The School Counselor and Equity for All Students

ASCA Position

School counselors acknowledge and value individual and group differences that exist among students. School counselors are advocates for the equitable treatment of all students and strive to establish inclusive and welcoming learning environments in which all students can thrive and reach their full potential. 

The Rationale

Students who are members of marginalized populations within the United States have historically encountered barriers to equitable education. These marginalized populations encompass a range of students, including, but not limited to, students of color, girls, students with disabilities (Education and Human Resources Development, 2017) and LGBTQ+ students (Leung et al., 2022).
 
The inequitable treatment of students of color is well-documented. There are significant achievement gaps in graduation rates for Black and Hispanic students of color compared with their Asian and white counterparts. In addition, male students of color graduate at lower rates than female students of color, further illustrating that intersecting cultural identities can create additional inequities for students (Reeves & Kalkat, 2023). Similarly, recent statistics also indicate that graduation rates for Black, Hispanic and Indigenous students are below the U.S. average and lower than those of white students (NCES, 2023b). 
 
In 2014, the number of students of color in U.S. public schools surpassed that of white students (U.S. Department of Education, 2014). In 2023, the National Center for Education Statistics reported that white students comprised only 45% of the public school population (NCES, 2023a).  
 
Multiple inequities exist throughout the education system between white students and students of color. More often, Black students are identified as having a learning disability (12% of black children compared with 8.5% of white children). Conversely, 60% of students identified as gifted and talented are white, compared with only 9% of Black students identified as gifted. Similar discrepancies exist within school discipline with Black students experiencing harsher punishments than white students (Holcomb-McCoy, 2022). 
 
Furthermore, The College Board reported achievement gaps between racial groups, with white students consistently scoring higher than their Black and Hispanic peers on AP exams (Ewing & Wyatt, 2023). Access to rigorous coursework is also affected by racial and ethnic disparities, as evidenced by reduced enrollment and lower completion rates for Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate programs (NCES, 2023). Thus, it is evident that systemic racism and bias have affected students of color by impeding their ability to thrive and achieve in school (Kendi, 2022). 
 
Building relationships with families and the community breaks down barriers that historically excluded and oppressed groups experience within a school system. (Beard, et al, 2021). All students have the right to a school counselor who acts as a social justice advocate, seeks to identify and address inequities, supports students from all cultural backgrounds and consults with others when additional support is needed.

The School Counselor's Role

School counselors develop and implement a comprehensive school counseling program promoting equity and access for all students. School counselors understand the importance of collaborating with school and community partners to help all students succeed and work to close achievement, opportunity, attainment and funding gaps in their schools, districts and communities. School counselors demonstrate cultural competence by possessing the skills and knowledge necessary to serve students in a culturally responsive manner (American Psychological Association, 2023).
 
School counselors promote equitable treatment of all students by:

• Providing equitable access to school counseling programs for all students 
• Advocating for the academic, career and social/emotional development of students from marginalized groups
• Using data to identify gaps in achievement and opportunity and developing a plan to address such disparities
• Advocating for access to rigorous courses and postsecondary opportunities for marginalized groups
• Maintaining professional knowledge of the ever-changing and complex world of students’ culture
• Maintaining knowledge and skills for working in a diverse and multicultural work setting
• Sharing up-to-date culturally competent best practices with administration, faculty and staff 
• Promoting the review and development of school policies leading to equitable treatment of all students and opposing school policies hindering equitable treatment of any student
• Creating a plan to address any programmatic disparities or inequities that affect access and enrollment within educational programs, such as English-language learners, special education, gifted and talented education, honors, Advanced Placement, dual enrollment and International Baccalaureate
• Collaborating with families to provide access to resources to meet student needs 

Acting as a liaison between home and school to foster two-way communication and assist students and families with promoting positive academic, career and social/emotional development 

Summary

School counselors recognize and distinguish individual and group differences and strive to value all students and groups. Incorporating student and family voices, school counselors promote the equitable treatment of all students in school and the community.