Program Evaluation in Professional School Counseling

Abstract

Abstract This chapter provides an evaluation framework that can be implemented by school counselors to evaluate their program and services, and by counselor educators interested in teaching program evaluation methods and collaborating on evaluation projects. The framework is designed to address the requirements of the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) National Model and to meet the standards for quality evaluation embraced by the evaluation field. The formative and summative evaluation scenarios illustrate best practices in school counseling program evaluation, identify benefits to the program and the profession in conducting evaluation, and provide a roadmap for school counselors to carrying out this work. Evaluation is both a technical and nontechnical undertaking. Given the unique education and training of the school counseling profession, we maintain that school counselors are well positioned to evaluate school counseling programs and services effectively.