An Examination of Factors that Relate to School Counselors' Knowledge and Skills in Multi-Tiered Systems of Support

Added July 13, 2017

The results of this study confirm that a beneficial relationship exists between American School Counselor (ASCA) aligned activities and Multi-tiered Systems of Support (MTSS). Results indicate that more time spent on ASCA aligned activities predicted more knowledge and skills of MTSS. In addition, results highlight a need for targeted MTSS training for school counselors. School counselors who expressed needing more MTSS training had lower levels of MTSS knowledge and skills and spent less time on ASCA aligned activities. In contrast, more training increased school counselors’ knowledge and skills of MTSS and was also associated with more time spent on ASCA aligned activities. Secondary school counselors had lower levels of MTSS knowledge and skills compared to elementary school counselors. However, when considering time spent on ASCA aligned activities, secondary school counselors spent more time on ASCA aligned activities and in turn had more knowledge and skills of MTSS compared to elementary school counselors.

These findings add to an increasing body of literature illustrating that CSCPs via the ASCA National Model and the MTSS framework align along key features (Ziomek-Daigle, Goodman-Scott, Cavin, & Donohue, 2016), and that CSCP and MTSS alignment can actually lead to more efficient use of school counselors’ time (Goodman-Scott, 2014; Goodman-Scott et al., 2016) and an increased capacity for leadership (Betters-Bubon & Donohue, 2016). In addition, the results add to previous research highlighting the positive effects of school counselor participation in ASCA aligned activities, including school counselor job satisfaction (Cervoni & DeLucia-Waack, 2011; Pyne, 2011), and promising student outcomes such as improved attendance, fewer suspensions, and fewer reports of bullying (Dimmitt & Wilkerson, 2012). The results of this study and extant literature have important implications for school counselor training to increase knowledge and skills of MTSS.

Practicing school counselors can identify MTSS training needs, assess context specific challenges to obtaining MTSS training, and strategize ways to address challenges in order to obtain training to increase MTSS knowledge and skills. Addressing challenges to obtaining MTSS training may include collaborating with school, district, and state stakeholders to communicate the potential benefits of training. School counselors can utilize skills in analyzing and reporting school-wide data to demonstrate the need for MTSS training to be able to align school counseling programs with MTSS, contribute to MTSS implementation, and improve student outcomes. In addition, efforts to address challenges to increase knowledge and skills of MTSS may include school counselors and school leaders seeking out collaborations with experienced implementers and model school sites, and participation in ongoing training at the national, state, and local levels. The impact of training on knowledge and skill development, quality of CSCP and MTSS implementation, and relevant student outcomes can then be measured using the School Counselor Knowledge and Skills Survey and other indicators to assess baseline knowledge and skills of MTSS as well as increased MTSS knowledge and skills that result from training.

doi: 10.5330/1096-2409-20.1.159

Jacob Olsen, Ph.D.., is an assistant professor in the Department of Advanced Studies in Education and Counseling at California State University Long Beach. Sejal Parikh-Foxx, Ph.D., is an associate professor with the Department of Counseling at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Claudia Flowers, Ph.D., and Bob Algozzine, Ph.D., are professors with the Department of Educational Leadership, also at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

Source:

Jacob Olsen, Ph.D., Sejal Parikh-Foxx, Ph.D., Claudia Flowers, Ph.D., and Bob Algozzine, Ph.D.