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SECTION 3: DELIVER

Designing the Service

Tier 1: Proactive Prevention Delivered to All Students 

Best practice suggests Tier 1 delivery is where the majority of a school counselor’s time is ideally spent. The goal is to implement high quality, research-based instruction to all students that is prevention-oriented. The school counseling curriculum includes standards based units and lessons focused on each of the three developmental domains (academic, career and social/emotional). In addition to the curriculum, the school counselor’s role includes implementation of grade level and whole school interventions such as PBIS, character education initiatives, anti-bullying interventions, college and career fairs, etc. 

Considerations to assist Tier 1 delivery include: 

  • Scheduling: Does the school schedule provide built-in advisory time, seminars/ or classes for school counselors to partner in the delivery of the school counseling curriculum. 
  • Curriculum and Instruction: Does the school have a proficiency-based school counseling curriculum? Does the school counseling department design and deliver lessons? Are school counselors encouraged to teach and partner with classroom teachers to support their delivery of the school counseling curriculum? Are school counselors allowed to have grade level assemblies? 
  • Annual Calendars: Does the school counseling department have an annual calendar identifying time for instruction, appraisal and advisement and counseling? 

Tier 2: Strategic Intervention Delivered to Students Targeted by Data 

Tier 2 strategic interventions are designed for a smaller percentage of students who will need targeted responsive services that meet their individual needs. These are both direct (delivered either individually or in a small group basis) and indirect services and will focus on needed Mindsets and Behaviors development and support in areas identified through data analysis. These interventions focus on each of the three developmental domains (academic, career and social-emotional). 

Tier 3: Intensive Intervention 

Tier 3 is designed for intensive intervention. In this Tier, school counselors are responding to immediate crises and actively planning for interventions and supports needed by identified high-risk students (special education referrals, meeting the needs of ELL students and special populations, etc.). If hired as a school counselor, remember that a licensed School Counselor is not trained to provide clinical mental health interventions. Tier 3 intensive counseling needs are referred to and provided by school-based licensed mental health colleagues or outside community based service providers. 

Tiered School Counseling Service and Services Charts 

The following elementary, middle school and high school Service and services charts suggest a sampling of tiered school counseling services. 


Elementary School Level: A Sampling of Tiered School Counseling Services


Elementary Level Tier 1

Proactive Prevention

Elementary Level Tier 2

Strategic/Targeted Intervention

Elementary Level Tier 3

Intensive Intervention

 Suggested Percent of Time:

55%-65%

Suggested Percent of Time:

25%-35%

Suggested Percent of Time:

10%-55%

Purpose

All students acquisition and application of specific knowledge, attitudes, and skill through evidence-based services and guidance curriculum.

Purpose

A smaller population of students receive additional short-term services to meet their individual needs through small group counseling and intervention program.

Purpose

Intensive interventions for identified students to address immediate crisis needs, collaboration with stakeholders, and/or possible referral for clinical mental health counseling support. 

  DIRECT SERVICES 

Academic/Technical Domain

Examples:

  • Classroom guidance lessons (ex: Ready for Success)
  • Data analysis and implementation of programs
  • School assemblies celebrating academic achievements

Academic/Technical Domain

Examples:

  • Small group counseling focused on study skills, improving attendance, and executive functioning
  • Before/after school support

Academic/Technical Domain

Examples:

  • Short-term individual counseling to assist with transitions, time management, executive functioning (organization, decision-making, study skills, etc.)
  • Collaborate to develop and monitor and individualized academic intervention plan and/or student success plans
  • Monitoring high risk student academic and attendance issues through check-ins and meetings

Workplace Readiness Domain

Examples:

  • Classroom guidance lessons (ex: Why Try, The Real Game)
  • Career portfolio
  • College and Career week- collaboration with community partners
  • Career Development Education curriculum and Community Service Learning activities (ex: food

Workplace Readiness Domain

Examples:

  • Small group/individual assistance identifying strengths and interests
  • Small group counseling to increase motivation
  • Leadership group
  • Attendance group

Workplace Readiness Domain

Examples:

  • Individual counseling to begin to develop a career portfolio (ILP) and increase motivation

Personal/Social Domain

Examples:

  • Classroom guidance lessons (ex: The Zones of Regulation, Second Step)
  • School-wide implementation of behavior incentive program (PBIS)
  • Character education curriculum
  • School assemblies and announcements celebrating prosocial behavior

Personal/Social Domain

Examples:

