Comprehensive School Counseling Program

OSPI Comprehensive School Counseling Programs

During the 2021 legislative session, the Legislature passed Substitute Senate Bill (SSB) 5030, which was the result of a multi-year effort by the Washington School Counselor Association (WSCA) and other statewide advocates to clarify the role of the school counselor in alignment with current best practices. SSB 5030 requires districts to develop and implement a comprehensive school counseling program (CSCP) for all schools within the district that addresses students’ social/emotional, academic, and career development in alignment with the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) National Model. 

The best way to structure your program is to focus on three essential components - academic, career, and social emotional development. RCW 28A.410.040

OSPI 5030 Catch Up Check List

Hatching Results and OSPI have created a comprehensive set of 5030 resources that include: 5030 resources to inform your CSCP staff PD, recommended alignment activities by CSCP staff role, and CSCP resources by topic and 5030 required component. 

Open Education Resources Module: ASCA National Model 101

School counselors use the ASCA National Model to design, implement, evaluate, and improve comprehensive school counseling programs. Model School counseling programs deliver proactive, preventative, data-driven, and standards-based services to all students. This module will support school counselors in implementing the ASCA National Model in alignment with Washington Senate Bill 5030.

By the end of this module, we will be able to:

• Explain the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) National Model as a framework for designing, implementing, evaluating, & improving a comprehensive school counseling program to support the needs of ALL students.
• Describe the current role of today’s school counselor & assess the strengths and areas for growth of the school counseling program 
• Utilize tools & resources shared to begin implementing an ASCA-aligned CSCP

ASCA School Counselor Professional Standards & Competencies

The ASCA School Counselor Professional Standards & Competencies outline the mindsets and behaviors school counselors need to meet the rigorous demands of the school counseling profession and the needs of pre-K–12 students. These standards and competencies help ensure new and experienced school counselors are equipped to establish, maintain and enhance a school counseling program addressing academic achievement, career planning and social/emotional development. These standards and competencies can be used in a variety of ways.

ASCA Ethical Standards for School Counselors 

In this document, ASCA specifies the obligation to the principles of ethical behavior necessary to maintain the highest standards of integrity, leadership and professionalism. The ASCA Ethical Standards for School Counselors were developed in collaboration with school counselors, state school counselor associations, school counseling district and state leaders, and school counselor educators across the nation to clarify the profession’s norms, values and beliefs.

ASCA Student Standards: Mindsets & Behaviors for Student Success

The ASCA Student Standards: Mindsets & Behaviors for Student Success describe the knowledge, attitudes and skills students need to achieve academic success, college and career readiness and social/emotional development. The standards are based on a survey of research and best practices in student achievement from a wide array of educational standards and efforts.

ASCA Student Standards Learning Objectives Database

Use the ASCA Student Standards learning objectives database to search for learning objectives that support the standards. Searches can be completed by keyword, grade level, domain or standard. Each learning objective is designed to meet student developmental needs and align with academic content. The database also allows school counselors to contribute new learning objectives that support and align with a specific standard.