OAR 584-435-0100: School Counselor Program Standards

(1) Purpose of the Program: To prepare candidates for the School Counselor License. Candidates who are preparing to work as school counselors will demonstrate the professional knowledge, skills, cultural competencies and professional dispositions necessary to promote the academic, career, and social and emotional development of all pre-K–12 students. (2) Candidate requirements: Candidates seeking the School Counseling License shall: (a) Obtain a master's or higher degree in counseling, education, or related behavior sciences from an Approved institution in the United States, or the foreign equivalent of such degree approved by the Commission and a bachelor’s degree. A master's degree or a doctoral degree from an Approved institution in the United States validates a non- accredited bachelor's degree. Candidates must submit official transcripts showing degree conferral. (b) Successfully complete 700 total hours of field experience (practicum + internship), including: (A) 100 hours of counseling practicum experience in a setting serving children, adolescents, or families and (B) 600 hours of counseling internship in a school setting. (C) 50 total hours of field experience must come from classroom-based counseling interventions in a school setting, including curriculum, instruction, and assessment. These hours may be direct or indirect, or from practicum or internship, or a combination. (c) Demonstrate competence in all eight core areas of the Counseling Candidate Core Knowledge Standards, as evidenced by: (A) University and site supervisor final evaluations that reflect that the candidate has met standards in all eight core areas; (B) Satisfactory levels in all key program assessments; (C) Successful completion of all program coursework; (D) Meeting standards in all evaluations of professional dispositions for school counseling; and (E) A professional portfolio curated and assembled by the candidate, providing work samples and other evidence of having met expectations in each of the eight core areas of the School Counseling Professional Standards. Note: The following standards refer to the 2016 CACREP Standards through a cross-match by alternate lettering. (3) School Counseling Program Professional Standards (a) Faculty and Staff (A) W. Core counselor education program faculty have earned doctoral degrees in counselor education, preferably from a CACREP-accredited program, or have related doctoral degrees. (B) X. Core counselor education program faculty identify with the counseling profession: (i) Through sustained memberships in professional counseling organizations; (ii) Through the maintenance of certifications and/or licenses related to their counseling specialty area(s); and (iii) By showing evidence of sustained: (I) Professional development and renewal activities related to counseling; (II) Professional service and advocacy in counseling; and (III) Research and scholarly activity in counseling commensurate with their faculty role. (C) Y. Within the structure of the institution’s policies, the core counselor education program faculty have the authority to determine program curricula and to establish operational policies and procedures for the program. (D) Z. Non-core faculty may be employed who support the mission, goals, and curriculum of the counselor education program. They must have graduate or professional degrees in a field that supports the mission of the program. (E) AA. The core counselor education program faculty orient non-core faculty to program and accreditation requirements relevant to the courses they teach. (F) BB. All core and non-core counselor education program faculty have relevant preparation and experience in relation to the courses they teach. (G) CC. A core counselor education program faculty member is clearly designated as the academic unit leader for counselor education. This individual must have a written job description that includes: (i) Having responsibility for the coordination of the counseling program(s); (ii) Responding to inquiries regarding the overall academic unit; (iii) Providing input and making recommendations regarding the development of and expenditures from the budget; (iv) Providing or delegating year-round leadership to the operation of the program(s); and (v) Receiving release time from faculty member responsibilities to administer the academic unit. (H) DD. A program faculty member or administrator is identified as the practicum and internship coordinator for the academic unit and/or program; this individual must have a written job description that includes (1) having responsibility for the coordination of practicum and internship experiences in designated counselor education program(s), and (2) responding to inquiries regarding practicum and internship. (b) Foundation (A) 1. The counselor education program has a publicly available mission statement and program objectives. (B) 2. The program objectives: (i) Reflect current knowledge and projected needs concerning counseling practice