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What is CREST?
Counselors Reinforcing Excellence for Students in Texas (CREST) is sponsored by the Texas School
Counselor Association (TSCA) and awarded to school counseling programs that meet CREST
requirements. CREST is a continuous improvement document that school counseling programs can use
to demonstrate effective communication and a commitment to obtaining results. In its final form,
CREST is a brochure that highlights the accomplishments of your counseling program. Your CREST
document will include information in seven (7) areas:
Principal’s Comments
School Counseling Advisory Council
School Climate and Safety
Student Results
Major Achievements
Community Partnerships/Resources
Parent Collaboration
Why CREST?
Ask yourself, ―Why should our school counseling program pursue the CREST application process?‖
Benefits of CREST:
Advocate for your school counseling program and show how it supports student success
Document your school counseling program’s role in supporting student success
Show continuous improvement data for your counseling program
Highlight program successes for all stakeholders
Strengthen the campus counseling program by aligning it with the campus improvement plan
Reinforce the school counselor’s role in the academic, personal/social, and career development
of students
Link your school counseling program to state, national, and legislative standards
Provide a tool for accountability
Receive recognition at the Texas School Counselor Association/Texas Counseling Association
spring conferences
Receive a CREST banner for display on your campus
The CREST application form is available from the following websites:
www.txca.org
www.texasschoolcounselor.org
Preparing the CREST Document
Requirements:
Categories 1–7 placed in sequential order
Consistent use of voice
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Consistent format
Proper grammar
Correct spelling
Acronyms spelled out on first use
Page size 17 x 11 inches (can be folded like a magazine)
Text body uses Arial or Times New Roman font, point size of 10 or 12 (CREST documents with
less than a 10-point font size in the body text will not be considered for an award.)
Graphs have an 8-point or higher font size
The words “A continuous improvement document sponsored by the Texas School
Counselor Association” included in the header
Document postmarked by November 1; faxed or emailed documents will not be accepted
The 2011 Application Packet should include the following:
Twelve (12) colored copies of your CREST document
Two (2) copies of the application form (one original, one copy)
One (1) CD of the CREST document in PDF format to post on the TSCA website
Mail CREST application forms (2), document (12), and CD (1) to:
CREST Application
c/o Hilda Lopez, CREST Chair
1828 Arnold Palmer
El Paso, TX 79935
We encourage you to seek CREST layout design and editorial assistance from the following personnel:
District office public relations department
English department
Desktop publishing class
Yearbook advisor
Graphics department
Graduate interns
Resources
Websites:
American School Counselor Association (ASCA): www.schoolcounselor.org
Texas Counseling Association (TCA): www.txca.org
Texas School Counselor Association (TSCA): www.txca.org/tca/TSCA_Home.asp
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Books:
The ASCA National Model: A Framework for School Counseling Programs, Second Edition
ASCA National Model Workbook: A Companion Guide for Implementing a Comprehensive
School Counseling Program
A Model Comprehensive, Developmental Guidance & Counseling Program for Texas Public
Schools, A Guide for Program Development, Pre-K–12th Grade, Fourth Edition
Examples:
Texas CREST winners: www.texaschoolcounselor.org (Please note that CREST was revised in
2010, and the posted documents do not reflect the revised CREST.)
California’s Support Personnel Accountability Report Card (SPARC) awards recipients:
www.sparconline.net
After Submission, the CREST Committee will:
Send an email to the individual whose name appears on the application, acknowledging receipt
of the CREST application.
Send notification by email January 15th about the status of your CREST application. No
questions will be answered with regard to the status of your application prior to this date.
Present awards at CREST Luncheon during the spring Texas School Counselor
Association/Texas Counseling Association School Counselor conference.
Scoring of the CREST Document To receive an award, a CREST application may receive a total of only two No’s in the eight categories.
Each CREST document will be judged by a team of three professionals in the school counseling field
throughout Texas. The scoring continuum is as follows:
First Review
1. If the document receives NO MORE than two No’s in the eight categories, it has achieved
CREST distinction.
2. If the application receives MORE than two No’s in the eight categories, it is sent to a second
team of reviewers (Second Review).
Second Review
1. If the document receives MORE than two No’s in the eight categories, the application does NOT
receive CREST distinction.
2. If the application receives NO MORE than two No’s in the eight categories, the application goes
to a third review team (Third Review).
Third Review
1. If the application receives MORE than two No’s, the application does NOT receive CREST
distinction.
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2. If the application receives NO MORE than two No’s, it has achieved CREST distinction.
