Which initial action by the school counselor would be most effective in promoting the advisory committee’s ability to work together productively and respectfully?

Answer 19

A. educating the committee members on the principles of strategies for goal setting and consensus building
B. identifying committee members to serve as group facilitators and to maintain documentation of discussions and decisions
C. implementing group processes that enable the perspectives and ideas of all committee members to be heard
D. creating a structured agenda of discussion topics and action items for committee members to follow during meetings

Correct Response: C.

This item requires examinees to apply knowledge of skills and methods of engagement and collaboration with a diverse school counseling advisory committee, including techniques for building consensus to improve the school counseling program. For an advisory committee composed of various stakeholders in the school community to be productive, all individual members must have confidence that their views and ideas will be heard and given consideration by other members. Individual committee members may not be familiar with one another, so the school counselor has a responsibility to ensure the committee can function productively by establishing group norms that support respectful communication.

Question 20

A middle school counselor is a member of the individualized education program (IEP) team for a student with a disability. As a team member, the school counselor’s primary responsibility in this role is:

Answer 20

A. providing information to the team about the student’s academic, social/emotional, and career development.
B. facilitating the team’s discussions related to the student’s educational needs.
C. sharing the research base for interventions and supports that are being considered for the student with the team.
D. ensuring the team’s adherence to legal requirements for meeting the student’s needs.

Correct Response: A

This item requires examinees to demonstrate knowledge of federal, state, and local laws, regulations, rules, and policies related to the practice of school counseling, including the legal responsibilities of school counselors (e.g., student and family rights, confidentiality, education of students with special educational needs, mandated reporting) and their application in various contexts. The American School Counselor Association’s Professional Standards and Competencies describe the essential goal of a comprehensive school counseling program as addressing students’ academic achievement, career planning needs, and social-emotional development and well-being. Therefore, the most appropriate role for a school counselor as part of an IEPI E P team would be to report on the student’s development in these three areas.

Question 21

Engaging in regular consultation with experienced school counselor colleagues would best promote the school counselor’s growth in which area of the self-assessment?

Answer 21

A. using routines and procedures to manage time and resources effectively
B. expanding awareness and use of available district and community resources
C. developing dispositions such as flexibility and open-mindedness
D. implementing effective communication strategies with stakeholders

Correct Response: B.

This item requires examinees to demonstrate knowledge of the value of consulting with school counselor colleagues as well as other educational and mental health professionals and other service providers. Based on the self-assessment, the school counselor in this scenario has limited awareness of the resources available within the district and in the surrounding community. Consulting regularly with colleagues who are well established in the district would be an effective means for the school counselor to learn about the systems of support already in place at the school, as well as how school counselors can utilize the available resources to meet the needs of students and their families/family systems.

Question 22

The school principal identifies four topics for staff professional learning activities and would like the school counselor to take a leadership role in providing one of the activities. Based on the school counselor’s self-assessment, the principal should suggest that the school counselor provide professional learning on which topic?

Answer 22

A. creating developmentally appropriate and positive learning environments
B. applying basic principles of data collection and interpretation
C. utilizing varied formats to communicate effectively with families/family systems
D. forming partnerships in the community to address school needs

Correct Response: A.

This item requires examinees to demonstrate knowledge of leadership and advocacy strategies for dismantling institutional and social barriers that impede access, equity, and success for all students; promote learning and academic experiences necessary to the academic, social-emotional, and college/career development of all students; and support school policies, programs, and services that contribute to a positive, equitable, and responsive school climate and culture. According to their self-assessment, the school counselor in this scenario has the greatest level of confidence in their knowledge of child and adolescent development and their ability to create environments of respect and rapport. For this reason, the principal should suggest that the school counselor lead professional learning that focuses on how to create and sustain developmentally appropriate, positive learning environments throughout the school.