  • Small group counseling (self-esteem, impulse control)
  • Attendance and behavior charts and monitoring (short term)
  • Classroom observations of individual students

Personal/Social Domain

Examples:

  • Short-term individual counseling (grief/loss, peer relationship and executive functioning/self-regulaton issues)
  • Solution-focused brief counseling for crises
  • Monitor outcomes and behavior intervention plans via check-ins and meetings
  INDIRECT SERVICES 

Examples:

  • Development of research based guidance curriculum
  • Guidance newsletter and parent communication of curriculum (translated in all languages)
  • Guidance team meetings
  • Staff meetings
  • Presentation of guidance data to staff
  • Program management and assessment
  • Program audit
  • School/advisory council 

Examples:

  • Progress monitoring of students in small group
  • Data analysis and needs assessments to develop small groups
  • Family communication through multiple means (phone, meetings, email, handouts) to enhance skills taught in small group
  • Teacher collaboration to discuss skills taught in small group
  • Team meetings to discuss student data

Referrals/Participation to plan and monitor student interventions for high-risk students

Examples:

  • Crisis/safety team meetings
  • 51A Filing
  • RTI or Intervention/Child Study teams
  • IEP/504/ELL assessments
  • Collaboration with community mental health counselors
  • Monitor outcomes and individualized plans
  • Ongoing student advocacy

    MIDDLE School Level: A Sampling of Tiered School Counseling Services


    Middle School Tier 1

    Proactive Prevention

    Middle School Tier 2

    Strategic/Targeted Intervention

    Middle School Tier 3

    Intensive Intervention

     Suggested Percent of Time:

    35%-45%

    Suggested Percent of Time:

    25%-35%

    Suggested Percent of Time:

    15%-25%

    Purpose

    All students acquisition and application of specific knowledge, attitudes, and skill through evidence-based services and guidance curriculum.

    Purpose

    A smaller population of students receive additional short-term services to meet their individual needs through small group counseling and intervention program.

    Purpose

    Intensive interventions for identified students to address immediate crisis needs, collaboration with stakeholders, and/or possible referral for clinical mental health counseling support. 

       DIRECT SERVICES  

    Academic/Technical Domain

    Examples:

    • Classroom guidance lessons on organization skills
    • Learning styles assessments
    • Lessons on test-taking strategies
    • Data analysis and implementation of programs
    • Individual planning on educational goals and course selection

    Academic/Technical Domain

    Examples:

    • Small group support for study skills/organization skills
    • Small group tutoring/peer tutoring
    • Individual intervention with academic concerns
    • Small group test anxiety coping strategies

    Academic/Technical Domain

    Examples:

    • Short-term individual counseling to assist with transitions, time management, executive functioning (organization, decision-making, study skills, etc.)
    • Collaborate to develop and monitor and individualized academic intervention plan and/or student success plans
    • Monitoring high risk student academic and attendance issues through check-ins and meetings

    Workplace Readiness Domain

    Examples:

    • Career interest surveys
    • Career Development Education Curriculum and Community Service Learning activities
    • Career Fairs
    • Community Collaboration related to Career Readiness

    Workplace Readiness Domain

    Examples:

    • Small group/individual assistance identifying strengths and interests
    • Career mentorship programs
    • Small group/individual assistance with vocational education

    Workplace Readiness Domain

    Examples:

    • Individual counseling to begin to develop a career portfolio (ILP) and increase motivation
    • Assistance with work permits and letters of recommendation

    Personal/Social Domain

    Examples:

    • School-wide implementation of behavior intervention
    • Character education
    • Peer leadership program
    • Peer conflict mediation program
    • Suicide/self-harm prevention
    • Parent/Guardian information sessions and meetings

    Personal/Social Domain

    Examples:

    • Small group support with social skill development
    • Small group/individual assistance with grief and loss
    • Support groups for LGBTQ students

    Personal/Social Domain

    Examples:

    • Short-term individual counseling (grief/loss, peer relationship and executive functioning/self-regulaton issues)
    • Solution-focused brief counseling for crises
    • Monitor outcomes and behavior intervention plans via check-ins and meetings
       INDIRECT SERVICES  

    Examples:

    • Development of research based guidance curriculum
    • Team meetings with teachers
    • Meetings with administration to determine academic/technical, personal/social, or work readiness needs
    • Program management and assessment

    Examples:

    • Analysis of student data to identify students
    • Progress monitoring of small group(s)
    • Referral process for small group
    • Teacher collaboration
    • Parent communication (via email, phone, meetings, or handouts)

