OATdb Archive

2014 - 2015

Counseling MED (School Counselor)

Goal
Student Diversity
Understand human diversity and apply this knowledge to ensure that the developmental guidance and counseling program is responsive to all students.

Objective
Graduates Will Demonstrate An Understanding Of Ways To Create A Positive School Environment In Which Diversity Is Respected.
Graduates of the MEd in School Counseling will demonstrate an understanding of ways to evaluate, create, and maintain a positive school environment in which diversity is acknowledged and respected.

Indicator
School-wide Cultural Competency Observation Checklist (SCCOC)
MEd school counseling students enrolled in COUN 6335 will have developed skills and knowledge required to evaluate the school environment concerning diversity utilizing the SCCOC.

Criterion
Successfully Complete The SCCOC
Competence as a school counselor includes the ability to successfully complete the SCCOC and do the following:
1. respond to all items on the SCCOC
2. interpret the results of the SCCOC
3. report the results of the SCCOC to the school administrators and staff
4. make recommendations to improve the school environment in which diversity is acknowledged and respected.

For 2014-2015 school year, the plan is to have COUN 6335 students complete the SCCOC and develop an Action Plan at mid-term rather than at the end of the course. School administrators and staff will be encouraged to implement Action Plan immediately. If we are able to accomplish this task,  COUN 6335, students will re-evaluate the school environment looking for improvements to the three challenges based on the results of the SCCOC.  In previous years, students were unable to complete the fourth step within the semester timeline.

Finding
Results Of SCCOC And Action Plan
Following the revisions to the SCCOC learning experience to be a two part assignment with part one completed in the first school counseling course, COUN 5333 and the second part of the assignment completed in COUN 6335 students were able to complete all steps of the assignment.

Action
Diversity Assessment Assignment
Continue with the revisions of the SCCOC assignment taking place in two parts with part one assigned and completed in COUN 5333 and part two assigned and completed in COUN 6335.

Goal
Planning And Implementing The Developmental Guidance And Counseling Program
Students in the MEd school counseling program understand how to plan, implement, and evaluate a developmental guidance program, including counseling services, that promotes all students' success.

Objective
Closing The Gap Plan
Students in the school counseling program will develop a needs assessment and use to assess the needs of students in a school and based on the results of the needs assessment will develop a Closing the Gap Plan that is proactive and preventative in design.

Indicator
Implement Counseling And Guidance Activities To Close The Gap
MEd school counseling students enrolled in COUN 5333 will develop and carry out a school-wide needs assessment to determine activities and learning experiences needed as part of a proactive counseling and guidance program designed to support closing the gap for students in areas of learning, social and emotional needs. 


Criterion
Needs Assessment Completed By 90% Of Teachers At Site School
School Counseling students in COUN 5333 will obtain a 90% response rate of teachers in the school completing the needs assessment designed to develop guidance and counseling activities/experiences designed to close the gap.

In an effort to improve the response rate over last year’s results, COUN 5333 students will be required to schedule an appointment with campus administrators prior to requesting teachers complete the student needs assessments and seek permission to administer the needs assessment at a faculty meeting rather than individually.  

Finding
Results Of Needs Assessment
All students enrolled in COUN 5333 successfully meet the criterion of meeting with administration or grade level leaders to complete the needs assessment assignment.

Action
Needs Assessment Assignment
Continue the assignment in COUN 5333 that all students will complete a needs assessment of all teachers at their lab site to ensure that guidance lessons are prepared and presented that meet the unique needs of students a all the site locations.

Goal
Program Quality
The Master of Education program as a CACREP accredited program prepares competent students who demonstrate mastery of the state mandated examination for school counseling certification.


Objective
Graduate Students Will Demonstrate Competency In School Counseling
School Counseling M.Ed. students will pass all areas of the TExES school counseling examination for certification.

Indicator
Passing Scores On TExES For School Counselor Certification
All MEd school counseling students seeking school counseling certification in Texas will pass TExES examination.

Criterion
Passing Score On TExES
All students in the M.Ed. program seeking school counseling certification will make a passing score on the TExEX for school counselors.

Finding
Results Of TExES For 2014-2015
A total of 20 students graduating from the M.Ed. program for school counselors took the TExES examination. Six students took the examination in fall 2014 and fourteen took the examination in spring 2015. All six passed in fall with a passing rate of 100%. For spring 2015 two of the fourteen students taking the TExES did not pass all areas of the examination resulting in 12 M.Ed. students passing.

Action
Increase Pass Rate To 100%
Faculty teaching the two school counseling courses will review areas the two students failed and strengthen learning experiences to make sure that students are prepared to pass all sections of the TExES.


Update to previous cycle's plan for continuous improvement School Counseling faculty have agreed for full-time faculty to teach COUN 5333 which is the first school counseling course due to the fact that the course has been taught by different adjunct over the past couple of years. We believe that students will that consistency of faculty and a full-time faculty rather than an adjunct will increased student success meeting the goals and objectives for students enrolled in the M.Ed. program.

Plan for continuous improvement In addition to the decision to have full-time faculty rather than adjunct faculty teach COUN 5333 we plan to develop a committee of school counseling faculty to make certain that our students are meeting CACREP Standards as well as TEA required learning experiences for school counselors in training.