1. Counselor Time Use

2. School counselors ASCA Recommends
Spend 80 percent of their time in direct service (contact) with students
Because resources are limited, school counselors’ time should be protected; duties need to be limited to program delivery and direct counseling services.
Non- counseling activities should be re-assigned whenever possible.

3. Inappropriate (Non-counseling) activities
Registering and scheduling all new students
Administering cognitive, aptitude and achievement tests
Performing disciplinary actions
Sending home students who are not appropriately dressed
Teaching classes when teachers are absent
Computing grade-point averages
Maintaining student records
Supervising study halls
Clerical record keeping
Assisting with duties in the principal’s office
Working with one student at a time in a therapeutic, clinical mode

4. Appropriate (Counseling) responsibilities
Designing individual student academic programs
Interpreting cognitive, aptitude and achievement tests
Counseling students with excessive tardiness or absenteeism
Counseling students with disciplinary problems
Counseling students about appropriate school dress
Collaborating with teachers to present guidance curriculum lessons
Interpreting student records
Ensuring student records are maintained in accordance with state and federal regulations
Assisting the school principal with identifying and resolving student issues, needs and problems
Collaborating with teachers to present proactive, prevention-based guidance curriculum lessons

5. How Do You Spend Your Time
DEMONSTRATING HOW WE SPEND OUR TIME
CAN HELP COUNSELORS ADVOCATE FOR
MORE COUNSELOR RELATED DUTIES

6. Program Tasks GUIDANCE
Definition: Activities that help all students make educational, career and personal-social decisions. 
Examples:
Group guidance: Peer mediation training, learning strategies, anger management, career interest inventories, learning styles assessments, career exploration, postsecondary education exploration.
¡Individual guidance: Assistance with course selection, test interpretation, educational / career planning assistance

7. Program Tasks cont. COUNSELING
Definition: Activities that help some students overcome social and/or personal problems that interfere with learning.
Examples:
Individual counseling
Group counseling
Crisis counseling
Consultation
Referrals

8. Program Tasks cont. ADVOCACY
Definition: Activities that help create a school environment supportive of high achievement for all students.
Examples:
Participation in and/or facilitation of school improvement initiatives
Promotion of the concept of high achievement for all students
Advocating for a supportive learning environment for all students
Promotion of an understanding of various ethnic or cultural groups
Assistance for teachers who are striving to help all students learn.

9. Program Tasks cont. MANAGEMENT
Definition: Activities, complete “behind the scenes” that support the guidance, counseling and advocacy initiatives.
Examples:
Evaluation: Analyzing student 1) achievement, 2) choices, 3) mastery of guidance indicators. Analyzing 1) program design, 2) effectiveness of activity providers.
Record Keeping: Writing individual and group counseling case notes, keeping a counselor time-use log; maintaining a record of student mastery of guidance indicators.
Preparation: Creating guidance lesson plans, scheduling career speakers, writing a counseling program newsletter.
Networking: Attending counseling department meetings, attending faculty meetings, networking within the community.
Professional Development: Workshops, peer coaching, courses, conferences, reading

10. Program Tasks cont. NON-PROGRAM TASKS
Definition: Activities unrelated to guidance, counseling, or advocacy. These activities do not help students master guidance indicators or overcome problems that interfere with learning.
Examples:
STAR/CAHSEE administration
Special education administration
Student records (report cards, GPA calculation, honor roll calculation
Substitute teaching
Master scheduling (scheduling teachers)
Organizing awards programs
Data entry

11. Are We Using Our Time Effectively

12. Data On My Time Use DEMONSTRATING HOW WE SPEND OUR TIME
CAN HELP COUNSELORS ADVOCATE FOR
MORE COUNSELOR RELATED DUTIES

13. Data About My Time Use Data was taken over a month long period Areas
Starting 3/2/2009 – 4/17/2009
Areas
Guidance
Counseling
Management
Advocacy
Non-Program Activities

14. Data About My Time Use Data was taken over a month long period
Starting 3/2/2009 – 4/17/2009
Hours Spent on Average
Guidance – 11.66
Counseling – 5.33
Management – 6.25
Advocacy – 7.5
Non-Program Activities – 12 (includes ASA)

15. Data About My Time Use Data was taken over a month long period
Starting 3/2/2009 – 4/17/2009
Recommended Percentages - based on 36 hour work week
Guidance – 30%
Counseling – 35%
Management – 15%
Advocacy – 5%
Non-Program Activities – 15%

16. Data About My Time Use Data was taken over a month long period
Starting 3/2/2009 – 4/17/2009
Actual Percentages - based on 36 hour work week
Guidance – 27.5%
Counseling – 12.5%
Management – 14.75%
Advocacy – 17.25%
Non-Program Activities – 28.25%

17. My Percentages Compared to Recommended

18. Going Further Do a survey…do kids want more counseling
Then use the data to drive access to the counselor
Attaching time use to what kids need