Pressures on the wider U.S. workforce caused by a lack of workers with the requisite skills will drive more collaboration between K12 schools and employers, say product developers who are forecasting 2024’s biggest education trends.

These college and career trends will also drive a surge in popularity in CTE programs. “As the talent shortage concern shifts to the state level, 2024 will be a year of increased collaboration between employers, schools and government agencies,” says Jeri Larsen, the chief operating officer of YouScience, a career guidance platform for students.

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“The goal will be to create a more responsive and adaptable education system that ensures the workforce remains well-equipped to meet the evolving demands of the job market.”

District leaders will be updating curriculums with a deeper focus on future-ready skills and adding more work-based learning, STEM education and vocational training programs.

“These efforts will be aimed at equipping students with the skills that are in high demand in the job market and promoting a broader range of career paths,” Larsen notes. “With a rapidly changing job market and evolving skill requirements, schools and education systems will find themselves under increased scrutiny to ensure that students are adequately prepared for the workforce.

Employers should grow ever more eager to collaborate with schools and districts, predicts Hans Meeder, a senior fellow for education and workforce education at YouScience and a former deputy assistant secretary in the U.S. Department of Education.

“Yet, a challenge lies in the limited experience of schools and districts in systematically collaborating with business partners,” Meeder points out. “Many are still navigating this uncharted territory, actively searching for tools, guidance and real-world examples to establish partnerships that are not only effective but also sustainable.”

What other issues will be top of mind for K12 leaders and their teams in 2024? Here are predictions, hopes and forecasts from solution providers that cover a range of education topics.

The post What will drive more urgency around career prep in 2024? appeared first on District Administration.

The most important thing to know is that a district, no matter the size, can’t go it alone, says Marisa Mission, co-author of “Scaling Opportunity,” Bellwether’s policy playbook for building statewide career pathways programs. Though the report focuses on Delaware’s program, its lessons—covering curriculum, internships and work-based experiences—also apply to district-level initiatives, Mission adds.

“Employers need to buy in to help determine curricula and help districts understand the competencies will get graduates employment,” she continues, adding that K12 leaders shouldn’t limit their programs to the high school level.

“Expanding to middle school expands equity,” Mission explains. “If students are aware of opportunities earlier on and learn more, they have more time to make choices. They’re on a more equal footing rather than having to rely on family or social capital.”

Here are seven steps s for forming key partnerships and paving career pathways:

1. Align on and articulate a vision: Districts can assemble an advisory committee that consists of educators, business leaders, local officials and community members. The group can draft a strategic plan that sets a broad vision, creates a structure for the pathways program and identifies underrepresented stakeholders.

2. Build and sustain key partnerships: The superintendent is likely the one who will begin forming partnerships with a wider group of employers that will provide work experience and with nonprofit organizations that can help with funding and coordination.

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3. Ensure that programs are high quality and easy to implement: Identify and design pathways that meet the needs of local employers or fill gaps in other local career readiness programs.

4. Commit to data collection to assess impact and improve practice: Make career pathways data publicly available, including disaggregated data on participation and outcomes, to ensure programs are operating equitably. Districts can also share data with higher education and state labor agencies.

5. Create accountability around equity: Identify gaps and barriers that are limiting equitable access to career pathways programs. Convene teachers, parents, students and administrators to share ideas for closing equity gaps. Train district staff to identify and eliminate unconscious biases. Partner with advocates for historically underserved student populations.

6. Communicate the value of pathways programs to employers: Ensure industries and employers know the steps they cant take to support career pathways programs. Create a value-added argument that communicates why supporting pathways programs is good for business.

Bellwhether’s report also explores various funding sources districts and their partners can leverage to ensure career pathways programs are sustainable. “If a district is doing something great at the local level, it can inspire the state to take action,” Mission concludes.

District Administration‘s Superintendent’s Playbook series examines how superintendents, principals and other administrators are solving common problems that today’s educators are facing.

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While these numbers are no cause for alarm, leaders should be concerned that nearly one-third of the class of 2023 graduates were not aware of the available career and technical education programs that would have given them alternatives to the traditional higher education path. Here are some more findings from YouScience’s poll that should catch the attention of district leaders:

• Only 33% of the class of 2023 reported regular exposure to various postgraduation career options.
• 65% of the Class of 2023 graduates had five or fewer conversations with teachers or counselors about post-high school choices.
• 83% of respondents said understanding their natural aptitudes better would have increased their engagement in learning.
• Nearly one-third (31%) of class of 2023 students were unsure if they were in the right place on their education or career paths; 34% of 2020-22 graduates expressed similar uncertainty.
• 27% of respondents in the class of 2023 reported attending a 2-year college, while 13% were working as part of a career plan, 9% had no plan, 7% were attending trade or technical school and 5% were joining the military.
• Over half (51%) of the class of 2023 cited ‘family members’ as their primary influence on their path.