Category 1: Principal’s Comments
Principal, ask yourself, ―How does our school counseling program impact student success?‖
Preparing this Section The principal must show support for a well-balanced counseling program. (Please limit text to one or
two short paragraphs.)
Resources for this section:
ASCA National Model Application:
The ASCA National Model: A Framework for School Counseling Programs, Second Edition—
Management Agreements (p. 46), Performance Evaluations (p. 62)
Texas State Model Application:
A Model Comprehensive, Developmental Guidance & Counseling Program for Texas Public Schools, A
Guide for Program Development, Pre-K–12th Grade, Fourth Edition (pp. 49–71)
Category 1: Principal’s Comments
The Principal’s Comments section must include the following items:
Yes
No
1a. A statement of the school counseling program’s vital role in student success and
school safety
1b. An example of how the school counseling program contributes to student
success and school safety
1c. A statement of support for implementation of the ASCA National Model and/or
Texas State Model of the Comprehensive Counseling Program
1d. A statement explaining how the school counseling program supports the campus
improvement plan and initiatives
Category 2: School Counseling Advisory Council
Ask yourself, ―Who are we as a team? How does this team guide the school counseling program?‖
Preparing this Section School counselors shall form either a School Counseling Advisory Council or be a member of the
School Improvement Team. A School Counseling Advisory Council is a representative group of
stakeholders such as faculty, staff, parents, students, and/or community members from your school
campus. Its focus is to advise and guide the school counseling program in order to promote student
success. This council must meet at minimum twice a year.
The School Improvement Team is also a representative group of stakeholders and school counselors
may utilize this forum as the School Counseling Advisory Council. School counseling must be an
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ongoing agenda item, and the school counselor(s) must be a member of the School Improvement Team.
Resources for this section:
ASCA National Model Application:
The ASCA National Model: A Framework for School Counseling Programs, Second Edition (pp. 67–74)
Texas State Model Application:
A Model Comprehensive, Developmental Guidance & Counseling Program for Texas Public Schools, A
Guide for Program Development, Pre-K–12th Grade, Fourth Edition (pp. 49–71)
Category 2: School Counseling Advisory Council
The School Counseling Advisory Council section must include the following items:
Yes
No
2a. A statement on the purpose of the School Counseling Advisory Council or School
Improvement Team
2b. A list or chart providing information on the School Counseling Advisory Council
or School Improvement Team, including names and positions
2c. The School Counseling Advisory Council or School Improvement Team is
comprised of a representative group of stakeholders.
2d. A statement on the process for selecting committee members
2e. The number of times the council meets (minimum of twice a year)
2f. An example of a discussed agenda item
2g. How School Counseling Advisory Council’s feedback/input guides the school
counseling program
Category 3: School Climate and Safety
Ask yourself, ―How does my school counseling program respond to issues of school climate and
safety?‖
Preparing this Section
This section requires a minimum of one graph and/or chart, regardless of the number of interventions
provided. Presenting your results in graph form (e.g., pie chart, graph, bar graph) and showing their
relationship to school counseling programs are essential components for this section.
You can use Microsoft Excel to plug your data into a variety of graphs or charts. Some examples follow:
Programs/activities that increase student connectedness to school campus/district and improve
school climate
Programs/activities that teach students conflict resolution, empathy, and mediation techniques for
solving conflicts
Programs/activities that reduce incidents of violence at the campus and that emphasize
prevention and early detection
Programs/activities that provide age-appropriate and developmental instruction about violence
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prevention, bullying, dating violence, and interpersonal violence prevention. Many of these are
legal mandates that can be found in District Legal Policy, Title IX, Family Code 71.0021 (see
Texas Council on Family Violence)
Prevention and response to acts of hate violence, bias-related incidents, and discriminatory
attitudes
Consider data such as dropout rates, discipline referrals, attendance, course failures, and other vital
information to a school’s demographics. Process, perception, and results data are acceptable in this
section. The relationship between the data presented and school climate and safety must be clearly
stated.
Resources for this section:
ASCA National Model Application:
American School Counselor Association. (2003). Taking your school’s temperature: How school
climate affects students and staff. Alexandria, VA: Author.
