TO RAISE STUDENTS’ ACHIEVEMENTS US schools need a new batch of guidance leaders

An Ohio-based organization of education supervisors is recommending the establishment of an academy in every U.S. state and territory that would prepare new guidance leaders who will address the challenges and demands of the new millennium.

In making the recommendation, the National Consortium of State Career Guidance Supervisors noted that the presence of experienced, professionally trained state-level guidance supervisors across the country is “perilously low.”

The group also observed that guidance positions at state agencies are left unfilled, and guidance duties are assigned to staff persons who have numerous other roles and have no professional guidance training.

“Much of this condition can be attributed to the lack of availability of highly trained guidance professionals,” the consortium stated in a 1999 position paper entitled Strengthening Guidance Leadership for the 21st Century.

The position paper was presented in one of the workshops offered at the 16th Annual Pacific Educational Conference, which ended last week.

“If parents, educational leaders, legislators and employers want improvements in student achievement and employability, improved guidance for youth is a major part of the solution,” the consortium said, citing studies that documented the central role of guidance programs play in student achievement and school improvement.

“Leaders for guidance at the state, school or college level do not just appear. They need to be identified, trained nurtured and mentored,” the position paper stated.

According to the consortium, the federal government’s last guidance training was conducted in 1960’s and those who were part of this program are now retiring by the thousands.

“A new commitment is needed now to train and prepare several thousands program leaders; this will require federal, state and private sector partnerships,” the consortium said.

The consortium is a coalition of guidance representatives from participating state and territorial departments of education. Its mission is to enhance career guidance counseling, leadership, and training as well as to facilitate program improvement.

According to the position paper, guidance program in every state should address problems that come with the rapidly changing work world and labor force; violence in homes, schools and communities, divorce, teenage suicide, substance abuse, and sexual experimentation.

“These challenges are real and they are having substantial impact on the personal, social, career and academic development of our children and young people,” the consortium said.

A good guidance program, according to the position paper, must be developmental and comprehensive in that all guidance activities must be conducted on a regular and planned basis. It should aimed at achieving human growth and development.

It should also focus on an individual’s competencies, and not just deficiencies, the position paper said. (MCM)