FLDOE adopted the Florida School Counseling Professional Standards (required per HB 1557) to serve as the expectations for effective school counselors and to form the foundation of district and school level school counseling programs, professional learning for school counselors and a school counselor evaluation system. Additionally, FL Statute 1006.025 requires that school districts submit an annual report on the degree to which a district has adopted or implemented a model guidance program.

Using these new professional standards, Clay County District School Counseling Specialists, in coordination with school counselors at all levels, developed a district school counseling plan to provide a framework for our support of students across the district.

There is not a current board approved District School Counseling Plan. School Counseling Specialists have worked with each school to identify the support needs for their school counselors and have provided more informal recommendations for school counselors’ roles and responsibilities (in alignment with the board approved job description) as well as recommended timelines and curriculum materials. The implementation of a common district school counseling plan will provide a common framework of expectations and level of support for students across all schools. Additionally, utilizing a data-driven framework will allow for future data collection, analysis and reflection to better understand the impact that the school counseling program at each school has on the academic achievement of CCDS students district wide.

Prior baseline and outcome data has not been collected or analyzed.

It is the goal of the implementation of a District School Counseling Plan to increase student engagement as reflected through improving student attendance rates, decrease behavioral/discipline rates, and increase academic achievement as reflected through higher promotion, course progress and graduation rates.

The adoption and implementation of a District School Counseling Plan supports Strategic Goal 1 and 4.

Goal 1: Student Success. This plan supports the development of high-quality instructional practices for school counselors to meet the needs of all students and provide intentionally designed instruction and interventions to increase student engagement and academic success in alignment with state standards.

Goal 4: Safe and Positive Learning Environment. A district wide plan ensures that students at all schools have access to quality counseling services to support their mental health and wellness by increasing strategies that specifically address student resilience, positive behavior and life skills.

That the school board approve the adoption of the District School Counseling Plan.