School Counseling to Close the Achievement Gap: A Social Justice Framework for Success

by Cheryl C. Holcomb-McCoy (Editor)

Be a major player in improving student development and performance! Rooted in the principles of social justice, this much-needed resource offers school counselors a road map for promoting equity and increasing student achievement. The author shows counselors how they can improve both the delivery and impact of their counseling, consulting, and coordination services by incorporating data and advocacy into their everyday work. To assist them in challenging bias and creating conditions that promote success for all students, this book offers    

Genres: Counselling, School

176 pages, Hardcover

First published June 19, 2007

Reviews

[Tori Hollingsworth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Holcomb-McCoy is absolutely correct in describing how school counselors should operate; however, this pre-Covid research (2007 publish date) doesn’t address what’s happening in schools now. This book presents an ideal that feels nearly impossible to achieve with the systems’ complete lack of support for school counselors and an idea that miracles can be performed. Holcomb-McCoy has many amazing ideas about creating a social justice framework within a counseling program, and a lot of that is doable with what is already on our plate. Embracing scheduling and becoming a member of every committee in the school that impacts student success feels like a tall order for those of us in the trenches and experiencing the burnout from systems (even when our county systems are trying their best) that don’t care about ours- or our students- well being.

[Carly · Rating 4 out of 5]

The review for this book requires some background into the reasons why I picked it up in the first place: I want to become a school counselor because of the achievement gap. Obviously the title stood out to me then.

As I read the book (pretty quick read--read in two sittings) I was pleased to see that several of the things this school counselor does are things that I have learned about in my classes, and served as a review of important skills--but also a reminder of their importance once I get into a school.

This book is written primarily for school counselors who are already working in schools, and what they can do to ensure that their schools are doing everything possible to end the achievement gap (the gap between high income [predominantly white] and low income [predominantly students of color] students in our country). The first chapter gives startling statistics that even made me (who knows a bit about the AG) shake my head and feel I needed to do something about it.

The book is also a reminder of the importance of multicultural counseling (since most students who are being left behind by the AG are students of color)...and how we as school counselors MUST take cultural differences into account. We must challenge our own biases and examine the practices and norms in our schools which may end up favoring certain ethnic groups. For example: Look at the ethnicity of the students enrolled in your school's AP classes, is it primarily one group? Are there some left unrepresented? The book does not place blame on anyone for that, but demands that school counselors take the initiative to look at this data, and to have discussions of it in their schools.

Coming from Teach For America, there was also a lot in this book that reminded me of TFA. Holding high expectations of students (regardless of ethnic background) and using data to help students.

I enjoyed the book, even if I'm not positive that I learned a lot of NEW information, I certainly am reminded of why I want to be a counselor, and what I want to do as a counselor.

[Kathy]

Great resource.