“Empowering students with a deeper understanding of their unique strengths enables them to proactively plan their future and make well-informed post-graduation decisions,” said Edson Barton, founder and CEO of YouScience. “Our research highlights the urgency of providing students with more individualized guidance and exposure to diverse pathways.”

Equipping the class of 2023 and beyond

To set students up for post-high school success, YouScience also recommends:

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1. Personalizing pathways: Aptitude and interest assessments can steer graduates toward the most fitting post-secondary programs.

2. Interdisciplinary teaching: Schools and districts can work together to develop career clusters that give students access to sequenced and personalized programs of study.

3. Collaborative planning: Once students have a solid grasp of their aptitudes, they can work with family members, educators and counselors to choose the most relevant courses, earn career-tech certifications and enter the workforce or pursue post-secondary degrees.

4. Education-to-career tools: Administrators should provide counselors and teachers with resources to create personalized plans for postsecondary education and training based on student aptitudes and interests.

5. Industry-recognized certifications: These can be leveraged to quantify student knowledge and skills

6. Work-based learning: Internships and apprenticeships connect students with business and industry partners to gain real-world work experience.

The post 7 quick tips: Helping the class of 2023 find alternatives to college appeared first on District Administration.

Until recent years, K12 districts gave short shrift to equipping students with the skills they need to thrive in the workforce, relegating career education to students in vocational programs, as though college-bound high schoolers wouldn’t need them, too. Today, however, districts like mine recognize that helping students identify their interests and passions while developing a toolkit to navigate the world of work is one of the most important, if not the most important, functions of K12 education.

And that’s particularly true during high school. Employability and technology skills are essential components of this expanded view of a 21st-century education, which is why the mantra “Discover Your Future” guides all the decisions we make in our schools—from what we teach to how we direct resources. Teaching students to be entrepreneurs has played a central role in helping them discover their futures in Township High School District 214.

Firsthand entrepreneurship experiences

The term “entrepreneurship” usually prompts thoughts of people starting companies, inventing products or spinning hobbies into side hustles. While those certainly are elements of entrepreneurship, it doesn’t begin to cover the range of skills that entrepreneurs must employ to be successful: collaboration, creative thinking, resilience, learning from failure and applying what they’ve learned to solve real-world problems.

As it turns out, employers are clamoring for workers with the same skills that entrepreneurs develop over time. According to a report from the World Economic Forum, analytical and creative thinking are the traits most prized by hiring managers, who consider them to be core skills. Others include flexibility, agility and curiosity, all of which rank higher on the list than technological literacy.

One way Township High School District 214 helps students develop these entrepreneurship skills is through an entrepreneurship course we offer utilizing Uncharted Learning’s INCubatoredu program. During the school year, students create and develop their own product or service that solves a problem that they’ve identified themselves. It ends with the students pitching their ideas to potential investors.

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The program not only puts teenagers in proximity to mentors and experts from various industries, it drives the development of the very skills they’ll need once they enter the job market. Entrepreneurship education also allows students to experience their interests firsthand, rather than just reading about them.

But because not every student takes the course, and because these skills benefit students more broadly, we’ve also embedded entrepreneurial experiences and work-based learning into each student’s journey. For instance, in our MobileMakersEdu computer science program students not only learn how to code, but in the second half of the year, they use their newly developed skills to launch their own tech startup. In the process, students learn more about themselves as they apply what they have learned to solving real-world problems.

Skills that last a lifetime

It’s difficult to discover your future within the pages of a textbook, so we have provided students with opportunities to engage with mentors and industry experts through work-based learning opportunities connected to the 16 career clusters we offer. For example, students considering careers in accounting, human resources, sales management and other facets of finance and business services can engage in mentorship programs and internships as they potentially earn one of 21 industry certificates. Similarly, those who are leaning toward careers in health and medicine can explore courses in allied health, nursing and pre-med can also engage in work-based learning experiences and learn first-hand from experts in the field.

