The Urban School Reform Opera: The Obstructions to Transforming School Counseling Practices

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

11-12-2014

Abstract

Over the past 20 years, there have been numerous calls to reform the practices of school counselors. Some have situated these calls for school counseling reform within the context of urban schooling. This study examined the practices of school counselors in one urban school district, and how those practices aligned with the school district’s vision of ideal school counselor practices. Using Q methodology, 79 school counselors and 1 director of guidance sorted the 43 American School Counselor Association’s (ASCA) standards for school counselor performance. Results indicate dissonance between the ideal practice as construed by the district and director of guidance and the practices of current school counselors. Finally, the factors that foster or inhibit congruence between ideal and reality are explored.

Publication Title

Education and Urban Society

Volume

46

Issue

7

First Page

743

Last Page

772

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1177/0013124512468007

ISSN

00131245

E-ISSN

15523535

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