Comprehensive School Counseling Programs and Student Achievement Outcomes: A Comparative Analysis of RAMP versus Non-RAMP Schools

Abstract

This study compares school-wide Annual Yearly Progress (AYP) results in Indiana schools earning the Recognized ASCA Model Program (RAMP) designation (n = 75) with a sample of control schools stratified by level and locale (n = 226). K-12 schools earning the RAMP designation in 2007, 2008, and 2009 comprise the experimental group. Findings indicate that school-wide proficiency rates in English/Language Arts and Math are significantly higher in RAMP-designated elementary schools compared to elementary controls. Four-year longitudinal results indicate a significant positive difference between RAMP-designated elementary schools and their controls in Math. Findings provide support for the impact of comprehensive, data-driven, accountable school counseling programs at the elementary level and suggest further research is needed at the middle and secondary levels. This article presents and discusses additional results and implications for practice.

Comparison Findings of School Counselor Beliefs About ASCA National Model School Counseling Program Components Using the SCPCS

“…Rank ordered shifts found in this study and recent research suggest school counselors are increasingly willing to collect data to create comprehensive school counseling programs (Wilkerson et al, 2013). Professional school counselors are encouraged to participate in collegial discussions at their school sites and within their professional community on the importance and value of analyzing and presenting results data to strengthen their school counseling program.…”

“…Professional school counselors are encouraged to participate in collegial discussions at their school sites and within their professional community on the importance and value of analyzing and presenting results data to strengthen their school counseling program. Counselor educators are encouraged to revise their pre-service training to ensure graduates are prepared to use data in schools and to continue researching the impact of implementing data-driven school counseling programs, which continue to yield positive results on student achievement (Wilkerson et al, 2013).…”

“…Although there is little research to date regarding the impact on students' achievement in RAMP schools, ASCA National Model programs at the elementary level have been shown to significantly affect students' attendance rates and reading achievement (Ward, 2009). Wilkerson, Pérusse, and Hughes (2013) found that schoolwide proficiency rates in English/Language Arts and Math were significantly higher in RAMP-designated schools compared with those that were not. These studies suggest that a fully implemented ASCA National Model program may be viewed as one factor of the entire school system that positively affects student success.…”

Updating the School Counseling Research Agenda: A Delphi Study

“…School counseling, like all professions, has continued to evolve. Over the past decade, the number of states with written school counseling models has increased (Martin, Carey, & DeCoster, ), more attention has been paid to evidence‐based interventions (Dimmitt, Carey, & Hatch, ; León, Villares, Brigman, Webb, & Peluso, ; Webb, Brigman, Carey, & Villares, ; Whiston, Tai, Rahardja, & Eder, ), and more schools have been using the ASCA National Model for school counseling programs and attaining Recognized ASCA Model Program status (ASCA, ; Martin et al, ; Wilkerson, Pérusse, & Hughes, ).…”

Educational Leadership and a Comprehensive Reform for Improving Underrepresented Urban Students’ College Access

“…The previous research studies support the positive impact of effective leadership and comprehensive school counseling programs on urban students' achievement and college readiness (Carrell & Hoekstra, 2014;Wilkerson, Pérusse, & Hughes, 2013;Lapan, Gysbers, Stanley, & Pierce, 2012;Lapan, Whitcomb, & Aleman, 2012). Yet within many urban school settings, there is a disconnect between these findings and school leaders' knowledge of comprehensive school counseling programs (College Board, 2010).…”