These pathways, which are anywhere from two to four years long, cover just about every facet of the workforce and give students an authentic taste of what they might expect in their chosen fields. Classes become increasingly advanced each year and generally culminate in opportunities to receive early college credit, an industry certification or experiential learning opportunities.

The entrepreneur’s journey is at the core of our district’s vision for student learning: learning from failure, relevance through real-world application, and connecting with and learning from industry experts and mentors. In the process, students develop skills that will last them a lifetime while they get a glimpse at what their futures can look like. And if they can experience that in high school, then they’ll make more informed decisions about their next steps, whether it’s college, trade school, an apprenticeship or something else.

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For many districts, the pandemic came as a wake-up call urging leaders to get up to speed in the edtech sense. According to David Hoffert, superintendent of Warsaw Community Schools, his community was ready.

“WCS has been a leader in instructional technology and was an early adapter to 1:1 technology,” he says. “When the pandemic hit, we were prepared with devices and basic instructional practices.”

What did come as a shock was the depth needed to adapt to the pandemic.

“The lessons learned pushed us out of our comfort zone and helped us create a model for post-pandemic instructional practices,” he explains. “Our movement—and continual push—is to create a synchronous learning environment when using technology. Students crave personal interaction and not a pre-recorded lesson.  Collaborative tools for new forms of communication with students, parents and the community have become a must!”

This frame of mind is also shared by Josh Carter, principal of Science Hill High School of Johnson City Schools in Tennessee, who took measures to ensure his school was utilizing technology before COVID-19.

“Prior to the pandemic, we had already made several important moves toward integration of educational technology,” he says. “We had been one-to-one for a couple of years. Our students have Chromebooks and our teachers were using Canvas and several other ed tools.”

However, he notes that the pandemic elevated the school’s use of these tools. It allowed all of his teachers to become fully immersed in Canvas, and now edtech is here to stay.

“That immersion has continued, and all of our classes have a robust presence on Canvas,” he says. “As far as other tech tools, our staff is much more likely to try new things post-pandemic. Most of our classrooms use technology to enhance their lessons on a daily basis.”

As K12 school districts continue to embrace innovative edtech tools, District Administration sought to understand which solutions have proven most successful for some of the most impactful leaders in education. And to no surprise, Canvas, VR simulations and Google products seem to dominate the education sphere.

Lenon Harvey, director of information services at Putnam County School District, which is led by Florida’s 2023 Superintendent of the Year Richard Surrency, says tools like GoGuardian, Clever, Canvas, GoogleWorkspace, Renaissance Learning Products, Savvas and McGraw Hill are among the tools that have had “a significant impact” on his district’s students and staff. What sets these platforms apart, he notes, is their efficiency, personalized learning experiences, collaboration and access to digital resources.

“We had a deliberate process for incorporating new edtech tools into our teaching and learning practices that ensures they are effective and safe for our students,” Harvey says. “Our IT department has recently developed a Technology and Infrastructure for Digital Education (TIDE) plan, which includes Innovation Navigators responsible for vetting the efficacy of new programs before they are implemented in our district. This ensures that all tools we adopt are thoroughly evaluated and meet our high standards for effectiveness, data privacy and security.”

He adds that they also utilize coaches within their “Teaching and Learning Department,” who evaluate the efficacy of curriculum programs before they’re adopted to ensure all aspects of teaching and learning are impactful.

Similarly, Carter says tools like Nearpod, IXL and Hapara are widely used by his teachers, which he says have profoundly impacted how teachers deliver content, student engagement and closing learning gaps.

To be a school that leverages edtech to enhance learning engagement, he says they must be innovative yet cautious to ensure their interventions are effective.

“Six years ago, our district started a Teacher Leader program for educational technology,” Carter says. “Each cohort participates in a year-long program that trains them to be technology leaders in their building. When a teacher at Science Hill wants to learn about a new tool, the teacher leaders are here to help. They provide professional development sessions as well as one-on-one assistance. These teacher leaders, along with our district supervisor of educational technology, vet potential ed tools regularly.”

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Don Killingbeck, superintendent at Hemlock Public Schools in Michigan, has long known the importance of technology in the classroom, which proved instrumental in their transition to remote and blending learning during the pandemic.

Since then, his district has added several platforms to its “edtech toolbelt,” such as Google Classroom, Paper, NWEA, Skyward, Kami, GoGuardian, Edgenuity, IXL and SAM Labs.

