Accountability

Results reports are an important component to the Fourams Middle School counseling program. These reports are helpful when it comes to making data driven decisions for services and programs. The report specifies the domain, standards and competencies addressed, the data leading to the implementation of the lesson, activities and curriculum and delivery method. The results reports allow the school counselor to dis-aggregate the data in order to analyze the process, perception, and outcome data to determine if services and programs need to be revised. The results report also gives the school counselor implications and recommendations for future use of the intervention. Results Reports will be reviewed, drafted and signed by counselors and administration within 30 days of program conclusion. Immediate, long range and intermediate data and results are shared with the advisory council, counselors and the school board in order to improve programs for the following year. See the Fourams Middle School Counseling Department's examples of results reports on the Action Plans, Lesson Plans, Results Reports page.
 * __Results Reports __**

**__Results Report Analysis __** Results reports analyses are important across all levels of services; core curriculum, small groups, and closing-the-gap. The results report analysis of the core curriculum allows the school counselor to examine the effectiveness of different programs and classroom activities. The small group analysis is helpful in examining the impact and level of effectiveness of small group interventions. Closing-the-gap analysis allows the school counselor to examine important issues and student achievement. All three results report analyses help with data-driven decision making and address areas for program improvement. Fourams Middle School counselors review all analyses with the advisory council to ensure alignment of all school counseling programs with the FMS academic mission and goals. See the Fourams Middle School Counseling Department's examples of results report analyses on the Action Plans, Lesson Plans, Results Reports page. The school counselors at Fourams Middle School will follow the MEASURE accountability framework. M.E.A.S.U.R.E. is a seven-step process addressing the accountability component of the ASCA National Model (2010). M.E.A.S.U.R.E. stands for Mission, Elements, Analyze, Stakeholders, Unite, Reanalyze, and Educate. Is the initiative in alignment with the school's mission and school improvement goals? What data can we gather to understand the needs of our school? for this initiative? Gather and dis-aggregate critical data, such as attendance records, demographics, grades, discipline referrals and standardized test scores to form an objective picture of the audiences. Analyze the data to assess the needs and focus improvement efforts. **Stakeholders**. What other stakeholders can be used as resources in this effort? Consider the help of teachers, administrators, parents, community, school support staff among others. **Unite** What needs to be done and to what result? Produce an action plan in order to provide a clear implementation method and results accountability framework. **Reanalyze** (After implementation) What worked? What needs to be modified? **Educate** Publicize results to stakeholders, celebrate the efforts of those involved.
 * Mission**
 * Elements**
 * Analyze**

**__ Evaluation __** Evaluation is an important component when assessing specific interventions and programs at Fourams Middle School. The evaluation piece allows the school counselor to analyze process, perception, and outcome data based on the surveys and assessments that were used for specific interventions. This allows us to see if a specific assessment tool is valuable and can be used again. If an assessment tool is not successful; the school counselor can change the evaluation piece to better fir the specific needs of all students. See the Fourams Middle School Counseling Department's examples of evaluations on the Action Plans, Lesson Plans, Results Reports page.

**__ Data-Driven Decision Making __** The counseling department at Fourams Middle School embraces the use of data to guide, inform and evaluate our program. Our data collection informs analysis of counseling needs across various systems within our school; these include individual student academic, social and career based achievement, school wide and small group programs, educator and administrative foci. It offers an objective portrait of the students, school and community. Through this, school counselors can use data to address systemic change and make access to high quality education available for all students.

There are several methods of data collection used frequently. Needs assessments encourage the stakeholder groups to voice perspectives of program implementation and goals. Pre and Post test results are analyzed to examine and improve school-wide and small group initiatives. Counselor competencies and needs for professional development can be revealed through program data evaluation. This program evaluation is conducted through analysis of process data, perception data and results. School performance and demographic data are disaggregated and analyzed to focus improvement efforts, gauge school climate and recognize patterns and gaps.

Developing an ideal program budget depends on the use of data to make the best use of moneys and resources available. It is important to utilize budgets wisely as we are but one significant component to student success. As well, we must be able to communicate our needs and results for grant writing purposes. Well developed calendars provide useful data to analyze best practices and coordination of academic and counseling initiatives. Use of time assessments reveal time utilized for various school counseling department roles and allow for restoration of balance according to ASCA National Model recommendations.

Use of data is an integral part of our school counseling goals. It helps us answer the question how are students different because of what we do. Data helps school counselors bridge student needs to achievement and a rigorous, high quality education. With it we are proficiently able to provide quality service to the students at FMS. Intentional analysis ensures dynamic progress and continual improvement of our efforts. Data offers quantitative and qualitative feedback regarding the successful meeting of purpose and mission of the school counseling department. It provides us with measures to assess counselor competency, needs and strengths. Data provides meaningful goal setting efforts and promotion of school wide success.

