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ASCA National Standards for Students
Historically, education reform initiatives have focused on improving academic achievement and teacher quality. Although these remain worthy goals, such initiatives often fail to address the physical, emotional, social, and economic barriers that many students face.
As a result of this shortcoming, the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) developed National Standards for Students in 1995. These standards aim to help you and your fellow school counselors overcome these barriers to student success.
The ASCA Standards Explained
The ASCA Standards address three primary areas:
Academic Development
- Improve Academic Self-Concept
- Acquire Skills for Improved Learning
- Achieve School Success
- Improve Learning
- Plan to Achieve Goals
- Relate School to Life Experiences
Career Development
- Develop Career Awareness
- Develop Employment Readiness
- Acquire Career Information
- Identify Career Goals
- Acquire Knowledge to Achieve Career Goals
- Apply Skills to Achieve Career Goals
Personal/Social Development
- Acquire Self-Knowledge
- Acquire Interpersonal Skills
- Self-Knowledge Application
- Acquire Personal Safety Skills
Using these ASCA Standards, you can define and prioritize the support you must provide to better prepare students at your school for the "real" world. Students must understand that the choices they make today will impact their future tomorrow.
The ASCA Standards serve as the foundation for students across the country to achieve their educational goals.
How EducationPlanner Can Help
EducationPlanner offers many tools that you can use to help students achieve the objectives of the ASCA National Standards for Students.
Check out the self-assessments What's Your Learning Style?, What Kind of Student Are You?, and How Strong Is Your Character? Also take a look at our activities focusing on career exploration, including Career Clusters and Career Videos. All of these tools and activities address various aspects of the ASCA Standards. In addition, they are:
- Fun
- Interactive
- Age appropriate
- Easy to use
- Available 24/7
- FREE OF CHARGE!
Get Started at Your School
Because EducationPlanner is available to everyone, it offers you maximum flexibility. You can use our online activities separately, combine them for more targeted instruction, or use them in conjunction with other products and services you currently offer. Simply identify your target population, develop a plan that offers the most benefit, and go for it!
Be aware that many states have their own standards, which to some extent have been modeled after the ASCA Standards. You should have little difficulty determining how to use EducationPlanner to meet the standards in your state.
Want to Know More?
- To introduce EducationPlanner to your students, try planning a computer lab activity. Get some tips on how to organize and conduct your class session.
- Visit the Site Map to see all that EducationPlanner has to offer your students in once glance.