Sec. 13a.05.05.02. School Counseling Program

A. The School Counseling Program is a coordinated data driven program of counseling, consulting, and informational services for students in grades K-12 that:

(1) Promotes student academic success and well-being;

(2) Enhances awareness of mental health and promotes positive, healthy behaviors;

(3) Provides school-based prevention and universal and targeted interventions for students with mental health and behavioral health concerns;

(4) Is comprehensive in scope, preventative in design, and developmental in nature;

(5) Is aligned with school system goals and objectives;

(6) Is an integral component of the school’s program and mission;

(7) Promotes systemic change through the use of leadership skills, advocacy, and collaboration;

(8) Promotes student achievement;

(9) Provides equitable access to a rigorous education for all students;

(10) Provides students with individual and group planning addressing academic, career, and social/emotional needs;

(11) Identifies the knowledge and skills all students will acquire to promote college and career readiness;

(12) Is delivered to all students in a systemic fashion;

(13) Addresses the needs of the whole child so that each student has the opportunity to be healthy, safe, engaged, supported, and challenged for long-term success;

(14) Is monitored and reviewed through accountability systems; and

(15) Is provided by a State-credentialed school counselor as defined in COMAR 13A.12.03.02.

B. The school counseling program shall be formed around the following components:

(1) Foundation components, including:

(a) Program focus;

(b) Student competencies; and

(c) Professional competencies;

(2) Management components, including, but not limited to:

(a) School counselor competency and school counseling program assessments;

(b) Annual agreements or annual plan;

(c) Advisory councils;

(d) Use of data to measure program implementation and outcomes to promote systemic change such as use of time assessments, calendars, and student academic measures; and

(e) Curriculum, small group, and closing the gap action plans;

(3) Delivery components, including direct and indirect services to students that focus on students’ academic, career, and social/emotional needs, as follows:

(a) Direct services, recommended to be 80 percent of school counselor services, are services between school counselors and students that are in person or virtual interactions that include, but are not limited to:

(i) School counseling core curriculum;

(ii) Individual student planning; and

(iii) Responsive services; and

(b) Indirect services, recommended to be 20 percent of school counselor services, are services for students that result from the school counselor’s interactions with others that include, but are not limited to:

(i) Referrals for assistance;

(ii) Consultation and collaboration with families, teachers and other educators, community organizations, and other stakeholders;

(iii) Participation as members of the educational team; and

(iv) Other activities that fall in line with the appropriate duties of a school counselor as detailed in this regulation; and

(4) Accountability components, including the use of school counseling program data to demonstrate the impact of the school counseling program on students and the school in measureable terms that include, but are not limited to:

(a) Student attendance data;

(b) Student achievement data; and

(c) Student behavior data.

C. School counseling services shall be aligned with the following domains:

(1) Academic development intended to help students:

(a) Acquire the attitudes, knowledge, and skills that contribute to effective learning in school and across their life span;

(b) Complete school with the academic preparation essential to choose from a wide range of substantial post-secondary options, including college; and

(c) Understand the relationship of academics to the world of work and to life at home and in the community;

(2) Career development intended to help students:

(a) Acquire the skills to investigate the world of work in relation to their knowledge of self in order to make informed career decisions;

(b) Employ strategies to achieve future career goals with success and satisfaction; and

(c) Understand the relationship between personal qualities, education, training, and the world of work; and

(3) Social/emotional development intended to help students:

(a) Acquire the knowledge, attitudes, and interpersonal skills to help them understand and respect self and others;

(b) Make decisions, set goals, and take the necessary action to achieve goals; and

(c) Understand safety and survival skills.