in a multicultural and pluralistic society; (ii) Reflect input from all persons involved in the conduct of the program, including counselor education program faculty, current and former students, and personnel in cooperating agencies; (iii) Address student learning; and (iv) Are written so they can be evaluated. (C) 3. Students actively identify with the counseling profession by participating in professional counseling organizations and by participating in seminars, workshops, or other activities that contribute to personal and professional growth. (4) Counseling Candidate Core Knowledge Standards : The eight common core areas represent the foundational knowledge required of all entry-level counselor education graduates. (a) 1. PROFESSIONAL COUNSELING ORIENTATION AND ETHICAL PRACTICE (A) 1. History and philosophy of the counseling profession and its specialty areas. (B) 2. The multiple professional roles and functions of counselors across specialty areas, and their relationships with human service and integrated behavioral health care systems, including interagency and interorganizational collaboration and consultation. (C) 3. Counselors’ roles and responsibilities as members of interdisciplinary community outreach and emergency management response teams. (D) 4. The role and process of the professional counselor advocating on behalf of the profession. (E) 5. Advocacy processes needed to address institutional and social barriers that impede access, equity, and success for clients. (F) 6. Professional counseling organizations, including membership benefits, activities, services to members, and current issues. (G) 7. Professional counseling credentialing, including certification, licensure, and accreditation practices and standards, and the effects of public policy on these issues. (H ) 8. Current labor market information relevant to opportunities for practice within the counseling profession. (I) 9. Ethical standards of professional counseling organizations and credentialing bodies, and applications of ethical and legal considerations in professional counseling. (J) 10 . Technology’s impact on the counseling profession. (K) 11. Strategies for personal and professional self-evaluation and implications for practice. (L) 12. Self-care strategies appropriate to the counselor role. (M) 13. The role of counseling supervision in the profession. (b) 2. SOCIAL AND CULTURAL DIVERSITY (A) 1. Multicultural and pluralistic characteristics within and among diverse groups nationally and internationally. (B) 2. Theories and models of multicultural counseling, cultural identity development, and social justice and advocacy. (C) 3. Multicultural counseling competencies. (D) 4. The impact of heritage, attitudes, beliefs, understandings, and acculturative experiences on an individual’s views of others. (E) 5. The effects of power and privilege for counselors and clients. (F) 6. Help-seeking behaviors of diverse clients. (G) 7. The impact of spiritual beliefs on clients’ and counselors’ worldviews. (H) 8. Strategies for identifying and eliminating barriers, prejudices, and processes of intentional and unintentional oppression and discrimination. (c) 3. HUMAN GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT (A) 1. Theories of individual and family development across the lifespan. (B) 2. Theories of learning. (C) 3. Theories of normal and abnormal personality development. (D) 4. Theories and etiology of addictions and addictive behaviors. (E) 5. Biological, neurological, and physiological factors that affect human development, functioning, and behavior. (F) 6. Systemic and environmental factors that affect human development, functioning, and behavior. (G) 7. Effects of crisis, disasters, and trauma on diverse individuals across the lifespan. (H) 8. A general framework for understanding differing abilities and strategies for differentiated interventions. (I) 9. Ethical and culturally relevant strategies for promoting resilience and optimum development and wellness across the lifespan. (d) 4. CAREER DEVELOPMENT (A) 1. Theories and models of career development, counseling, and decision making. (B) 2. Approaches for conceptualizing the interrelationships among and between work, mental well-being, relationships, and other life roles and factors. (C) 3. Processes for identifying and using career, avocational, educational, occupational and labor market information resources, technology, and information systems. (D) 4. Approaches for assessing the conditions of the work environment on clients’ life experiences. (E) 5. Strategies for assessing abilities, interests, values, personality and other factors that contribute to career development. (F) 6. Strategies for career development program planning, organization, implementation, administration, and evaluation. (G) 7. Strategies for advocating for diverse clients’ career and educational. development and employment opportunities in a global economy. (H) 8. Strategies for facilitating client skill development for career, educational, and life-work planning and