Development and Validation of the School Counselor Classroom Management Inventory

Abstract

School counseling classroom lessons provide all K–12 students with Tier 1 preventive supports. Educators use classroom management strategies to best deliver classroom lesson content to K–12 students, although the existing literature for school counselors in particular is sparse (e.g., Goodman-Scott, 2019; Runyan et al., 2019). We describe the creation and validation of the first known assessment on school counseling classroom management: the School Counseling Classroom Management Inventory, resulting in a five-factor model. Our discussion includes strategies for school counselors at the preservice, practicing, district, and counselor education levels to best use this inventory to serve students in K–12 schools.

A Quantitative Exploration of School Counselors’ Evidence-Based Classroom Management Implementation: Investigating Culturally Sustaining Practices and Multicultural Competence

“…The SCCMI (Goodman-Scott & Boulden, 2022) is a brief, ASCA-aligned measure designed to help school counselors assess the degree to which they implement evidence-based classroom management practices. In developing the instrument, the researchers consulted the extant school counseling and educational literature (e.g., Goodman-Scott, 2019; Greenberg et al, 2014; Korpershoek et al, 2016; Reyes et al, 2012; Runyan et al, 2019) on evidence-based classroom management practices.…”

“…Sample items include “I appropriately chunk classroom instruction, breaking down tasks into smaller, more manageable pieces,” “I share lesson content with students’ families (e.g., parents/guardians),” and “When I plan for lessons, I consider how students’ cultural backgrounds may inform their worldview.” Participants responded to each item using a 5-point, Likert-type scale with response options ranging from 1 ( I rarely [∼25% or less] implement this classroom management strategy ) to 5 ( I fully [∼100%] implement this classroom management strategy ), with higher scores reflecting higher frequency of evidence-based classroom management practices utilization. Per Goodman-Scott and Boulden’s (2022) study, this instrument possesses suitable reliability and validity, containing a whole-scale Cronbach alpha of .87, and subscale alpha coefficients of .80, .85, .81, .82, and .79, respectively (Beavers et al, 2013; Cortina, 1993).…”

“…School counselors are responsible for serving students' academic, career, and social/emotional domains through implementing a comprehensive school counseling program (ASCA, 2019a). Given school counselors' high student ratios and multifaceted roles, Tier 1 classroom instruction is a highly efficient strategy for them to directly serve all students (Goodman-Scott et al, 2019;Mason & Lopez-Perry, 2019). Historically, the school counseling classroom management literature has been limited, but it has been growing in recent years.…”

“…Specifically, researchers (e.g., Goodman-Scott, 2019; Runyan et al, 2019) have called for increased scholarship centered on school counselors’ classroom management practices, including the development of a research-based and psychometrically sound instrument school counselors can use to assess their classroom management skill set. Considering these calls, Goodman-Scott and Boulden (2022) developed, validated, and published the School Counseling Classroom Management Inventory (SCCMI). The SCCMI was centered on evidence-based K–12 classroom management strategies aligned with the role of the school counselor.…”

“…Evidencebased prevention efforts for all students are particularly important, particularly those centered in culturally sustaining practices (U.S. Department of Education, 2021). Schools across the country are increasingly implementing multitiered systems of support (MTSS), including Tier 1 preventative supports for all students (Goodman-Scott et al, 2019;Mason & Lopez-Perry, 2019). As part of this effort, school counselors provide Tier 1 classroom instruction (American School Counselor Association [ASCA], 2019a; U.S. Department of Education, 2021), allowing school counselors across K-12 to provide preventative classroom instruction to all students (ASCA, 2019a).…”