The Impact of Comprehensive School Counseling Programs on Student Performance

Greg Brigman, Ph.D.Linda Webb, Ph.D.Elizabeth Villares, Ph.D.Florida Atlantic University

Whiston, et al meta-analysis (2010)

116 pre-post comparison group studies were included in Whiston’s meta-analysis.

This is the latest of a series of research reviews that have found school counseling to be very beneficial to students (Lapan, Gysbers & Sun, 1997; Sink, et al. 2008; Sink & Stroh, 2003)

Three types of measures used in the 116 studies reviewed by Whiston

Cognitive: Behavior:

Affective:

Cognitive Measures

GPA

Achievement tests

Behavior Measures

Attendance Physical altercations Disciplinary referrals Peer counseling skills Problem solving Behavior rating scales Assess of social skills

Affective Measures

Self-esteem Personal or social development Anxiety Depression

Results

Average study = 139 participants

59 (50%) = Elementary 21 (18%) = Middle School 29 (25%) = High School 7 (6%) = combined ages

Average Effect Sizes Found

Meta-analysis results from116 studies-

Average Effect Size = .45

Type of Measures and Effect Sizes

Cognitive Measures: GPA =.15 Achievement = .16

Behavioral Measures: Discipline referrals = .83 Student problem solving = .96 Peer Counseling Skills = 1.14

Affective Measures Effect Sizes

Self-Esteem = .19

Anxiety = .40

Depression = .37

Delivery of interventions

Classroom Curriculum (51 studies) and Small Group Counseling ( 47 studies) had similar ES = .36

Individual Counseling (6 studies) ES = .07

Parent Workshops (5 studies) ES = .94

School Counselor interventions with largest Effect Sizes

Decreasing discipline problems (.83)

Increasing student problem solving (.96)

Peer helping skills (1.14)

Other Effect Sizes for school counselor interventions

Social skills: (.33)

Attendance: (.30)

School counselor interventions are effective across all three levels

Elementary Average Effect Size Guidance Curriculum = .31 Responsive services = .40

Middle Average Effect Size Guidance Curriculum = .46 Responsive services = .22

High Average Effect Size Guidance Curriculum = .39 Responsive services = .35

Whiston’s findings support a balanced school counseling program approach

The effectiveness of guidance curriculum and responsive services were consistent with both components having and average ES of .35

Center for School Counseling Outcome Research (CSORE)

University of Massachusetts, Amherst

Statewide Evaluations in Utah and Nebraska (Carey & Harrington, 2010)

CSORE partnered with State Departments of Education

After controlling for differences in school-level demographics, clear and consistent evidence of four important sets of results were found

Four important sets of results were found

School counseling contributes to important student outcomes

Student to counselor ratios matter

How the school counseling program is organized matters

What counselors do matters

School counseling contributes to important student outcomes

Increase math and reading proficiency

Lower suspension rates

Lower discipline rates

Increase attendance

Higher graduation rates

Student to counselor ratios matter

In both states, the ratio of students to counselors was strongly related to its student outcomes.

More favorable ratios were associated with improved attendance, completion rates, and decreased discipline rates.

How the school counseling program is organized matters

The longer a school has been implementing a comprehensive developmental model (ASCA) the better the educational outcomes.

The more strongly organized programs are better able to produce positive outcomes for students.

What counselors do matters

Both Nebraska and Utah results indicate that career development-focused interventions seem to be particularly important in producing positive academic outcomes.

CSORE has reviewed other evidenced-based school counseling programs shown to have strong positive impact on student performance, i.e. Student Success Skills

Student Success Skills:A Foundational Learning Skills Approach

SSS helps students in grades 4-10 improve math and reading through:

Cognitive Skills

Social Skills

Self-Management Skills

Student Success Skills: Key Skill Areas

Goal setting and progress monitoring

Creating a caring, supportive and encouraging classrooms

Cognitive/Memory skills

Performing under pressure: Managing test anxiety

Building Healthy Optimism

Student Success Skills Meta-Analysis

Five studies: Brigman and Campbell (2003) Brigman, Webb, and Campbell (2007) Campbell and Brigman (2005) Webb, Brigman and Campbell (2005 ) León, Villares, Brigman, Webb, and

Peluso (2010)

Effect Size of SSS on Math Scores

ES of SSS on Reading Scores

What kind of gains can we expect in math and reading?

