The Special Education S.C.R.I.P.T.
By Barbara Trolley, Ph.D. | March 2023
As the number of students with individualized education programs (IEPs) grows and school counselors work toward supporting all students, the question isn’t “Should I be working with students in special education?” but rather “How best can I be working with students in special education?”
I suggest school counselors use the special education SCRIPT model to address this question. It incorporates school counselors’ roles and tasks and addresses specific aspects of their work with students in special education. School counselors are well qualified to help operationalize what a child with special needs can do and help reduce the eventual under- and unemployment of this population, while increasing their involvement in science, technology, engineering and math careers, and improving graduation rates and college success. Working in harmony with the special education team, school counselors can maximize opportunities for students’ academic, career and social/emotional success.
Roles and Tasks
School counselors’ respect for diversity, coupled with training that has enhanced their assessment, consultation and management skills, equip them to assist students in special education in the SCRIPT roles:
First and foremost, school counselors are important supports for students in special education.
“As a school counselor in special education, my role is not only to advocate for my students but to also equip my students with the tools that enable them to effectively and appropriately advocate for themselves,” said Tamara Reynolds, interim CSE chair and Board of Cooperative Educational Services intensive classroom school counselor in Cattaraugus-Allegany-Wyoming counties.
School counselors also provide support to these students’ siblings, who may feel left in the shadows in the family context and/or embarrassed among their peers. Teachers may similarly seek school counselors’ support and guidance as they struggle to meet the academic needs and behavioral challenges of students with special needs. Parents may contact school counselors, especially when their child is first classified and they are trying to come to terms with the classification, learn about and maneuver through the special education process and community resources.
Counselor/consultant/collaborator
One of the most obvious services school counselors can provide students in special education is counseling, whether individual or group. Although individual counseling may appear on IEPs and must be implemented, don’t let it become a routine task due to similar classifications and vague IEP descriptions, but one you offer based on the student’s unique needs.
Consultation and collaboration are also paramount – as part of the educational team, you may be consulting with the special education teacher or a community provider to learn more about a specific disability. You also may provide consultation to general education teachers, such as specific behavioral strategies to use in the classroom. School counselors often participate on their school’s special education committee, and often are the ones with a great deal of knowledge about and relationship with the student being discussed. Beyond this formalized collaboration are informal meetings that occur with educators, administrators, parents and outside professionals. Ongoing work with these various groups is important to ensure clear communication among all parties.
Resource provider
School counselors, through their training and practice, can collate numerous resources such as community service providers and online and written materials. Families of students with disabilities frequently need an array of services for their child and other family members. It is essential to not only create such a resource manual but also keep it up to date. When making a referral, first consult any existing district-approved referral lists, and always offer more than one resource to minimize bias and give parents choices.
Investigator
This role may seem a bit more unconventional. Although school psychologists conduct most standardized assessments, school counselors are sometimes involved in more informal assessment processes such as surveys, observations, checklists, rating scales and interviews. These methods can give you and other special education team members information about a student’s behavior, feelings, thoughts, any academic or social problems, strengths, interests, goals and current issues.
When conflicts occur among educators, administrators and parents, school counselors are typically called in to help understand the conflict and help discover solutions. A crucial component of this role comes into play when you’re on the front line of a crisis and must ascertain safety issues for the students in special education and all in the school setting. Such crises may involve suicidal or homicidal thoughts and behaviors; existence of physical, sexual or emotional abuse; self-harm behaviors; and substance abuse. Research has demonstrated that students with disabilities are at higher risk for all of these types of crises. Therefore, school counselors play a pivotal role in these prevention efforts.
Planner
School counselors, while not the originators of IEPs and behavioral intervention plans (BIPs), are frequently great assets in their development and implementation. You may be called upon to observe students in a classroom setting and later offer suggestions for appropriate behavioral interventions.
Through prevention and intervention endeavors, school counselors address students’ academic, behavioral and attendance issues. An essential part of the delivery system is individual student planning. In this role, school counselors help students with their personal and future goals. This expertise is crucial for students in special education; tasks include working with team members to encourage development of the transition plan prior to the age requirement of 16; educating students and families as to changes that occur in college between IDEIA and 504, ways to approach disclosure issues and postsecondary options.
Trainer/teacher
School counselors are trained to conduct psycho-educational lessons, whether in group counseling or classroom settings, and can provide a range of continuing education programs related to disability for students, teachers, staff, administrators and parents. Often, parents may not want their child’s classification disclosed beyond the student’s primary teachers. Thus, although you cannot discuss why a particular student on the autism spectrum often interrupts conversations and repeats words and topics, you can conduct a classroom lesson on a variety of developmental, emotional and behavioral disorders. You can also provide similar trainings related to disability and to special education process and laws to parents and adults working in the school, including aides, cafeteria servers and bus drivers. You may choose to organize these workshops independently or in conjunction with the special education team.
Despite concerns around time, training, resources or fear, school counselors must be prepared to work with students in special education and be part of the special education team. Your engagement makes a powerful difference in the life of a child with special needs, and may become one of the most rewarding roles of your career.