“Overall, these tools can be impactful for students and staff by providing greater access to resources, promoting personalized learning and improving communication and collaboration between teachers and students,” Killingbeck says.

“For the most part, we believe that technology tools should serve the purposes of either improving instruction or simplifying processes to make either or both the student and staff experience better,” he adds. “We believe that the best ideas come from staff in the field and try to harvest their ideas and implement them in a variety of ways.”

Fidelity, intuitiveness and ease of access for students, teachers and parents are some of the primary necessities of a successful edtech tool, WCS Superintendent Hoffert says. His district’s post-pandemic response is to focus on what works and what doesn’t.

“Too much of everything is nothing and unrealistic to support appropriately,” he says.

Tools like Google Classroom, Google Suite, SeeSaw, Canvas, Apptegy and ParentSquare have become some of the district’s most valuable solutions.

“Google has become a ‘go to’ in many facets of life and there is a comfort with parents along with ease of integration,” he notes. In addition, they’ve been intentional when it comes to relying on data and feedback to make such decisions.

“As a district of roughly 7000 students and 500 certified teachers, it is important that our technology department can support the devices and programs,” he says. “Through the feedback and continual evaluation, our teams are able to provide implementation and ongoing support of the recognized technological devices and district-approved programs.”

Alongside the explosion of education technology exists a need to support students as they prepare for a career after graduation. Jonathan

Prince, superintendent of St. Lucie Public Schools in Florida, said the goal is to mix the two ideas using virtual reality.

SLPS leverages a variety of simulations ranging from driver’s ed to welding. By using VR, students can gain real-world experience without the fear of seriously injuring themselves or others.

“These are very inexpensive tools to teach kids, particularly in career and technical education, how to use a welder and how to weld materials,” Prince says. “We have a lot of internships in our district with local industries, but the bottom line is a lot of times before those internships start, the kids are ready to go because of the technology they’re afforded in the classroom with some of these simulations.”

Edtech in 2023-24

As this school year soon comes to a close, district leaders have already begun preparations for 2023-24. If schools learned anything from the pandemic, it’s that we shouldn’t return to normal. And according to these leaders, they don’t intend to.

“It’s true that the edtech industry will continue to evolve and change in the coming years, and there will likely be winners and losers,” says Killingbeck. “The pandemic has accelerated the adoption of technology in education, and many schools and districts have had to quickly implement new solutions to support remote and hybrid learning. As we move forward, it will be important for districts and solution providers to continue to focus on providing effective and impactful solutions that meet the needs of students and teachers. This may require innovation, collaboration and a willingness to adapt to changing circumstances. Ultimately, the success of edtech solutions will depend on their ability to support student learning and achievement.”

The post Which edtech product is already changing learning for the better? 5 districts weigh in appeared first on District Administration.

In July 2022, more than 500 tech and education leaders issued a call to action advocating for the expansion of computer science education opportunities for students. Less than a year later, K12 education technology has come much further than we anticipated.

On Tuesday, The AI Education Project, a nonprofit that aims to create equitable learning experiences through AI literacy, announced the rallying of higher education institutions and school districts across the country to bring AI education to every student with one common goal: to support students in becoming thriving workers, consumers, creators and citizens in the age of AI.

The recent surge in AI technology, like ChatGPT, has caused educators and district leaders to shift their focus to how such tools can be used in the classroom.

“aiEDU has been advocating for foundational AI education since 2019, but the sudden explosion of generative AI tools onto the scene has led to a huge wave of interest from educators and education leaders over the past few months,” said AI Education Project co-founder and CEO Alex Kotran in a statement. “Those who were around for the step change brought on by computers and the internet are experiencing a sense of déjà vu; it feels like we are once again on the cusp of a once-in-a-generation technological revolution, and it’s hard to avoid the conclusion that this is a really, really big deal—especially for students.”

According to a news release, several notable colleges, universities and K12 school districts have joined as catalyzing partners to advance AI education opportunities for students:

Colleges and universities

• The University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education
• Georgetown CSET
• The Bay Area Community College Consortium
• The University of Tennessee
• Ohio University
• Miami University
• The University of South Florida
• Milwaukee School of Engineering
• Skyline College

Notable K12 school districts

• Gwinnett County Public Schools, GA (180K students)
• Hamilton County Schools, TN (44K students)
• Anaheim Union High School District, CA (30K students)
• Akron Public Schools, OH (20K students)
• San Benito CISD, TX (10K students)

“We urgently need to help our schools and educators evolve learning strategies for the Age of Artificial Intelligence, and aiEDU has an ambitious plan to help them do just that,” said Tiffany Taylor, Chief People & Impact Officer at GSV Ventures, and aiEDU Board Member. “This might be the single most important challenge in the history of the U.S. education system, and no organization can solve the problem alone. The incredible coalition of partners that aiEDU has assembled validates its commitment to collaboration across the entire ecosystem.”