Hill, Bloom, Black, and Lipsey (2008) reviewed 192 meta-analyses of educational interventions to evaluate there impact on reading and math standardized test scores.

What kind of gains can we expect in math and reading?

Hill, et al (2007) found that for students in grades K-12, the overall average effect sizes of:

0.23 Elementary

0.27 Middle

0.24 High

Annual achievement test score gains in reading and math

Grades 4-5 Read= .40 Math= .56

Grades 6-7 Read= .32 Math= .41

Grades 9-10 Read= .19 Math=.25

Hill, C., Bloom, H., Black, A. & Lipsey, M. (2007)

Practical Impact of Interventions

If a study of an intervention, say a new math curriculum or method of teaching math, found an effect size of .10

Then using Hill’s benchmark of Average Yearly Gains, the impact of this intervention:

In reading would be comparable to one-quarter of an additional year of learning for 4th graders.

For math the .10 effect size would be comparable to one-fifth of an additional year for 4th graders

Practical significance of a Student Success Skills .41 ES in math

Grades 4-5 An additional 4/5 of a year’s growth

Grades 6-7 An additional 1 year’s growth

Grades 9-10 An additional 1 2/3 year’s growth

Hill, C., Bloom, H., Black, A. & Lipsey, M. (2007)

Practical significance of Student Success Skills .17 ES in Reading

Grades 4-5 An additional 1/3 of a year’s growth

Grades 6-7 An additional 1/2 year’s growth

Grades 9-10 An additional 1 year’s growth

Hill, C., Bloom, H., Black, A. & Lipsey, M. (2007)

So What? So if the best interventions known average an effect

size of .25

And school counselors can delivery interventions that focus on foundational learning skills which have as large or larger impact as these best known interventions,

Then school counselors have an important seat at the school improvement table.

We cannot afford to throw away such an important resource to improving math and reading proficiency as well as discipline, attendance and graduation rates.

Data Driven Decision Making

If one looks at recent reviews of rigorous educational research

Then it is clear that comprehensive school counseling programs

And specific school counselor led classroom interventions such as SSS

Can have a large positive effect on student learning.

Contact information

Greg Brigman, Ph.D. gbrigman@fau.edu

Linda Webb, Ph.D. lwebb@fau.edu

Elizabeth Villares, Ph.D. evillare@fau.edu

References Brigman, G. & Campbell, C. (2003). Helping student

improve academic achievement and school success behavior. Professional School Counseling, 7.

Brigman, G., Webb, L. & Campbell, C. (2007). Building skills for school success: Improving the academic and social competence of students. Professional School Counseling, 10, 279-288.

Campbell, C., & Brigman, G. (2005). Closing the achievement gap: A structured approach to group counseling. Journal for Specialists in Group Work, 30, 67-82

References

Carey, J. & Harrington, K. (2010). Nebraska school counseling evaluation report. Amherst, MA: Center for School Counseling Outcome Research and Evaluation.

Carey, J. & Harrington, K. (2010). Utah school counseling evaluation report. Amherst, MA: Center for School Counseling Outcome Research and Evaluation.

References

Hill, C., Bloom, H., Black, A. & Lipsey, M. (2007). Empirical benchmarks for interpreting effect sizes in research, MDRC Working Papers Research Methodology, New York, NY:MDRC. Available at: www.mdrc.org/publications/459/full.pdf

Leon, A., Villares, E., Brigman, G., Webb, L., & Peluso, P.(accepted). Closing the Achievement Gap of Hispanic Students: A School Counseling Response. Counseling Outcome Research and Evaluation.

References

Webb. L., Brigman, G. & Campbell, C. (2005). Linking school counselors and student success: A replication of the Student Success Skills approach targeting the academic & social competence of students. Professional School Counseling, 8, 407-411.

Whiston, S., Tai, W. ,Rahardja, D. & Eder, K. (2011). School counseling outcome: A Meta-analytic examination of interventions. Journal of Counseling and Development, 89, 37-55.