www.schoolcounselor.org/files/school%20climate.pdf
The ASCA National Model: A Framework for School Counseling Programs, Second Edition (pp. 120–
121)
Texas State Model Application:
A Model Comprehensive, Developmental Guidance & Counseling Program for Texas Public Schools, A
Guide for Program Development, Pre-K–12th Grade, Fourth Edition (pp. 49–71)
Category 3: School Climate and Safety
The School Climate and Safety section must include the following items: Yes No
3a. A statement(s) regarding the relationship of the school counseling team to school
climate and safety
3b. A minimum of two activities/programs/interventions implemented by school
counselors that impacted school climate and safety
3c. A graph/chart depicting how school counselor activities directly relate to improvement
of the school climate
3d. Written explanation of each graph/chart
3e. An explanation of the school counselor’s role in the School Safety Plan and/or District
Crisis Plan
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Category 4: Student Results
Ask yourself, ―How has my school counseling program impacted students’ success?‖
Preparing this Section
Implementation of a comprehensive developmental school counseling program requires that school
counselors use data to evaluate and improve school counseling programs. The results of these data are
based on the outcomes of students, not on what school counselors do. Only the results of student
outcomes that have been positively affected by your school counseling program will be considered for a
CREST award.
In this section, include a statement explaining the importance and utilization of student results and its
relationship to the Texas and/or ASCA National Standards. This section must also include two (2) goal
statements. These statements must be based on data, and the data point must be significant.
A data point is an item of factual information derived from measurement or research, such as a
percentage.
Significance is the term used to describe research findings that are probably true. These findings
must be influenced by your interventions rather than by random chance, accident, or another
factor.
Don’t forget to answer the following questions: Why was this goal selected? What data were used?
Include a list and explanation of counselor interventions. Be sure these interventions are counselor
specific!
These data can be collected from myriad sources such as attendance rates, number of discipline referrals,
grade-point averages, and student graduation rates. Present your results in graphic form such as in pie
charts, graphs, or tables. Keep your graphs simple and easy to read; focus on one concept per graph.
In summary, both goal statements must contain an explanation about why the goal was selected, what
data were used and what counselor interventions were used, and include a graph representing the results;
thus, there must be two (2) graphs in this section.
The deadline of November 1 encourages applicants to use goals and data from the previous year. Any
additional data that support your goal may be included at submission.
Examples of goal statements might include the following:
Our counseling team will decrease the number of bullying incidents in grades K–5 by 20% from
the first through fourth 9-week period for school year ____.
Our counseling team will reduce self-reported test anxiety of juniors who failed the exit-level
TAKS by 25% from the first administration to the next administration.
Our counseling team will assist in reducing by 20% the number of eighth-grade students who
failed two or more core classes from the first 9-week grading period to the fourth 9-week grading
period.
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Resources for this section:
ASCA National Model Application:
The ASCA National Model: A Framework for School Counseling Programs, Second Edition (pp. 49–53)
Texas State Model Application:
A Model Comprehensive, Developmental Guidance & Counseling Program for Texas Public Schools, A
Guide for Program Development, Pre-K–12th Grade, Fourth Edition (pp. 49–71)
Other recommended resources:
1. Dimmitt, C., Carey, J. C., & Hatch, T. (2007). Evidence-based school counseling: Making a
difference with data-driven practices. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.
2. Stone, C. B., & Dahir, C. A. (2007). School counselor accountability: A MEASURE of student
success (2nd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Merrill/Prentice Hall.
3. Kaffenberger, C., & Young, A. (2007). Making data work. Alexandria, VA: American School
Counselor Association.
4. National Office of School Counselor Advocacy (NOSCA) website:
http://advocacy.collegeboard.org/college-preparation-access/national-office-school-counselor-
advocacy-nosca
Category 4: Student Results
The Student Results section must include the following items:
Yes
No
4a. A statement explaining the importance and utilization of student results and their
relationship to the Texas and/or National Standards.
4b. First of two (2) measurable goal statements that include
data point(s)
population
time frame
Second of two (2) measurable goal statements that include
data points
population
time frame
4c. A rationale for each goal selected
4d. A list and explanation of school counselor interventions
4e. First of two (2) graphs that includes
an explanation for the graph connecting the School Counseling Team
activity to the results shown
correct title and label
Second of two (2) graphs that includes
an explanation for the graph connecting the School Counseling Team
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activity to the results shown
correct title and label
Category 5: Major Achievements
Ask yourself, ―What are the major achievements of our school counseling program?‖
Preparing this Section
Implementation of a comprehensive developmental school counseling program requires that school
counselors deliver their program through guidance curriculum, responsive services, individual student
planning, and system support.
In this section, include your school counseling team’s major achievements by delivery system. Also
include the percentage of time your school counseling program spends in each delivery system annually.
Use the following table format for this component:
Delivery System Overall
Percentage of
Time
Major Achievements
Guidance Curriculum
Responsive Services
Individual Student Planning
System Support
Examples of major achievements:
Guidance Curriculum—Guidance lessons attributed to an increase in the number of students taking the
SAT/ACT by 20%.
Responsive Services—We now offer six student support groups that meet a total of eight sessions.