management. (I) 9. Methods of identifying and using assessment tools and techniques relevant to career planning and decision making. (J) 10. Ethical and culturally relevant strategies for addressing career development. (e) 5. COUNSELING AND HELPING RELATIONSHIPS (A) 1. Theories and models of counseling. (B) 2 . A systems approach to conceptualizing clients. (C) 3. Theories, models, and strategies for understanding and practicing consultation. (D) 4. Ethical and culturally relevant strategies for establishing and maintaining in-person and technology-assisted relationships. (E) 5. The impact of technology on the counseling process. (F) 6. Counselor characteristics and behaviors that influence the counseling process. (G) 7. Essential interviewing, counseling, and case conceptualization skills. (H) 8. Developmentally relevant counseling treatment or intervention plans. (I) 9. Development of measurable outcomes for clients. (J) 10. Evidence-based counseling strategies and techniques for prevention and intervention. (L) 11. Strategies to promote client understanding of and access to a variety of community-based resources. (M) 12. Suicide prevention models and strategies. (N) 13. Crisis intervention, trauma-informed, and community-based strategies, such as Psychological First Aid. (O) 14. Processes for aiding students in developing a personal model of counseling. (f) 6. GROUP COUNSELING AND GROUP WORK (A) 1. Theoretical foundations of group counseling and group work. (B) 2. Dynamics associated with group process and development. (C) 3. Therapeutic factors and how they contribute to group effectiveness. (D) 4. Characteristics and functions of effective group leaders. (E) 5. Approaches to group formation, including recruiting, screening, and selecting members. (F) 6. Types of groups and other considerations that affect conducting groups in varied settings. (G) 7 . Ethical and culturally relevant strategies for designing and facilitating groups. (H) 8. Direct experiences in which students participate as group members in a small group activity, approved by the program, for a minimum of 10 clock hours over the course of one academic term. (g) 7. ASSESSMENT AND TESTING (A) 1. Historical perspectives concerning the nature and meaning of assessment and testing in counseling. (B) 2. Methods of effectively preparing for and conducting initial assessment meetings. (C) 3. Procedures for assessing risk of aggression or danger to others, self-inflicted harm, or suicide. (D) 4. Procedures for identifying trauma and abuse and for reporting abuse. (E) 5. Use of assessments for diagnostic and intervention planning purposes. (F) 6. Basic concepts of standardized and non-standardized testing, norm-referenced and criterion-referenced assessments, and group and individual assessments. (G) 7. Statistical concepts, including scales of measurement, measures of central tendency, indices of variability, shapes and types of distributions, and correlations. (H) 8. Reliability and validity in the use of assessments. (I) 9. Use of assessments relevant to academic/educational, career, personal, and social development. (J) 10. Use of environmental assessments and systematic behavioral observations. (K) 11. Use of symptom checklists, and personality and psychological testing. (L) 12. Use of assessment results to diagnose developmental, behavioral, and mental disorders. (M) 13. Ethical and culturally relevant strategies for selecting, administering, and interpreting assessment and test results. (h) 8. RESEARCH AND PROGRAM EVALUATION (A) 1. The importance of research in advancing the counseling profession, including how to critique research to inform counseling practice. (B) 2. Identification of evidence-based counseling practices. (C) 3. Needs assessments. (D) 4. Development of outcome measures for counseling programs. (E) 5. Evaluation of counseling interventions and programs. (F) 6. Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed research methods. (G) 7. Designs used in research and program evaluation. (H) 8. Statistical methods used in conducting research and program evaluation. (I) 9. Analysis and use of data in counseling. (J) 10. Ethical and culturally relevant strategies for conducting, interpreting, and reporting the results of research and/or program evaluation. (5) G. School Counseling Program Curriculum Standards Students who are preparing to specialize as school counselors will demonstrate the professional knowledge and skills necessary to promote the academic, career, and social and emotional development of all PreK–12 students through data-informed school counseling programs. Counselor education programs with a specialty area in school counseling must document where each of the lettered standards listed below is covered in the curriculum. (a) 1. Foundations (A) 1. History and development of school counseling. (B) 2. Models of school counseling programs. (C) 3. Models of P-12 comprehensive career development. (D) 4. Models of school-based collaboration and consultation. (E) 5. Assessments specific to P-12 