Counselor accountability is necessary to validate the need for, and the results of, our services. Without accountability measures, as in years past, the school counseling field struggled to retain integrity and quality. Through efforts to develop standards of care and methodology, the field has become increasingly justified, energized, and unified. We at Fourams Middle School are anchored in the belief that data and accountability measure is a proven method to achieve the highest quality school counseling program results.

**__ Sharing Results __** The school counseling department at Fourams Middle School strongly believes that informative collaboration is an important aspect of a comprehensive school counseling program. Sharing results plays an integral part in involving all stake holders in the process. In order for accountability and transparency to be effective, we must be able to share, collaborate and compare information. This alignment is necessary in order for our profession to thrive.

Results of our data collection will be presented at each of the 4 advisory council meetings per school year. From this, the council members will gain objective data to inform their discussions and recommendations for the counseling department. Some potential insights are in the progress gained, the components that will need to be modified, and any areas of unforeseen need. We will also share our data with the other levels within the AAASAM School District. It is important to unite our district counseling programs as the students advance within our system. Results will also be shared at the end of the school year to the public in the form of our school counseling newsletter, on the school counseling website. It remains important that the school improvement goals and the school counseling goals be in alignment to confirm continuity.

Lastly, Fourams Middle School will share our results with the professional school counseling community in order to advance meaningful affiliations within the field. This can be accomplished through journal submissions, articles, and presentations at other within-district levels, attendance at other district advisory meetings, state and regional education meetings, and conferences and workshops. Providing feedback and insight adds to the wealth of knowledge available to all in the school counseling field.

**__ RAMP Rubric __**

**6.RAMP Rubric– Have each member of your group independently evaluate the program according to the criteria listed i** **n the rubric (available in D2L). Include these evaluations. As a group, identify 2 - 3 specific areas of improvement if you were taking this program towards RAMP status** **RAMP Results Table:**
 * || 1 || 2 || 3 || 4 || 5 || 6 || 7 || 8 || 9 || 10 || 11 || 12 ||
 * Meghan C || 4 || 4 ||  || 4 || n/a || 4 || 4 || 4 || 3 || 5 || 4 || 4 ||   ||   ||
 * Amanda F || 4 || 4 || 4 || 4 || N/A || 4 || 4 || 5 || 5 || 4 || 4 || 4 ||
 * Ami G || 4 || 4 || 5 || 5 || N/A || 5 || 4 || 5 || 4 || 5 || 5 ||  ||
 * Angela H || 4 || 4 || 5 || 4 || N/A || 4 || 4 || 5 || 4 || 5 || 4 || 4 ||
 * Abby K || 4 || 4 || 5 || 5 || N/A || 5 || 4 || 5 || 5 || 4 || 4 || 4 ||
 * Susanne S-K || 5 || 5 || 5 || 5 || N/A || 4 || 5 || 4 || 4 || 4 || 5 || 5 ||

Through careful examination and evaluation of our school counseling program, we have indicated 3 areas of improvement. Our greatest, is the issue of action/lesson/results plan alignment to ASCA template standards. As we are beginning counselors and we will be developing our plans as we enter the field; we will be well poised to preemptively address this need. As we create our groups and lessons we will be able to format these components in the digital ASCA template form. Our next area for improvement is our understanding of exemplary vision, mission and goals. As a group, it was challenging in the beginning to find a working definition as per the ASCA language. It will be beneficial to intentionally develop all working definitions with our Advisory Council to address this need with collaboration. The third area for improvement is core curriculum and lesson plan breadth. The programs we have exhibited are multi-systemic, of high quality, and are impact-ful, but lack the full breadth of program coverage that we would be mindful of when working within a school. Overall, our group was cognizant of our perception of quality and strove to meet ASCA and our school's standards. Our full program exhibits our leadership, innovation, advocacy, and collaboration within our school. Our school counseling department models the teamwork attitude we want to promote in our students.Our ideas show vision for systemic change to address achievement, behavioral and engagement goals. **References** American School Counselor Association (2012). The ASCA National Model: A framework for school counseling programs, Third Edition. Alexandria, VA: Author

American School Counseling Association (2013). //Recognized ASCA Model Program (RAMP) Scoring Rubric//. Retrieved from []

Dahir, C., & Stone, C. (n.d.). //MEASURE-ing Student Success: School Counselor Accountability//. Retrieved from [] Lehman College (n.d.). //2003, ASCA National Model: A Framework for School Counseling Programs. American School Counselor Association//. Retrieved from http://www.lehman.edu/deanedu/share/pdf/SSE_Program_Audit.pdf

 Topdemir, Cindy M., "School Counselor Accountability Practices: A National Study" (2010).Graduate School Theses and Dissertations.http://scholarcommons.usf.edu/etd/3706