A variety of factors influence the roles and functions of secondary school counselors in the contemporary education environment. Traditionally principals have played the largest role in determining the duties and scope of practice of secondary school counselors. However, such principal-influence scope of practice continues to relegate counselors to an administrative or quasi-administrative role. TodayÆs increasing challenges among counselors involve designing and implementing a developmental counseling program that helps all students develop to their fullest. Professional organizations like the NACAP continue to formulate guidelines and provide ongoing professional development to help counselors exert more influence in expanding the scope of practice in order to utilize the skills for which they were trained. Only such a comprehensive developmental program that embraces diversity and significantly expands skill and competency development in students will result in effective counseling outcomes. As todayÆs teens face an enormous and complex array of challenges, such programs and such expanded scope of practice are greatly warranted in contemporary secondary education.
There are a number of factors that influence what is labeled the ôroleö of secondary school counselors. According to Sears (1991), among these influences are: state certification standards; counselor education training programs; the nature of school systems; professional organizations; principals and other administrators; and counselors themselves (2). Traditionally the role of secondary school counselor has been confined to a service-oriented approach that focuses on such aspects as orientation, information, assessment, placement, counseling, follow-up and the like. However, traditional paradigms are being replaced by a comprehensive school counseling program approach in order to help counselors assume a greater role in the lives of students who are increa...