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Nearly every job requires its employees to have a considerable range of digital skills, according to a report from the National Skills Coalition, an organization that seeks inclusive and high-quality skills training for all. Most students meet this expectation on their own, considering many students have access to the internet and a mobile device or computer. Schools can further prepare students for a successful future in tech through a multitude of career prep programs. How about a career in one of the most dominant industries in tech: app development?

Appy Pie, a no-code development platform, recently announced a free app development workshop designed for K12 and college students. The program aims to provide students with hands-on professional experience and introduce them to the world of app development. By removing coding from the creation process, teachers can utilize the workshop in their classrooms without any barriers to entry.

“We started back in 2015,” says Joel Perez, senior relationship development manager at Appy Pie. “Around that time, everything was program-based or code-based, so if you wanted to do anything you needed to know some kind of advanced coding. To jump this hurdle, we came up with a solution so now it’s a drag-and-click kind of process where you’re just building it and designing it.”

It does require some degree of configuration, he says, in order to set up the app. But it’s “really minimal.”

Since its inception, according to Perez, they’ve received overwhelmingly positive feedback from students and teachers.

“They love it,” he says. “They love that we’re starting these courses showing people how to build apps. It’s a great place to start and get that hands-on experience. With the app builder, you can create an app within five minutes and test it on your Apple or Android device. That’s how quickly you can have something done.”

Notable colleges and school districts around the world are utilizing the program, such as Reed Union School District, Fresno Unified, Montecito Union, Coleg Cambria (UK), Texas Southern University, and Westminster & Emirates College of Advance Education (University of Westminster).

Teachers and students can participate in a pre-recorded curriculum where students can learn at their own pace with live sessions tailored for that particular course throughout. Perez says students have access to a variety of other opportunities beyond app development.

“We do automation, we have a website builder, a chatbot builder and other different products,” he says. In addition, for college students or more advanced users, they’re able to remove the “no coding” feature to obtain those real-world skills.

“We do have a code page that they can add to the app and they can develop apps themselves,” he explains.

Perhaps one of the most valuable features of the program is that students can tangibly see the value in their product. According to Perez, schools can implement students’ apps into their daily operations.

“Maybe you need a school directory app, for example,” he says. “Or an app that’s going to display the school lunches, the school programs, events, maybe newsletters. We have schools using the actual apps in the real-life school environment.”

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Cybersecurity has become an increasing issue in the education sector over the past year. It has become the most-targeted industry for cyberattacks as a result of the abundance of technological innovations since the pandemic.

Given the uptick in cybersecurity threats against K12 institutions since the pandemic, new research reveals the critical role cybersecurity teams play in their organizations. As technology continues to advance, cybersecurity teams will be required to hire and train the next generation of experts. And they could be your very own students.

In 2023, nearly 400 tech companies have let go of more than 100,000 employees, more than half of the layoff count in 2022 according to Layoffs.fyi, a website that keeps track of job cuts in the technology industry. Major companies like Google, Meta, Microsoft and Amazon contributed to more than 50,000 layoffs total, according to Business Insider. Yet, one sector is expected to prevail amidst these uncertain times: cybersecurity.

According to a recent survey from (ISC)², a non-profit organization that specializes in training and certification for cybersecurity professionals, cybersecurity is expected to be the least-impacted industry amidst an economic downturn. The researchers asked over 1,000 C-suite business leaders, including tech executives such as CIOs and CISOs, about their concerns related to the economy. Based on their responses, only 10% foresee reductions in cybersecurity teams, compared to an average of 20% in other areas (finance, HR, IT, marketing, operations, R&D, and sales). In addition, 42% of cybersecurity teams anticipate an increase in staffing in 2023.

When asked why cybersecurity teams were less likely to see substantial job cuts compared to other departments, they said:

“Because as the economy gets worse, and more people are out of work, cybercrime will increase. We have to be prepared with cybersecurity to combat the threat.”

“Cybersecurity is one of the top priorities in my organization. We can’t jeopardize our reputation, lose trust and face penalties due to lack of security.”