    Referrals/Participation to plan and monitor student interventions for high-risk students

    Examples:

    • Crisis/safety team meetings
    • 51A Filing
    • RTI or Intervention/Child Study teams
    • IEP/504/ELL assessments
    • Collaboration with community mental health counselors
    • Monitor outcomes and individualized plans
    • Ongoing student advocacy

      HIGH School Level: A Sampling of Tiered School Counseling Services


      High School Tier 1

      Proactive Prevention

      High School Tier 2

      Strategic/Targeted Intervention

      High School Tier 3

      Intensive Intervention

       Suggested Percent of Time:

      40%-45%

      Suggested Percent of Time:

      25%-30%

      Suggested Percent of Time:

      20%-25%

      Purpose

      All students acquisition and application of specific knowledge, attitudes, and skill through evidence-based services and guidance curriculum.

      Purpose

      A smaller population of students receive additional short-term services to meet their individual needs through small group counseling and intervention program.

      Purpose

      Intensive interventions for identified students to address immediate crisis needs, collaboration with stakeholders, and/or possible referral for clinical mental health counseling support. 

         DIRECT SERVICES  

      Academic Domain

      Examples:

      • Delivery of counseling core curriculum in classroom
      • Post-secondary/college planning in alignment with Mass Core
      • Course selection/course of studies planning

      Academic Domain

      Examples:

      • Individual counseling for academic concerns/monitoring of academic progress
      • Coordinating and conducting parent/teacher meetings

      Academic Domain

      Examples:

      • Short-term individual counseling to assist with transitions, time management, executive functioning (organization, decision-making, study skills, etc.)
      • Collaborate to develop and monitor and individualized academic intervention plan and/or student success plans
      • Monitoring high-risk student academic and attendance issues through check-ins and meetings
      • Supporting high-risk students to meet graduation requirements

      Workplace Readiness Domain

      Examples:

      • Career Development Education: Curriculum and Community Service Learning activities (ex: Classroom lessons in Career Exploration and Postsecondary planning through Naviance, Career Cruising, MassCIS)
      • Support students in extracurricular engagement
      • Parent/guardian information sessions e.g. College Planning and Financial Aid assistance
      • Credit for Life or Reality Fairs

      Workplace Readiness Domain

      Examples:

      • Individual assistance identifying strengths and interests
      • Career counseling/coaching
      • Individual planning using Naviance, Career Cruising, MassCIS

      Workplace Readiness Domain

      Examples:

      • Intensive individual planning and advising to support post-high school options
      • Connection to community supports, e.g. adult service agencies
      • Collaboration with colleges/post-secondary training programs to support high school transition

      Personal/Social Domain

      Examples:

      • Anti-bullying curriculum (ex: MARC-MA Anger Reduction Curriculum)
      • Signs of Suicide (SOS) training
      • Peer leadership program
      • Individual meetings to discuss goals, strengths, community involvement

      Personal/Social Domain

      Examples:

      • Small group support (e.g. Social Skills, Girls Group)
      • Individual counseling/problem-solving with students
      • Peer conflict mediation

      Personal/Social Domain

      Examples:

      • Short-term individual counseling (grief/loss, peer relationship and executive functioning/self-regulaton issues)
      • Solution-focused brief counseling for crises
      • Monitor outcomes and behavior intervention plans via check-ins and meetings
         INDIRECT SERVICES  

      Examples:

      • Use data (e.g. AP Potential) to determine course placements
      • Build 'college-going' culture in school environment

      Examples:

      • Consultation/meetings with Special Ed department
      • Collaboration with parents
      • Letters of recommendation for college/jobs/co-ops

      Referrals/Participation to plan and monitor student interventions for high-risk students

      Examples:

      • Crisis/safety team meetings
      • 51A Filing
      • RTI or Intervention/Child Study teams
      • IEP/504/ELL assessments
      • Collaboration with community mental health counselors
      • Monitor outcomes and individualized plans
      • Ongoing student advocacy

        VERMONT SCHOOL COUNSELOR ASSOCIATION

        The Vermont School Counselor Association (VTSCA) expands the image and influence of professional school counselors through advocacy, leadership, collaboration and systemic change. VTSCA empowers professional school counselors with the knowledge, skills, linkages, and resources to promote student success in the school, the home, the community, and the world. VTSCA is the chartered state division of the American School Counselor Association.


        CONTACT US

          PMB 301 150 Dorset Street | South Burlington, VT 05403

          membership@vermontschoolcounselor.org



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