education. (b) 2. Contextual Dimensions (A) 1. School counselor roles as leaders, advocates, and systems change agents in P-12 schools. (B) 2. School counselor roles in consultation with families, P-12 and postsecondary school personnel, and community agencies. (C) 3. School counselor roles in relation to college and career readiness. (D) 4. School counselor roles in school leadership and multidisciplinary teams. (E) 5. School counselor roles and responsibilities in relation to the school emergency management plans, and crises, disasters, and trauma. (F) 6. Competencies to advocate for school counseling roles. (G) 7. Characteristics, risk factors, and warning signs of students at risk for mental health and behavioral disorders. (H) 8. Common medications that affect learning, behavior, and mood in children and adolescents. (I) 9. Signs and symptoms of substance abuse in children and adolescents as well as the signs and symptoms of living in a home where substance use occurs. (J) 10. Qualities and styles of effective leadership in schools. (K) 11. Community resources and referral sources. (L) 12. Professional organizations, preparation standards, and credentials relevant to the practice of school counseling. (M) 13. Legislation and government policy relevant to school counseling. (N) 14. Legal and ethical considerations specific to school counseling. (c) 3. Practice (A) 1. Development of school counseling program mission statements and objectives. (B) 2. Design and evaluation of school counseling programs. (C) 3. Core curriculum design, lesson plan development, classroom management strategies, and differentiated instructional strategies. (D) 4. Interventions to promote academic development. (E) 5. Use of developmentally appropriate career counseling interventions and assessments. (F) 6. Techniques of personal/social counseling in school settings. (G) 7. Strategies to facilitate school and postsecondary transitions. (H) 8. Skills to critically examine the connections between social, familial, emotional, and behavior problems and academic achievement. (I) 9. Approaches to increase promotion and graduation rates. (J) 10. Interventions to promote college and career readiness. (K) 11. Strategies to promote equity in student achievement and college access. (L) 12. Techniques to foster collaboration and teamwork within schools. (M) 13. Strategies for implementing and coordinating peer intervention programs. (N) 14. Use of accountability data to inform decision making. (O) 15. Use of data to advocate for programs and students. (6) School Counseling Clinical Practice Standards NOTE : 50 total hours of field experience must come from classroom-based counseling interventions in a school setting, including curriculum, instruction and assessment. These hours may be direct or indirect, or from practicum or internship, or a combination. (a) Counseling Practicum (A) F. Students complete supervised counseling practicum experiences that total a minimum of 100 clock hours over a full academic term that is a minimum of 10 weeks. (B) G. Practicum students complete at least 40 clock hours of direct service with actual clients that contributes to the development of counseling skills. (C) H. Practicum students have weekly interaction with supervisors that averages one hour per week of individual and/or triadic supervision throughout the practicum by: (i) A counselor education program faculty member; (ii) A student supervisor who is under the supervision of a counselor education program faculty member; or (iii) A site supervisor who is working in consultation on a regular schedule with a counselor education program faculty member in accordance with the supervision agreement. (D) I. Practicum students participate in an average of 1½ hours per week of group supervision on a regular schedule throughout the practicum. Group supervision must be provided by a counselor education program faculty member or a student supervisor who is under the supervision of a counselor education program faculty member. (b) Internship (A) J. After successful completion of the practicum, students complete 600 clock hours of supervised counseling internship in roles and settings with clients in schools. (B) K. Internship students complete at least 240 clock hours of direct service. (C) L. Internship students have weekly interaction with supervisors that averages one hour per week of individual and/or triadic supervision throughout the internship, provided by: (i) The site supervisor; (ii) Counselor education program faculty; or (iii) A student supervisor who is under the supervision of a counselor education program faculty member. (D) M. Internship students participate in an average of 1½ hours per week of group supervision on a regular schedule throughout the internship. Group supervision must be provided by a counselor education program faculty member or a student supervisor who is under the supervision of a counselor education program faculty member. (c) Supervisor Qualifications (A) N. Counselor education program faculty members serving