“They are essential to the business’s welfare and its continuation.”

So as you counsel your high school students or your college freshmen, consider pushing them in a direction that offers a safe and reliable future, no matter the situation. Because let’s face it, technology waits for no one. Let’s ensure students are future-ready.

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Promoting college and career readiness early on helps prepare students for a lifetime of health through greater income opportunities and social-emotional well-being. Access and creativity are some of the best ways to approach implementing initiatives in this area. For example, Mount Adams School District in central Washington’s conceptual framework centers around college and career readiness. Once a week they have early-release Wednesdays so that students can participate in high-interest classes.

“It’s kind of a career development program where we invite people from different careers to come in and spend time with kids,” said Superintendent Curt Guaglianone in a recent interview.

For leaders who may not have a clear, set-in-stone program in place, how can begin?

Every week, District Administration asks ChatGPT, an artificially intelligent chatbot that can generate text based on human commands, one question designed to help district leaders solve some of the most pressing questions in education today. How would it recommend you implement college and career readiness initiatives in your district? Let’s find out.

“What are five ways district leaders can prioritize college and career readiness for their school systems?”

Sure, here are five ways district leaders can prioritize college and career readiness for their school systems:

1. Establish clear goals and expectations: District leaders should set clear, measurable goals for college and career readiness and communicate those goals and expectations to all stakeholders, including teachers, students, and parents. This can include setting benchmarks for academic achievement, providing career exploration opportunities, and ensuring that students have the necessary skills and knowledge to succeed in college or the workforce.
2. Invest in professional development: District leaders should invest in professional development for teachers and staff, focusing on areas such as curriculum development, data analysis, and instructional strategies that support college and career readiness. This can also include partnering with local businesses and organizations to provide opportunities for educators to learn about industry trends and workforce needs.
3. Emphasize career exploration: District leaders should provide students with opportunities to explore various career paths, including internships, job shadowing, and mentorship programs. This can help students better understand the skills and knowledge they will need to be successful in different careers and help them make informed decisions about their future.
4. Provide college and career counseling: District leaders should ensure that all students have access to college and career counseling services, including assistance with college applications, financial aid, and career planning. This can also include partnering with local colleges and universities to provide students with information about admissions requirements, majors, and career pathways.
5. Build partnerships with local businesses and organizations: District leaders should build partnerships with local businesses and organizations to provide students with real-world learning experiences and opportunities to apply what they have learned in the classroom. This can include apprenticeships, job shadowing, and internships, as well as partnerships to develop and implement work-based learning programs that align with local workforce needs.

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Most K12 leaders agree that school counselors are tasked with supporting students’ academic success, career development and social/emotional development through comprehensive counseling programs, says a new report by the American School Counselor Association. But significant percentages of administrators also noted that counselors in their schools are saddled with responsibilities outside their purviews:

• Coordinating 504 plans
• Building the master schedule for students’ classes
• Coordinating statewide testing programs
• Coordinating paperwork and data entry of all new students
• Providing ongoing individual counseling as part of an IEP
• Maintaining cumulative student files
• Covering classes when teachers are absent or creating teacher planning time
• Computing grade-point averages
• Providing long-term counseling/therapy
• Disproportionate time supervising common areas (lunch, hall, bus, etc.) compared with other staff in the building
• Coordinating schoolwide individual education plans (IEP) 6.9% 7.3%
• Performing disciplinary actions or assigning disciplinary consequences

Still, most of the district and building administrators surveyed said their counselors were delivering a comprehensive counseling program and fulfilling other vital roles, such as making data-driven decisions; working to improve student achievement, attendance and discipline rates; and implementing a college and career readiness curriculum. Most administrators also said counselors were regularly providing individual, small group and family counseling.

“We hope this study sheds more light on the critical importance of the school counselor and administrator partnership,” said Jill Cook, executive director. of the American School Counselor Association. “School counselors’ work directly affects the student outcomes by which schools and administrators are measured. When administrators and school counselors collaborate, student success increases.”

The survey also identified areas where counselors and administrators could collaborate more effectively, particularly around equity initiatives. Administrators believe that counselors are working to identify and close equity gaps but district and building leaders also said that had not had access to evidence that the school counseling program was addressing gaps in achievement, attainment and opportunity.

Finally, a small number of administrators reported filling school counselor roles with other personnel, such as social workers and college advisors. Some respondents said they had done so because of a shortage of school counselors.

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