Designing the Service
Tier 1: Proactive Prevention Delivered to All Students
Best practice suggests Tier 1 delivery is where the majority of a school counselor’s time is ideally spent. The goal is to implement high quality, research-based instruction to all students that is prevention-oriented. The school counseling curriculum includes standards based units and lessons focused on each of the three developmental domains (academic, career and social/emotional). In addition to the curriculum, the school counselor’s role includes implementation of grade level and whole school interventions such as PBIS, character education initiatives, anti-bullying interventions, college and career fairs, etc.
Considerations to assist Tier 1 delivery include:
- Scheduling: Does the school schedule provide built-in advisory time, seminars/ or classes for school counselors to partner in the delivery of the school counseling curriculum.
- Curriculum and Instruction: Does the school have a proficiency-based school counseling curriculum? Does the school counseling department design and deliver lessons? Are school counselors encouraged to teach and partner with classroom teachers to support their delivery of the school counseling curriculum? Are school counselors allowed to have grade level assemblies?
- Annual Calendars: Does the school counseling department have an annual calendar identifying time for instruction, appraisal and advisement and counseling?
Tier 2: Strategic Intervention Delivered to Students Targeted by Data
Tier 2 strategic interventions are designed for a smaller percentage of students who will need targeted responsive services that meet their individual needs. These are both direct (delivered either individually or in a small group basis) and indirect services and will focus on needed Mindsets and Behaviors development and support in areas identified through data analysis. These interventions focus on each of the three developmental domains (academic, career and social-emotional).
Tier 3: Intensive Intervention
Tier 3 is designed for intensive intervention. In this Tier, school counselors are responding to immediate crises and actively planning for interventions and supports needed by identified high-risk students (special education referrals, meeting the needs of ELL students and special populations, etc.). If hired as a school counselor, remember that a licensed School Counselor is not trained to provide clinical mental health interventions. Tier 3 intensive counseling needs are referred to and provided by school-based licensed mental health colleagues or outside community based service providers.
Tiered School Counseling Service and Services Charts
The following elementary, middle school and high school Service and services charts suggest a sampling of tiered school counseling services.
Elementary School Level: A Sampling of Tiered School Counseling Services
Elementary Level Tier 1 Proactive Prevention |
Elementary Level Tier 2
Strategic/Targeted Intervention
|
Elementary Level Tier 3
Intensive Intervention
|
Suggested Percent of Time: 55%-65% |
Suggested Percent of Time:
25%-35%
|
Suggested Percent of Time:
10%-55%
|
Purpose All students acquisition and application of specific knowledge, attitudes, and skill through evidence-based services and guidance curriculum. | Purpose A smaller population of students receive additional short-term services to meet their individual needs through small group counseling and intervention program. | Purpose Intensive interventions for identified students to address immediate crisis needs, collaboration with stakeholders, and/or possible referral for clinical mental health counseling support. |
| | DIRECT SERVICES | |
Academic/Technical Domain Examples: - Classroom guidance lessons (ex: Ready for Success)
- Data analysis and implementation of programs
- School assemblies celebrating academic achievements
| Academic/Technical Domain Examples: - Small group counseling focused on study skills, improving attendance, and executive functioning
- Before/after school support
| Academic/Technical Domain Examples: - Short-term individual counseling to assist with transitions, time management, executive functioning (organization, decision-making, study skills, etc.)
- Collaborate to develop and monitor and individualized academic intervention plan and/or student success plans
- Monitoring high risk student academic and attendance issues through check-ins and meetings
|
Workplace Readiness Domain Examples: - Classroom guidance lessons (ex: Why Try, The Real Game)
- Career portfolio
- College and Career week- collaboration with community partners
- Career Development Education curriculum and Community Service Learning activities (ex: food
| Workplace Readiness Domain Examples: - Small group/individual assistance identifying strengths and interests
- Small group counseling to increase motivation
- Leadership group
- Attendance group
| Workplace Readiness Domain Examples: - Individual counseling to begin to develop a career portfolio (ILP) and increase motivation
|
Personal/Social Domain Examples: - Classroom guidance lessons (ex: The Zones of Regulation, Second Step)
- School-wide implementation of behavior incentive program (PBIS)
- Character education curriculum
- School assemblies and announcements celebrating prosocial behavior
| Personal/Social Domain Examples: - Small group counseling (self-esteem, impulse control)
- Attendance and behavior charts and monitoring (short term)
- Classroom observations of individual students
| Personal/Social Domain Examples: - Short-term individual counseling (grief/loss, peer relationship and executive functioning/self-regulaton issues)
- Solution-focused brief counseling for crises
- Monitor outcomes and behavior intervention plans via check-ins and meetings
|
| | INDIRECT SERVICES | |
Examples: - Development of research based guidance curriculum
- Guidance newsletter and parent communication of curriculum (translated in all languages)
- Guidance team meetings
- Staff meetings
- Presentation of guidance data to staff
- Program management and assessment
- Program audit
- School/advisory council
| Examples: - Progress monitoring of students in small group
- Data analysis and needs assessments to develop small groups
- Family communication through multiple means (phone, meetings, email, handouts) to enhance skills taught in small group
- Teacher collaboration to discuss skills taught in small group
- Team meetings to discuss student data
| Referrals/Participation to plan and monitor student interventions for high-risk students Examples: - Crisis/safety team meetings
- 51A Filing
- RTI or Intervention/Child Study teams
- IEP/504/ELL assessments
- Collaboration with community mental health counselors
- Monitor outcomes and individualized plans
- Ongoing student advocacy
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