Barbara Trolley, Ph.D., is a professor in counselor education at St. Bonaventure University.
I suggest school counselors use the special education SCRIPT model to address this question. It incorporates school counselors’ roles and tasks and addresses specific aspects of their work with students in special education. School counselors are well qualified to help operationalize what a child with special needs can do and help reduce the eventual under- and unemployment of this population, while increasing their involvement in science, technology, engineering and math careers, and improving graduation rates and college success. Working in harmony with the special education team, school counselors can maximize opportunities for students’ academic, career and social/emotional success.
Roles and Tasks
School counselors’ respect for diversity, coupled with training that has enhanced their assessment, consultation and management skills, equip them to assist students in special education in the SCRIPT roles:
- Supporter
- Counselor/consultant/collaborator
- Resource provider
- Investigator
- Planner
- Trainer/Teacher
First and foremost, school counselors are important supports for students in special education.
“As a school counselor in special education, my role is not only to advocate for my students but to also equip my students with the tools that enable them to effectively and appropriately advocate for themselves,” said Tamara Reynolds, interim CSE chair and Board of Cooperative Educational Services intensive classroom school counselor in Cattaraugus-Allegany-Wyoming counties.
School counselors also provide support to these students’ siblings, who may feel left in the shadows in the family context and/or embarrassed among their peers. Teachers may similarly seek school counselors’ support and guidance as they struggle to meet the academic needs and behavioral challenges of students with special needs. Parents may contact school counselors, especially when their child is first classified and they are trying to come to terms with the classification, learn about and maneuver through the special education process and community resources.
Counselor/consultant/collaborator
One of the most obvious services school counselors can provide students in special education is counseling, whether individual or group. Although individual counseling may appear on IEPs and must be implemented, don’t let it become a routine task due to similar classifications and vague IEP descriptions, but one you offer based on the student’s unique needs.
Consultation and collaboration are also paramount – as part of the educational team, you may be consulting with the special education teacher or a community provider to learn more about a specific disability. You also may provide consultation to general education teachers, such as specific behavioral strategies to use in the classroom. School counselors often participate on their school’s special education committee, and often are the ones with a great deal of knowledge about and relationship with the student being discussed. Beyond this formalized collaboration are informal meetings that occur with educators, administrators, parents and outside professionals. Ongoing work with these various groups is important to ensure clear communication among all parties.
Resource provider
School counselors, through their training and practice, can collate numerous resources such as community service providers and online and written materials. Families of students with disabilities frequently need an array of services for their child and other family members. It is essential to not only create such a resource manual but also keep it up to date. When making a referral, first consult any existing district-approved referral lists, and always offer more than one resource to minimize bias and give parents choices.
Investigator
This role may seem a bit more unconventional. Although school psychologists conduct most standardized assessments, school counselors are sometimes involved in more informal assessment processes such as surveys, observations, checklists, rating scales and interviews. These methods can give you and other special education team members information about a student’s behavior, feelings, thoughts, any academic or social problems, strengths, interests, goals and current issues.
When conflicts occur among educators, administrators and parents, school counselors are typically called in to help understand the conflict and help discover solutions. A crucial component of this role comes into play when you’re on the front line of a crisis and must ascertain safety issues for the students in special education and all in the school setting. Such crises may involve suicidal or homicidal thoughts and behaviors; existence of physical, sexual or emotional abuse; self-harm behaviors; and substance abuse. Research has demonstrated that students with disabilities are at higher risk for all of these types of crises. Therefore, school counselors play a pivotal role in these prevention efforts.
Planner
School counselors, while not the originators of IEPs and behavioral intervention plans (BIPs), are frequently great assets in their development and implementation. You may be called upon to observe students in a classroom setting and later offer suggestions for appropriate behavioral interventions.
Through prevention and intervention endeavors, school counselors address students’ academic, behavioral and attendance issues. An essential part of the delivery system is individual student planning. In this role, school counselors help students with their personal and future goals. This expertise is crucial for students in special education; tasks include working with team members to encourage development of the transition plan prior to the age requirement of 16; educating students and families as to changes that occur in college between IDEIA and 504, ways to approach disclosure issues and postsecondary options.
Trainer/teacher
School counselors are trained to conduct psycho-educational lessons, whether in group counseling or classroom settings, and can provide a range of continuing education programs related to disability for students, teachers, staff, administrators and parents. Often, parents may not want their child’s classification disclosed beyond the student’s primary teachers. Thus, although you cannot discuss why a particular student on the autism spectrum often interrupts conversations and repeats words and topics, you can conduct a classroom lesson on a variety of developmental, emotional and behavioral disorders. You can also provide similar trainings related to disability and to special education process and laws to parents and adults working in the school, including aides, cafeteria servers and bus drivers. You may choose to organize these workshops independently or in conjunction with the special education team.
Despite concerns around time, training, resources or fear, school counselors must be prepared to work with students in special education and be part of the special education team. Your engagement makes a powerful difference in the life of a child with special needs, and may become one of the most rewarding roles of your career.
Barbara Trolley, Ph.D., is a professor in counselor education at St. Bonaventure University.