Student Centered School Counseling: Using Data To Improve and Prove Your Program

1. Student Centered School Counseling: Using Data To Improve and Prove Your Program Norman C. Gysbers, Ph.D. Curators’ Professor Emeritus University of Missouri Columbia, Missouri West Virginia Department of Education School Counselor Conference June 21-23, 2016 Charleston, West Virginia

2. An Overall Plan to Organize Evidence-Based Evaluation • Program + Personnel = Results

3. Program Evaluation • To what degree is the Comprehensive School Counseling Program fully implemented?

4. Personnel Evaluation • Are the personnel involved in carrying out the programs in the schools evaluated based on the work they are doing in the program?

5. Results Evaluation • What impact do the activities and interventions of the program have on identified critical student outcomes?

6. Types of Results Evaluation Data • Process data: tells us who, what, when, where, and how often. • Perceptual data: informs us what students believe they know and can do. • Results data: provides us with proof that the activity/intervention has changed targeted student behavior. Dimmitt, C., Carey, J.C., & Hatch, T. (2007). Evidence-based school counseling. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

7. Disaggregating Data • Gender • Race/Ethnicity • Socioeconomic status • Language • Special education placement • Grade level • Achievement quartile • Teacher/classroom Dimmitt, C., Carey, J.C., & Hatch, T. (2007). Evidence-based school counseling. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

8. The Difference Between Research and Evaluation • Research: Used to identify practices that are effective across settings and contexts. • Evaluation: Used to improve local decision making by determining if an intervention resulted in a desired behavior change in a single setting. Dimmitt, C., Carey, J.C., & Hatch, T. (2007). Evidence-based school counseling. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

9. Dosage: A Definition • Intervention Dosage: the amount of an intervention that is provided to students in order to change their behavior.

10. Three Types of Dosage • Dosage Intended: How much and how often is the intervention recommended? • Dosage Offered: How much is actually delivered? • Dosage Received: How much did students actually receive and understand?

11. How do School Counselors in Missouri conduct evaluation activities? • School counselors in Missouri use a process called P.R.o.B.E.

12. What is P.R.o.B.E.? • Partnerships in Results-Based Evaluation

13. What is the P.R.o.B.E. Process? • It is Action evaluation. • Action evaluation is a systematic, reflective study of an activity/intervention to learn about (understand) the impact of the activity/intervention on the behavior of students. • It can be done individually or collaboratively.

14. Conducting the P.R.o.B.E. Process using IDEAS • Identify the issue or problem to be addressed. • Keep it simple • Is it important? • Is it doable? • Not too disruptive?

15. IDEAS • Describe the issue or problem thoroughly using SIMS. • Students-Who is involved? • Intervention-What is to be done? • Measurement-What instruments will be used? • Setting-What is the setting?

16. IDEAS • Existing data: Use existing data when possible. • Analyze: Use EXCEL to analyze the data. • Summarize: Develop a power point to share the findings and recommendations. Now use the power point presentation to advocate!!

17. A P.R.o.B.E example using IDEAS • Identify the Issue or Problem • Some students who enroll as 9th graders do not complete enough credits to become 10th graders

18. A P.R.o.B.E example using IDEAS • Describing the Issue or Problems using SIMS • Students • Intervention • Measurement • Setting

19. A P.R.o.B.E example using IDEAS • Describing the Issue or Problems using SIMS • Students: Nine reclassified 9th graders • Intervention: Individual sessions and small group meetings (2-3 students) for 6 weeks

20. A P.R.o.B.E example using IDEAS • Intervention Topics • Week 1: Introduction/Getting to Know You • Week 2: Student Success Skills Self-Evaluation • Week 3: Short Term/Long Term Goals • Week 4: Study Habits/Skills • Week 5: Getting Ready for End of Quarter • Week 6: Final Check Before End of Quarter

21. A P.R.o.B.E example using IDEAS • Intervention Focus • Each week, individual progress was addressed and the students were made aware of missed assignments. • Students were encouraged to meet with teachers to address missed work.

22. A P.R.o.B.E example using IDEAS • Measurement & Setting • Measurement: Class Grades, Class Attendance, and Discipline Referrals • Setting: School Guidance Office Conference Room

23. A P.R.o.B.E example using IDEAS • Existing Data: Class Grades, Class Attendance, and Discipline Referrals • Analyze Data: Used EXCEL to analyze existing data—pre/post • Summarize Data: Power point presentation to share findings and recommendations ADVOCATE

24. Advocacy • The Act of pleading for, supporting, or recommending.

25. Advocate • A person who speaks or writes in support or defense of a person/cause.

26. Advocacy Requirements • No one is excused • Advocacy is difficult and sometimes frustrating but it is indispensible • The advocacy agenda gets tougher • Advocacy is never over

27. What Does Advocacy Represent? • Advocacy represents a series of actions taken and issues highlighted to demonstrate how change has taken place in student behavior What Is to What Should Be