Continual Evolution in Evidence-Based School Counseling: Proceedings From the 2022 Conference

Abstract

Evidence-based school counseling (EBSC)—and any useful way of organizing or thinking about professional practice—is constantly shaped by and in relationship with social and historical contexts. We are in a time of rapid cultural and educational upheaval, with ongoing calls for impactful systems-level social justice and antiracist school counseling (Holcomb-McCoy, 2022; Stickl Haugen, et al., 2022), with a youth mental health crisis (Office of the Surgeon General, 2021), and with a dire need for more school counselors in most parts of the country (Prothero, & Riser-Kositsky, 2022). How can EBSC continue to evolve to be most relevant and useful in these times? This special edition of Professional School Counselor, which consists of articles derived from the 2022 Evidence-based School Counseling Conference (EBSCC, ebscc.org), answers this question.

Is It Students or the System? Infusing a Culturally Sustaining Approach to Tier 2 Groups Within Multi-Tiered Systems of Support

“…Within this research, highlighting student voice via YPAR or other methods will provide a more nuanced and complete understanding of the impacts. Finally, Dimmitt et al (2023) urged that school counselor evidence-based practice evolves to focus on changing Tier 1 systems instead of focusing on changing students. Research, then, can and should focus on integrating culturally sustaining interventions that create environments for all students to thrive.…”

Strategies to Enhance Implementation Fidelity in School-Counselor-Led, Culturally Affirming Tier 2 Groups

“…However, data can also be misleading depending on how it is interpreted. Rather than focusing on what the data conveys, using a social justice and antiracist lens necessitates uncovering what the data is omitting (Dimmitt et al, 2023). For example, students with a history of discipline concerns may be purposely excluded from participating in school counseling groups for fear of classroom management and disruption concerns.…”