as individual/triadic or group practicum/internship supervisors for students in entry-level programs have (i) Relevant experience; (ii) Professional credentials; and (iii) Counseling supervision training and experience. (B) O. Students serving as individual/triadic or group practicum/internship supervisors for students in entry-level programs must (i) Have completed CACREP entry-level counseling degree requirements; (ii) Have completed or are receiving preparation in counseling supervision; and (iii) Be under supervision from counselor education program faculty. (C) P. Site supervisors have (i) A minimum of a master’s degree, preferably in counseling, or a related profession; (ii) Relevant certifications and/or licenses; (iii) A minimum of two years of pertinent professional experience in the specialty area in which the student is enrolled; (iv) Knowledge of the program’s expectations, requirements, and evaluation procedures for students; and (v) Relevant training in counseling supervision. (D) Q. Orientation, consultation, and professional development opportunities are provided by counselor education program faculty to site supervisors. (E) R. Written supervision agreements define the roles and responsibilities of the faculty supervisor, site supervisor, and student during practicum and internship. When individual/triadic practicum supervision is conducted by a site supervisor in consultation with counselor education program faculty, the supervision agreement must detail the format and frequency of consultation to monitor student learning. (7) Evaluation of the Program (a) A. Counselor education programs have a documented, empirically based plan for systematically evaluating the program objectives, including student learning. For each of the types of data listed in paragraph (B) of this section below, the plan outlines (A) The data that will be collected; (B) A procedure for how and when data will be collected; (C) A method for how data will be reviewed or analyzed; and (D) An explanation for how data will be used for curriculum and program improvement. (b) B. The counselor education program faculty demonstrate the use of the following to evaluate the program objectives: (A) Aggregate student assessment data that address student knowledge, skills, and professional dispositions; (B) Demographic and other characteristics of applicants, students, and graduates; and (C) Data from systematic follow-up studies of graduates, site supervisors, and employers of program graduates. (c) C. Counselor education program faculty provide evidence of the use of program evaluation data to inform program modifications. (d) D. Counselor education program faculty disseminate an annual report that includes, by program level: (A) A summary of the program evaluation results; (B) Subsequent program modifications; and (C) Any other substantial program changes. (D) The report is published on the program website in an easily accessible location, and students currently in the program, program faculty, institutional administrators, and personnel in cooperating agencies (e.g., employers, site supervisors) are notified that the report is available. (e) E. Counselor education program faculty must annually post on the program’s website in an easily accessible location the following specific information for each entry-level specialty area and doctoral program: (A) The number of graduates for the past academic year; (B) Completion rates; and (C) Job placement rates. (8) Assessment of Students (a) F. The counselor education program faculty systematically assesses each student’s progress throughout the program by examining student learning in relation to a combination of knowledge and skills. The assessment process includes the following: (A) Identification of key performance indicators of student learning in each of the eight core areas and in each student’s respective specialty area(s) (for doctoral programs, each of the five doctoral core areas); (B) Measurement of student learning conducted via multiple measures and over multiple points in time; and (C) Review or analysis of data. (b) G. The counselor education program faculty systematically assesses each student’s professional dispositions throughout the program. The assessment process includes the following: (A) Identification of key professional dispositions; (B) Measurement of student professional dispositions over multiple points in time; and (C) Review or analysis of data. (c) H. The counselor education program faculty has a systematic process in place for the use of individual student assessment data in relation to retention, remediation, and dismissal. 9. Evaluation of Faculty and Supervisors (a) I. Written procedures for administering the process for student evaluations of faculty are available to the counselor education program faculty. (b) J. Students have regular, systematic opportunities to formally evaluate counselor education program faculty. (c) K. Students have regular, systematic opportunities to formally evaluate practicum and internship supervisors.