Individual Student Planning—100% of the eighth-grade students completed their Four Year Plan.
System Support—The counseling staff provided staff development to teachers on the topics of the school
counseling program, child abuse, financial aid, and postsecondary options.
Using the table format, include other major achievements your school counseling team has received,
such as:
Awards/recognitions
Outstanding achievements
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Commendation by a professional organization such as the American School Counselor
Association, Texas Counseling Association, or the Texas School Counselor Association
Honors your school has achieved that includes coordination/collaboration with your school
counseling program
School-wide achievements that your program contributed to
Professional presentations by school counselors
Leadership roles filled by school counselors
Some examples of other major achievements:
2008 CREST (Counselor’s Reinforcing Excellence for Students in Texas) Award
2007 RAMP (Recognized ASCA Model Program) Award
Boys and Girls Club Outreach Award—(Our school counseling team provides referrals and
technical support to this award-winning program)
Distinguished School—(Our role in the school safety plan was integral to our school’s
winning this award)
School of Character Award
Resources for this section:
ASCA National Model Application:
The ASCA National Model: A Framework for School Counseling Programs, Second Edition (pp. 39–44,
49–52, 55)
Texas State Model Application:
A Model Comprehensive, Developmental Guidance & Counseling Program for Texas Public Schools, A
Guide for Program Development, Pre-K–12th Grade, Fourth Edition (pp. 17–26)
Category 5: Major Achievements
The Major Achievements section must include the following items:
Yes
No
5a. One or more major achievements cited and explained for Guidance Curriculum
5b. One or more major achievements cited and explained for Responsive Services
5c. One or more major achievements cited and explained for Individual Student Planning 5d. One or more major achievements cited and explained for System Support 5e. The percentage of time provided for each delivery system (there is no penalty if the
percentage of time is not aligned to the state recommendation)
5f. A minimum of two other achievements and a clear description of the relationship between
the school counseling program and the achievement
5g. The required chart for delivery system, percentage of time spent, and major achievement
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Category 6: Community Partnerships/Resources
Ask yourself, ―How do our community partnerships/resources impact student success?‖
Preparing this Section A school counseling program coordinates a variety of resources and collaborates with many community
partners and/or resources. This section asks you to explain how you involve business, industry, civic and
social service organizations and/or community partners to enhance your counseling program.
Include the following:
A list of the community partners/resources used in your program
An explanation of how these partnerships/resources are used
Statement explaining how your community partnerships/resources have impacted the success of
your students
Examples:
Academic
Partners in Education companies serve as mentors and/or tutors for students
Career
XYZ Organization provides speakers for Career Day
Personal/Social
ABC Church donates coats for students
Resources for this section:
ASCA National Model Application:
The ASCA National Model: A Framework for School Counseling Programs, Second Edition, System
Support (p. 43)
Texas State Model Application:
A Model Comprehensive, Developmental Guidance & Counseling Program for Texas Public Schools, A
Guide for Program Development, Pre-K–12th Grade, Fourth Edition (pp. 31, 126)
Category 6: Community Partnerships/Resources
The Community Partnerships/Resources section must include the following items: Yes No
6a. A lead paragraph on the importance of partnerships
6b. A minimum of two (2) community partnerships/resources listed for the
Academic Domain
6c. A minimum of two (2) community partnerships/resources listed for the Career
Domain
6d. A minimum of two (2) community partnerships/resources listed for the
Personal/Social Domain
6e. Provide examples of how these community partners/resources enhance the
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quality and effectiveness of the school counseling program for the Academic
Domain
6f. Provide examples of how these community partners/resources enhance the
quality and effectiveness of the school counseling program for the Career Domain
6g. Provide examples of how these community partners/resources enhance the
quality and effectiveness of the school counseling program for the Personal/Social
Domain
Category 7: Parent Collaboration
Ask yourself, ―How do I collaborate with parents so that students can be successful?‖
Preparing this Section
As a counselor, part of your role is to support, coordinate, consult, inform, mediate, and collaborate with
parents so that students can be successful. In this section, describe how you engage parents in guidance
curriculum, responsive services, individual planning, and system support.
Examples:
Guidance Curriculum—How do you encourage parents to provide input to the curriculum and
reinforce skills taught through your guidance lessons?
Example: Needs assessment is sent to parents to determine topics of guidance lessons that will
be presented during the school year.
Responsive Services—How do you work with parents regarding their children’s issues to
include one-on-one counseling, group counseling, and referrals?
Example: Parents are contacted regarding an emotional issue, and resources are provided
through a required parent conference.
