HSLS Appendix H - Counselor Questionnaire

Appendix H
Counselor Questionnaire

1. Indicate the number of full-time and part-time counselors assigned to high school (9-12) students at your school.

Full-time counselors

Part-time counselors

2. Of those assigned, indicate the number of counselors that are certified as high school (9-12) counselors.

Full-time counselors certified as high school counselors

Part-time counselors certified as high school counselors

3. Please indicate how long you have been a:

• school counselor for any grades K-12

• school counselor for high school (9-12)

4. Do you have an undergraduate or graduate degree in:

Yes No

a. Psychology О О

b. School counseling О О

c. Education О О

d. Social science О О

e. Physical or biological science О О

5. Which of the following best describes your entry into the counseling profession?

• I became a school counselor immediately after college

• I was first a teacher, prior to becoming a school counselor

• I was in another education-related profession prior to becoming a school counselor

• I was another type of counselor

• I was in a noneducation-related profession, prior to becoming a school counselor

• Other, please specify: (for field test only)

6. Please rank the extent to which the following goals are currently emphasized by the counseling program in your school (“1” indicates the goal with the most emphasis, “2” indicates the second most emphasis, and so on through “4” for the goal with the least emphasis.)

Rank

a. Help students plan and prepare for their work roles after high school

b. Help students with personal growth and development

c. Help students plan and prepare for postsecondary schooling

d. Help students improve their achievement in high school

7. What percentage of students meet with counselors...?

a. at the beginning of the school year

b. at least once a term

c. at the end of the school year

d. by student special request

e. by counselor special request

8. Which of the following activities are offered to students in this school? (select all that apply)

• School courses in career decision making

• Occupational information units in subject-matter courses

• Exploratory work experience programs (e.g., co-op, workstudy, EBCE)

• Career days/nights

• Vocational oriented assemblies and speakers in classes

• Job site visits (field trips)

• School arranged tours of postsecondary institutions

• Job shadowing (extended observations of a worker)

• Simulations (e.g., Singer, SRA Job experience kits)

• Administering and interpreting tests for career planning purposes (e.g., interest inventories, vocational aptitude tests)

• Group counseling sessions

• Training in job seeking skills

• Use of non-computerized career information resources

• Use of computerized career information resources

• Access to college catalogs

9. Does the school’s counseling staff consult with teachers regarding students’:

Yes No

a. Future course placement О О

b. Mid-year course changes О О

c. Remediation/tutoring needs О О

d. Discipline О О

e. Participation in enrichment programs О О

f. College preparation О О

X1. Who in the school has primary responsibility for dealing with individual students posing discipline problems?

• Counseling staff

• School principal

• Assistant principal

• Other (please specify): _________________

10a. Are students in your school required to have a high school graduation plan?

• Yes

• No

10b. If Yes, can this plan be modified or updated throughout students’ high school years?

• Yes

• No

11a. Which of the following best describes how counselors are assigned to students at this school?

1. Counselors are assigned to a specific grade level (e.g., a 9th grade counselor)

2. Counselors are assigned to an incoming class of 9th graders and remain with them throughout their high school years (e.g., a counselor for the class of 2009)

3. Counselors are assigned to a group of students whose last names fall within a slice of the alphabet (e.g., all students with last names from “A to D”)

4. Other (please specify)_________

11b. On average, how many students are assigned to a counselor at this school? [verbatim]

11c. Does your school have one or more counselors whose primary responsibility is: [Yes/No]

1. Assisting students with college readiness, selection, and applications?

2. Assisting students with preparation for and placement into the workforce?

12a. Does your school’s professional counseling staff assist with transitioning 8th grade students into high school? (Yes=continue/No – skip to 12c).

12b. In which of the following ways does your school’s professional counseling staff assist with transitioning 8th grade students into high school? [select all that apply]

1. Presenting information to 8th grade students and/or parents/guardians about high school courses and registration

2. Assisting individual 8th grade students with selecting 9th grade courses based upon their interests and prior achievement

3. Placing 8th grade students into 9th grade courses based on school/district placement policies

12c. What practices does the school engage in to assist students with the transition from high school to college? [select all that apply]

• Holding/participating in college fairs

• Consulting with postsecondary school representatives about requirements and qualifications sought

• Encouraging students to visit colleges

• Offering special programs that help students plan or prepare for college, such as Upward Bound, college scholarships

• Other (please specify):__________ [field test only]

13. How does the school assist students with the transition from high school to work? (Mark all that apply)

• Offering internships with local employers

• Holding/participating in job fairs

• Arranging school/classroom presentations by local employers

• Offering career awareness activities

• Other (please specify):__________ [field test only]

14. For a typical student, which of the following influence his/her placement into 9th grade mathematics/science? (Mark all that apply)

Math Science

a. Recommended by middle school counselor О О

b. Recommended by high school counselor О О

c. Recommended by middle school mathematics/science teacher О О

d. Based on courses taken/achievement in middle school courses О О

e. Based on results of end-of-year/end-of-course exams О О

f. Based on results of placement tests О О

g. Selected by student and/or parent/guardian О О

h. Other (please specify):__________ [field test only] О О

15. Which of the following typically factor into counselor recommendations for mathematics/science courses for students entering 10th, 11th, and 12th grade? (Mark all that apply)

Math Science

a. Prior grades О О

b. End-of-year/end-of-course exams О О

c. Placement tests О О

d. Previous year’s mathematics/science teacher recommendation О О

e. Student and/or parent/guardian preference О О

f. Master schedule considerations О О

g. Other (please specify):__________ [field test only] О О

16. Does your school have a mathematics pre-requisite for entry into advanced science courses (e.g., chemistry, physics)?

