Two decades of experience with the use of school counselors in rural areas of Russia has demonstrated their necessity in supporting students, but their further development and increasing effectiveness requires a significant increase in resources provided to them.

This paper describes an action research project evaluating an elementary school counseling program in a large suburban Georgia city. Using staff surveys (which include homeroom teachers as well as support teachers and paraprofessionals), interviews, and researcher observations the program was evaluated to determine strengths and weaknesses. The…

Needs-assessment instruments from commercial sources are helpful in generating ideas. Any instrument will, however, be more effective if it is specifically adapted for the particular school and community using the instrument. The counselors, principals, teachers, students, and parents all can provide helpful suggestions about meaningful items and…

As public expectations increase for individualizing the educational process, as some options open for education beyond high school, as the job markets shift with the ebb and flow of social and technological change, the challenge and the responsibilities resting upon the country's school counselors become steadily more demanding. (Author)

This monograph is designed to assist individual schools to plan for, organize, implement, and manage their own elementary school guidance programs. Those school districts supporting a centralized team planning approach to program development will also find the monograph useful, but may wish to adapt some of the suggestions to fit their own…

Discusses trends affecting the development of counseling centers into comprehensive, developmentally oriented agencies, and describes the Counseling and Testing Center at the University of Georgia. Summarizes administrative issues and steps taken to facilitate desired changes. (JAC)

This information analysis paper, based on a search of the ERIC data base, presents an in-depth analysis of current topics in group guidance. A variety of group guidance models are discussed, then issues and trends resulting from their implementation are analyzed. Implications are stated for further development of group approaches to guidance…

Demonstrates the role of a school counselor in establishing a substance abuse prevention effort and describes specific steps taken in a rural community to deal with adolescent drug problems. School and local mental health counselors were crucial to development of the program. (JAC)

The intent of H.B. 509 is "to offer an incentive to all the school districts in the state to expand their occupational-vocational offerings so that a higher percentage of high school pupils will be work oriented and trained to become productive citizens." One of the objectives of this institute was to review some of the approaches to…

Surveyed college counseling service administrators and found that budget cuts have created innovative staffing, progressive changes in focus, and a wider range of counseling activities. Suggests college counselors balance leadership with survival and be willing to make changes consistent with shifting priorities. (JAC)

Describes development of a program for students not achieving as expected, Positive Attitude Toward Learning. Program results indicated improved student performance and teacher attitudes. Suggests counselors be involved in curriculum and instructional problems through planning committees to help solve student problems. (JAC)

Designed for use by counselors, guidance directors, school administrators, school board members, and anyone interested in the improvement of school guidance programs, this resource book provides a collection of over 100 guidance program models and individual guidance practices. The format consists of references (bibliographic information with…

The publication presents guidelines to assist secondary schools in developing and implementing a job placement service within an existing guidance program. The need for and the goals of a school placement program are given. Areas to be considered in developing a program according to one of three organizational patterns (decentralized, centralized,…

A recent study found that many students have dreams for the future, but many of them are on paths that do not lead to that future. Many institutions are already taking steps to close the gap between aspirations and reality, and some of the programs that are working to stack the odds in children's favor are profiled in this directory. Educational…

Information is provided on Vocational Appraisal for the Handicapped, a system for the identification and selection of handicapped students who can most benefit from vocational education for handicapped programs. (Career investigation for handicapped persons is offered for seventh and eigth graders; vocational education for the handicapped persons…