The college should offer counseling and assessment activities in a non-discriminatory manner, ensure that counseling and assessment materials are accessible to all students, and address disproportionate enrollments in CTE courses and programs.  Importantly, counselors also play a central role in supporting strong, equity-focused CTE programs.

Documentation

 What documentation can be used to indicate compliance with counseling standards?

  • Guidance plan, policy, and procedure
  • Assessment plan with a list of tests administered
  • Written procedures for evaluation and placement of students with disabilities
  • Promotional and recruitment materials
  • Enrollment demographics
  • Recruitment and admission policies
  • Policy regarding services for Limited English Proficiency (LEP) students
  • Calendar of counseling and pre-vocational activities
  • Admission criteria
  • Enrollment forms
  • Enrollment demographics by class/program
  • Examples of pre-enrollment counseling
  • Examples of revised counseling materials or activities in response to disproportionate enrollments
  • Interest and ability assessments

What elements could be included in a nondiscriminatory counseling program?

  • Inform students and parents of their protections under the civil rights laws.
  • Analyze course enrollment data to identify disproportionate enrollment of minorities, women, and students with a disability.
  • Identify discriminatory practices in existing guidance/counseling program policies and procedures.
  • Establish goals, objectives, and action steps in community college district guidance plans in response to identified career needs of minorities, women, and students with a disability.
  • Implement an ongoing career guidance program to meet students’ needs.
  • Ensure effective communication with LEP students and students with disabilities.
  • Provide support through counseling and consultation with teachers, peers, parents, and students.
  • Assist students in such activities as resume writing, job interviewing, decision making, financial aid applications, educational/career planning, and workplace acculturation.
  • Review guidance materials for stereotypes.
  • Identify female role models as well as role models from minorities and from persons with disabilities where they are traditionally underrepresented.
  • Coordinate counseling activities with other community colleges and community resources and agencies serving special population groups.
  • Support the establishment of an equity advisory council to obtain assistance in implementing non-discriminatory counseling services.

 

Resources

The Guidance Counselor’s Role in Ensuring Equal Educational Opportunity
http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/hq43ef.html

American Counselor’s Association Code of Ethics
http://www.counseling.org/docs/ethics/2014-aca-code-of-ethics.pdf?sfvrsn=4