Today’s students face numerous challenges, from shifting federal legislation and school violence to online abuse and financial barriers that create uncertainty, fear, and anxiety.
While there is no panacea, the guidance and stability provided by school counselors can have a tremendous impact on student outcomes and their overall well-being.
Unfortunately, there is an overwhelming shortage of school counselors across the country. With a 464-to-1 national average ratio of K-12 students to school counselors, it’s little surprise that the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics has projected 11% growth in school counseling (2020-2030) compared with 8% for all professions. The need to address the pressing challenges students face has never been greater.
Because students face evolving challenges, graduate programs like the Master’s in School Counseling online program at USC Rossier are helping educate and prepare school counselors to address those dynamic needs. Through a curriculum that focuses on issues that affect a student’s ability to succeed in school and life through the lenses of college and career readiness, restorative justice, and trauma-informed practice, USC Rossier is ensuring graduates can meet students where they are.
School Counselors Help Students Adapt
The same faculty leading our on-campus ME in School Counseling program are leading our online program. They are immersed in the industry. They stay on top of trends and adapt the curriculum accordingly. The research they’re directing is driving the industry forward, which is evident in their high volume of published scholarly articles. And they are presenting at American School Counseling Association events. Their work isn’t done for the accolades, though. It’s done to ensure our graduates — and the industry as whole — can meet the needs of tomorrow.
That means understanding the political, socioeconomic, and social changes affecting students’ experiences. It means understanding the effects of trauma and cultural differences. It means developing an adaptable playbook to navigate those uncertainties. And, ultimately, it means making students feel like they belong and that they matter.
For example, the ADDRESSING model (an acronym combing age, developmental disabilities, acquired disabilities, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, indigenous group membership, nationality, and gender) is a seminal part of many school counseling programs — and rightly so.
It’s a proven model that provides understanding for the primary and secondary cultural factors that can have an impact on populations. But, as students and their challenges evolve, the model requires supplementation. So, at USC Rossier, the model is used as a foundation on which other practices can be supported, such as trauma-informed care based on a death by suicide.
School Counselors Meet the Moment
Only through hands-on experience can school counselors develop the skills needed to handle a crisis the day they enter the professional world. So, our Online ME in School Counseling program is designed to prepare students to navigate real-world challenges from day one. Students are part of an active community within their cohort, receiving feedback and input from other engaged professionals. And our students gain real-world experience through 800 hours of practicums (split between two terms). Our team of placement specialists work to identify local sites that align with our students’ interests and needs.
This hands-on experience with real-life applications is invaluable. Graduates are ready for one-on-one counseling, group counseling, and school-wide training. They are prepared to be at the forefront to meet the demands of the career and their students.
Join Us and Make a Greater Impact on Student Outcomes
School counselors have always played a critical role in students’ outcomes and well-being. But that role has taken on an even greater importance given the new and varied challenges students face.
What may have been an effective playbook a decade ago is inadequate today. Because of the varied and complex challenges modern students face, the school counseling field needs forward-thinking leaders. You’ll find those leaders at USC Rossier. They are the faculty teaching our classes and, ultimately, the students we graduate.
Interested in a career in school counseling? Explore the Master of Education in School Counseling online degree at USC Rossier and learn how to become a school counselor today!