School counseling incorporates a variety of direct and indirect student services that focus on academic achievement, success, and personal development of students. CACREP and American School Counselor Association standards guide school counselors in upholding ethical practice and the delivery of counseling services. Short-term individual school counseling can aid in student success and achievement. This chapter examines individual counseling theory and its application to empirically based practice in the school. The efficacy of person-centered counseling, solution-focused brief therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, reality therapy, narrative therapy, and gestalt/expressive therapies are demonstrated through case studies. Practical applications and interventions are provided through case studies.

Although culturally relevant interventions and social justice advocacy will be integrated throughout the text, this chapter focuses on marginalized communities, antiracism practices, and the Black Lives Matter movement as it relates to serving BIPOC students and discusses the impact of cultural mismatch and culturally incompetent school-based interventions. Resources for cultural awareness, knowledge, and skill development will be discussed, as well as the opportunities for addressing the school-to-prison pipeline, historically underserved populations, and the opportunity gap.

The chapter will serve as an overview of the ASCA National Model and provide a clear connection with the translation from an aspirational ideal of school counseling to the reality of school counseling practice. The four main components of the National Model will be presented, including define, manage, deliver, and assess. This chapter will address and provide examples as to how these components are often offered in current models of PK–12 education—both in brick-and-mortar schools and online academies.

In this chapter, students will explore the concept of strengths-based counseling and related interventions as the various roles and specific interventions are applied through this lens as the very foundation to the work of school counselors. Research-based support for this perspective and practitioner guidance is included. Case studies and scenarios demonstrating the difference between a traditional “deficit-based” perspective where a clinician or counselors initial view of a student is considering a “what’s wrong” approach will be compared to a “what’s going well” approach where school counselors collaborate with school staff and partner with students to build on student strengths to ensure academic success and improvement.

We present the benefits of collaborations with school staff to support student success from research-based and applied perspectives. We make recommendations for staff engagement regarding presentation of data, professional development training opportunities, and school community-building strategies. We discuss school counselor self-advocacy, specifically regarding situations in which school policy may conflict with ethical guidelines.

This chapter provides an introduction to group counseling in schools. The American School Counselor Association Position Statement related to school counseling group interventions is presented and discussed specific to application and best practice recommendations. The basics of group counseling are outlined to guide those entering the profession, including considerations for this time-effective intervention. Multicultural and social justice advocacy opportunities within group work are highlighted. Developmental considerations for running groups as the elementary, middle/junior high, and high school levels are discussed.

This chapter addresses gender and identity issues in PK–12 education, including gender fluidity, students who identify as transgender and the transitioning process, students who identify as LGBTQ+, and general school-based advocacy and safety issues. This chapter offers ways to create safe and affirming spaces for LGBTQ+ students in schools. It serves as a foundation for seeking more knowledge to best serve these affinity groups. Scholarly support and practitioner recommendations for school-based support including student-led groups, staff training, parent education, and safe school culture curriculum are presented.

This chapter focuses on the role of professional school counselors as related to the importance of collaborating with the school and local community to promote family engagement. Systems theory is applied, and research addressing the positive academic implications related to family engagement is presented. Specific strategies and useful tips are discussed. The American School Counselor Association (ASCA) National Model carefully outlines the role of school counselors in consultation and collaboration engagement with families and community stakeholders. Additionally, ASCA tasks school counselors with addressing barriers to these partnerships, such as communication and access (2016). Ideally, school counselors in training gain knowledge and skills in this area during their graduate training programs, but many gain most of their preservice experience in this area during their field experiences (i.e., practicum and internship). This is because, in large part, CACREP standards do not currently require a graduate-level course in family–school collaboration, although some programs instill this content into other courses. As PK–12 student needs increase and school counselors must partner with families and communities more than ever, it is advantageous for counselor educators to add specific family-community-school coursework into graduate training programs. The authors of this chapter will use the terms parent, family, and caregiver to describe a variety of constellations that include caregivers, guardians, home environments, and other words used in related research and broader conversations as it relates to systems in which our students live.

This chapter serves as an introduction to building a comprehensive school counseling program (CSCP). In a CSCP, school counselors serve as collaborative leaders advocating for systemic change using data and incorporating an equity lens with every decision made. CSCPs are developed, delivered, and maintained to promote student success in academic, career, and social/emotional domains. Examples of how varying school districts throughout the United States approach school counseling programs are included. This chapter also provides guidance for school counselors through the process of developing a CSCP. Scholarly support for the benefits of a CSCP are presented, and practical application of the model, including the benefits of a CSCP for multiple stakeholders, are discussed.

The legal requirements and ethical obligations of professional school counselors clearly state our responsibility to the welfare of children. However, the mandated reporting process can be intimidating for both counseling students and seasoned professionals. This chapter will define the classifications of mandated reporter, guidelines for professional practice will be presented, and a framework for gathering information and documenting the report will be suggested. Other important aspects that are covered in the chapter include confidentiality, ethical and cultural implications, and the necessity for maintaining professional boundaries with colleagues following a mandated report. The authors share personal experiences throughout the chapter, omitting information and using pseudonyms to protect the privacy of our former students.