Individual Planning—How do you provide parents with information regarding their child’s
academic and career planning?
Example: Parents are provided with an interpretation of test scores.
System Support—How do you provide parents with information?
Example: Parents are provided with monthly workshops addressing parenting
skills/information.
In addition, include a brief statement of how you as the school counselor communicate to parents
throughout the year about your school counseling program. Also, provide an explanation of how you
provide parents the opportunity to preview all counseling materials.
Resources for this section:
ASCA National Model Application:
The ASCA National Model: A Framework for School Counseling Programs, Second Edition (p. 18)
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Texas State Model Application:
A Model Comprehensive, Developmental Guidance & Counseling Program for Texas Public Schools, A
Guide for Program Development, Pre-K–12th Grade, Fourth Edition (pp. 18–23, 117)
Category 7: Parent Collaboration
The Parent Collaboration section must include the following items:
Yes
No
7a. A statement and examples of how your school counseling program engages
parents in Guidance Curriculum
7b. A statement and examples of how your school counseling program engages
parents in Responsive Services
7c. A statement and examples of how your school counseling program engages
parents in Individual Planning
7d. A statement and examples of how your school counseling program engages
parents in System Support
7e. An explanation of how the school counselor communicates to parents
throughout the year about your school counseling program
7f. A statement of how the school counselor provides parents an opportunity to
view counseling materials as mandated in Texas Education Code (TEC) 33.004(b)
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Category 8: Technical Details
The Technical Details section must include the following items: Yes No
DOCUMENT HEADER
8a. Include the statement ―A continuous improvement document sponsored by
the Texas School Counselor Association‖ in the header of the CREST document
8b. Names of all the counselors and their contact information
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8c. Include ‖CREST (current school year)‖ in the document header
8d. Include the school’s name, address, and school logo
FORMAT OF THE CREST DOCUMENT
8e. Categories 1 through 7 are placed in sequential order
8f. Content has a clear and consistent voice throughout the document
8g. Format is consistent and flows throughout the document
8h. There are no more than (two) typographical, grammatical, or punctuation
errors
8i. Acronyms are spelled out the first time used in the document
8j. Font used for text and graphs must be:
10 or 12 points for text
8 points or higher for graphs
Ariel or Times New Roman font
8k. Graphs are clear, significant, labeled, and aligned with the written text
APPLICATION PACKET
8l. Document fits on one page and is printed front and back on 17 x 11 paper
(folds like a magazine)
8m. Includes twelve (12) color copies of the CREST award document
8n. Includes two (2) copies of the application form (one original, one copy)
8o. Includes one (1) CD of the CREST award document, in PDF format
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CREST APPLICATION FORM
THE TEXAS SCHOOL COUNSELOR ASSOCIATION
Please do not alter this application by deleting sections or adding your own wording.
School District: ________________________________________________________________
School Site: ___________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
School Level (elementary, middle, high, all level): ________________________________
School Setting (urban, suburban, rural): ______________ Number of Students: _________
County: ____________________________
Contact Person for this application: ______________________________________________
Work Address: _______________________________________________________________
City/State: __________________________ Zip Code: _______________________________
Work Phone: ____________________________ Fax: _________________________________
Email: _________________________________________________________________
Please enclose the following in your packet:
An original and one copy of this application
A computer disc or CD of the document PDF
Twelve (12) color copies of the CREST Document
School Counseling Advisory Committee or School Improvement Team signatures
(You may insert additional lines or use additional sheets of paper, as necessary.)
Name: _______________________________________________________________________
Position: _____________________________ Signature: _____________________________
Name: _______________________________________________________________________
Position: _____________________________ Signature: _____________________________
Name: _______________________________________________________________________
Position: _____________________________ Signature: _____________________________
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Principal Signature
This CREST accurately reflects the student support system and the efforts of the school
counseling program in its design, implementation, evaluation, and coordination.
Signature of Principal: ________________________________________________________
Date: __________________________________
Superintendent/designee publication approval:
This document has been approved as a public document. This CREST accurately reflects
the student support system and the efforts of the school counseling program in its
design, implementation, evaluation, and coordination. This document has been
proofread for typographical or grammatical errors. You have my permission to
reproduce and post this CREST on the TSCA website. I give my permission for all
or any part of this application to be shared with state legislators and others
interested in reviewing our CREST.
Superintendent/Designee______________________________________________________
Superintendent/Designee Signature: _____________________________________________
Date: ___________________
The CREST packet must be postmarked by November 1. Mail to the following address:
CREST Application
c/o Hilda Lopez, CREST Chair
1828 Arnold Palmer
El Paso, TX 79935
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