Accountability in School Counseling Program Essay

Words: 1346
Pages: 6

Accountability and the Use of Data in School Counseling and Educational Systems

Melissa Hattaway

Lamar University

CNDV 5330

Accountability and the Use of Data in School Counseling and Educational Systems

Over the years, literature has expressed the need for, and importance of, accountability for student outcomes in order to give school counselors valuable data to assess and improve goals (Dahir & Stone, 2009). The ASCA National Model also supports the importance for accountability by including it as one of the essential elements, which provide structure and framework for the school counselor and counseling program (ASCA, 2005). The element of accountability, under the ASCA National Model,

This data is aligned with process data because it involves reviewing who is involved, what services were offered, where services were delivered, length of services, etc. (Dollarhide & Saginak, 2012). This data can be communicated through quantitative or qualitative measures (Dollarhide & Saginak, 2012). Quantitative data involves frequency of program delivery, percentages, ratios, and is represented in number form (Dollarhide & Saginak, 2012). This information can also be disaggregated and is usually in the form of results tables and spreadsheets that breakdown services offered, student performance, and achievement of goals within the school counseling program (Dollarhide & Saginak, 2012). Quantitative data is measurable data represented in numbers in order to relay student data that can be evaluated to determine student achievement (Dollarhide & Saginak, 2012). Qualitative data holds meaning and can be gathered through narratives, interviews, observations, objects, or other visual forms (Dollarhide & Saginak, 2012). Qualitative data is important to the accountability element because it allows counselors to obtain information regarding individual experiences with the school counseling program (Dollarhide & Saginak, 2012). For example, counselors may distribute a survey to students,