School counsellors can play a powerful role in closing the achievement gap by incorporating principles of social justice - that is, equity and advocacy for all students - into their practice. This new resource for pre-service and in-service counsellors addresses the reasons why some students are more likely to encounter academic failure (racism, sexism, heterosexism, classism), and challenges readers to play an active role in bringing about the conditions for student success. Offering a variety of vignettes, strategies, activities, and reflective individual and group study questions, the book provides the framework for how school counsellors can mitigate the impact of negative factors hampering academic performance and healthy development. The book details six functions of a school counsellors that move schools toward more just practices and, ultimately, to higher test scores and increased student achievement.

Create conditions that lead to success for ALL students and confront conditions that create opportunity gaps This new edition of a bestseller shows school counselors how to incorporate principles of social justice, antiracism, equity, and advocacy into their practice and addresses the reasons why some students are more likely to encounter challenges at school due to racism, sexism, heterosexism, and classism. It includes: Vignettes, strategies, activities, and reflective individual and group study questions A framework for how school counselors can mitigate the impact of negative factors that hamper academic performance and healthy development, especially among students of color Six functions of school counselors that move schools toward more just practices and, ultimately, to higher test scores and increased student achievement.

This edition provides school counselors with new ways for moving from reactive to proactive and from random to intentional counseling. By using data to determine what all students deserve to receive and when some students need more, it offers effective ways to provide proactive school counseling services, stay accountable, and advocate for systemic change. Includes data analysis, intervention strategies, methods aligned with standards, examples, artifacts, and other tools.

"Dr. Johnson′s work provides both the philosophical and practical blueprint for transforming public schools into the learning communities we want and need. Leaders will find the book to be the most useful document to guide and inform their efforts to close the gap and maximize learning for all students." Joseph Burke, Superintendent of Schools Springfield Public Schools Springfield, MA "If the goal of all students reaching high standards is to be met, Using Data to Close the Achievement Gap should be required reading for all teachers and administrators. It should also be an integral part of the course of study for those preparing to teach in the United States." Vinetta C. Jones, Dean School of Education, Howard University "From Johnson′s penetrating analysis of current research, policies, and practices, and her wealth of experiences working with school districts around the nation, she clearly makes the connection between using data and achieving equitable outcomes as districts and schools struggle to close the achievement gap." Aukram Burton, Diversity/Multicultural Specialist Gheen Professional Development Academy Louisville, KY "This book represents a significant contribution to the national debate around school reform. Ruth Johnson presents a thoughtful, well-documented treatise on how educators, policymakers, and parents can use data to set achievement goals and to measure progress towards these goals." Walter Allen, Professor Department of Sociology, UCLA Exercise the power of data to identify and rectify educational inequalities! Student populations are diverse—however, their access to knowledge and success should not be. Unfortunately, statistics show that real disparities do exist in academic achievement, which consistently coincide with income level and race. In this comprehensive guide, Ruth S. Johnson highlights compelling evidence that these inequities can be linked to school practices that inadvertently increase inequities. The solution to this pervasive problem lies in the collection and examination of appropriate data, and this book shows readers how. This updated edition of Setting Our Sights: Measuring Equity in School Change now includes current studies, policies, and practices, and provides new sections on data dialogues and school indicators. It offers valuable assistance for understanding, visioning, planning, and executing tactics that can successfully close the gap in student achievement, including: Straightforward and in-depth discussions of the five stages for equity reform Clear and easy-to-understand explanations of research findings Practical tools including questionnaires, surveys, forms, and models Tips for effectively gathering, analyzing, and applying data Johnson shows how data is instrumental not only in targeting areas for improvement, but also in offering insights into the necessary steps to foster positive change and create a culture of high achievement for all students, especially those students who have traditionally been overlooked. An indispensable reference for any school undergoing a quality review process, this reader-friendly manual presents practical how-to′s for analyzing data and developing a strategy that empowers teachers and administrators with an equal opportunity for success.

Interrupting Racism provides school counselors with a brief overview of racial equity in schools and practical ideas that a school-level practitioner can put into action. The book walks readers through the current state of achievement gap and racial equity in schools and looks at issues around intention, action, white privilege, and implicit bias. Later chapters include interrupting racism case studies and stories from school counselors about incorporating stakeholders into the work of racial equity. Activities, lessons, and action plans promote self-reflection, staff-reflection, and student-reflection and encourage school counselors to drive systemic change for students through advocacy, collaboration, and leadership.

School counseling that makes a difference—for all students! As an elementary school counselor, you’re implementing a comprehensive program to promote academic and social-emotional development for all students. You’re planting seeds of college and career readiness, which means creating core curriculum classroom lessons, delivering engaging content to students and parents, managing classroom behaviors, providing assessments, and sharing the results. The good news is that you don’t have to do it alone. In this guide, three experienced school counselors take you step by step through the creation and implementation of high-quality Tier 1 systems of universal supports. With a focus on proactive and prevention education through core curriculum classroom lessons and schoolwide activities, this practical text includes: The school counselor’s role in Multi-tiered, Multi-Domain System of Supports Examples to help with design, implementation, and evaluation Guidance for selecting curriculum and developing lesson and action plans Alignment with ASCA National Model and ASCA Mindsets and Behaviors Vignettes from practicing elementary school counselors Recommendations for including families in prevention activities Management tools, reproducible templates, and reflective activities and processing questions You teach the academic, college and career, and social-emotional competencies students need to be successful learners. With this book’s expert guidance, you’re prepared to help them get there. "This book accomplishes what so many school counseling graduates are often left to learn ‘on the job’: translation of theory and ideas into meaningful, evidence-based practice within a multi-tiered system of supports." —Paul C. Harris, Assistant Professor, Counselor Education University of Virginia "This is the book all elementary school counselors have been waiting for! Not only can it deepen our skills as educators and collaborators, it also provides a sounding board for effective school counseling practices that are standards-based, measurable, and focused on closing the achievement gap." —Kirsten Perry, ASCA 2018 School Counselor of the Year Lawndale Community Academy, Chicago, IL

"The ASCA National Model reflects a comprehensive approach to the design, implementation and assessment of a school counseling program that improves student success. The publication defines the school counselor's role in implementation of a school counseling program and provides step-by-step tools to build each componenet of your school counseling program, including defining, managing, delivering and assessing. This fourth edition reflects current education practices, aligns with the ASCA Mindsets & Behaviors for Student Success: K-12 College- and Career-Readiness Standards for Every Student and the ASCA professional standards & competencies and assists school counselors in developing an examplary school counseling program"-[P. 4], Cover.