• Yes, all advanced science courses do

• Yes, some advanced science coursed do

• No, none of the advanced science courses do

17. If Yes, in which of the following ways can a student not meeting this pre-requisite enroll in the course? [select all that apply]

• Teacher approval

• Counselor approval

• Principal approval

• Parental request for waiver

• There is no way the student can enroll in the course

• Other (please specify):__________ [field test only]

18. Does your school offer summer school enrichment courses that allow students to get ahead (e.g., a geometry class that would allow a student taking algebra in 9th grade to take calculus in the 12th grade)?

• Yes

• No

19. If a student fails a mathematics competency test, which of the following options are available to the student at the school and which are required of the student?

Available Required

a. Retaking the test О О

b. Taking remedial classes in deficient subject areas О О

c. Repeating classes in deficient subject areas О О

d. Completing a general competency test preparation class О О

e. Tutoring О О

f. Individualized academic program О О

g. Summer school О О

h. Referral to an alternative or continuing education school О О

20. Does your school have any programs to:

Yes No

a. Encourage students who might not be considering college to do so? О О

b. Encourage underrepresented students to pursue mathematics/science О О

c. Inform parents/guardians about mathematics/science higher education

and/or career opportunities О О

21. Is there a vocational-technical program offered at your school?

• Yes

• No

22. Which of the following steps does this school take for students who need extra assistance in mathematics/science?

Math Science

a. Tutoring is available to low achieving students during the

regular school day О О

b. Instructional aides or specialists work in classrooms to provide

assistance to low-achieving students О О

c. Instructional aides provide low-achieving students with pull-out

instruction during the regular school day О О

d. Additional support is provided to low-achieving students outside

the regular school day (e.g., before- or after-school tutoring or

special programs, summer school programs) О О

e. Other (please specify): _________ [field test only] О О

23. Which of the following are available in this school to support and encourage gifted students in mathematics and science? (Mark all that apply)

• Technology and software to support curriculum specifically to meet the needs of the gifted students

• Instructional specialists work in classrooms to provide enrichment to high achieving students

• Instructional aides provide gifted students with pull-out instruction during the regular school day

• Enrichment experiences such as Odyssey of the Mind, Science Olympiad, Academic Decathlon

• Scholarships for gifted students to attend special events or classes

• Summer activities/programs appropriate for gifted students

• Other (please specify): _________ [field test only]

24. Which of the following options are available for students to take science, technology, engineering, or mathematics courses not offered by your school? (Mark all that apply)

• Independent study

• On-line courses

• Courses at another traditional high school in the district

• Courses at a local career/technical school

• Courses at a local community college

• Courses at a nearby 4-year college/university

• Other (please specify): _________ [field test only]

25. Indicate the extent to which you agree or disagree with each of the following statements:

Strongly Strongly
agree Agree Disagree disagree

a. Teachers in this school set high standards for teaching О О О О

b. Teachers in this school set high standards for students’

learning О О О О

c. Teachers in this school believe all students can do

well О О О О

d. Teachers in this school have given up on some

students О О О О

e. Teachers in this school care only about smart students О О О О

f. Teachers in this school expect very little from students О О О О

g. Teachers in this school work hard to make sure all

students are learning О О О О

26. Indicate the extent to which you agree or disagree with each of the following statements:

Strongly Strongly
agree Agree Disagree disagree

a. Counselors in this school set high standards for

students’ learning О О О О

b. Counselors in this school believe all students can

do well О О О О

c. Counselors in this school have given up on some

students О О О О

d. Counselors in this school care only about smart

students О О О О

e. Counselors in this school expect very little from

students О О О О

f. Counselors in this school work hard to make sure

all students are learning О О О О

27. Indicate the extent to which you agree or disagree with each of the following statements:

Strongly Strongly
agree Agree Disagree disagree

a. The principal in this school sets high standards for

students’ learning О О О О

b. The principal in this school believes all students

can do well О О О О

c. The principal in this school has given up on some s

tudents О О О О

d. The principal in this school cares only about smart

students О О О О

e. The principal in this school expects very little from

students О О О О

f. The principal in this school works hard to make sure

all students are learning О О О О

X2. What is the highest or culminating math/science course that a college-bound student would be expected to take at your school? (Mark one in each column)

Highest expected mathematics

• Algebra II

• Trigonometry and/or Analytic Geometry

• Precalculus

• Calculus, or AP or IB calculus

• Other Advanced Mathematics (please specify____)

Highest expected science

• Advanced biology

• Chemistry I or Physics I

• Chemistry II or Physics II

• AP/IB biology, physics or chemistry

• Other advanced science (please specify___)

Supporting Statement Request for OMB Review (SF83I) C-0