ILTS School Counselor (235) key terms

A framework for school counseling programs that organizes work into define, manage, deliver, and assess components, emphasizing academic, career, and social/emotional development for all students.

Standards describing the attitudes and skills students should develop through school counseling, such as self-confidence, self-management, and social skills, used to design and evaluate interventions.

A data-informed, developmental program serving every student through classroom lessons, small groups, and individual support, rather than a service limited to students in crisis or needing scheduling help.

A written plan targeting a measurable disparity between student groups, specifying the intervention, data source, timeline, and expected outcome used to reduce inequitable results.

A document negotiated with the principal that clarifies the counselor's role, priorities, and time allocation, helping prevent assignment of unrelated duties such as lunch supervision or test coordination.

A log of how the counselor spends working hours, compared against recommended proportions, used to justify shifting time from clerical or supervisory tasks toward direct student services.

Tasks outside the counselor's professional role, such as discipline, attendance tracking, or substitute coverage, that reduce access to counseling services and are typically addressed through role clarification with administrators.

A layered framework delivering universal supports to all students, targeted supports to some, and intensive supports to a few, with data used to decide movement between tiers.

Universal support delivered to every student, typically through classroom counseling lessons, schoolwide initiatives, and positive climate practices, forming the foundation of a prevention-oriented program.

Targeted support for students showing early risk indicators, often delivered through small groups, check-in systems, or short-term counseling focused on a specific skill or concern.

Intensive, individualized support for students with significant needs, frequently coordinated with families and outside providers and documented through formal plans and frequent progress review.

A planned, curriculum-based lesson taught by the counselor in a classroom setting that develops academic, career, or social/emotional skills for all students.

A structured series of sessions with a few students sharing a common need, such as grief, social skills, or study habits, using agreed norms and measurable goals.

Short-term, goal-focused work with one student addressing personal, academic, or social concerns, with referral to outside providers when needs exceed the school counselor's scope.

A Tier 2 mentoring routine in which a student reviews behavioral goals with an adult at the start and end of each day, with points or feedback shared with family.

A written, individualized plan derived from functional behavioral assessment that specifies prevention strategies, replacement skills, and responses to challenging behavior, often coordinated with the counseling team.

A structured process of gathering data to identify the purpose or function a behavior serves, which then guides selection of replacement behaviors and intervention strategies.

The ethical and legal duty to protect information shared by students, with limits disclosed in advance, including danger to self or others, abuse, and court orders.

Obtaining a student's or guardian's voluntary agreement to counseling services after explaining purpose, procedures, risks, benefits, and limits of confidentiality in understandable language.

The legal obligation of school personnel to report suspected child abuse or neglect to designated authorities promptly, regardless of confidentiality concerns or requests to keep it secret.

The obligation to take reasonable steps to protect identifiable people when a student poses a serious threat of harm, typically through notification of authorities, targets, and guardians.

A federal law governing education records that gives parents and eligible students rights to inspect and amend records and generally requires written consent before disclosure to third parties.

Private notes kept by the counselor that are not shared with others and are used only as a memory aid; they may fall outside education record definitions but must be handled carefully.

The practice of establishing clear group norms about not sharing members' disclosures outside sessions, while acknowledging that the counselor cannot guarantee other members will comply.

A structured team process for evaluating a student's risk of violence by examining communications, behavior, and context, distinguishing transient from substantive threats and arranging supports.

A systematic inquiry into suicidal thoughts, plans, means, and protective factors used to determine level of risk and guide safety planning, supervision, and referral.

A written, collaborative document listing warning signs, coping strategies, supportive contacts, and emergency steps that a student can use when distress escalates.

Connecting a student and family to community providers such as mental health clinics or social services when needs exceed school resources, with follow-up to support continuity of care.

A signed authorization permitting the counselor to share specified information with named parties for a stated purpose and time period, revocable by the family.

Data broken apart by characteristics such as grade, race, gender, disability status, or income to reveal disparities hidden by overall averages and to target interventions.

Frequent, repeated measurement of a student's response to an intervention, used to decide whether to continue, adjust, or end support.

Systematic review of school counseling activities against goals and student outcomes, using process, perception, and results data to demonstrate effectiveness and guide improvement.

A brief measure administered before and after a lesson or group to detect change in knowledge, skills, or attitudes attributable to the intervention.

A survey or data review identifying the priorities, gaps, and concerns of students, staff, and families, used to plan counseling services and allocate time.

An individualized education program documenting a student's disability-related needs, measurable goals, services, and placement, with the counselor often contributing social/emotional or transition information.

A plan under federal disability law providing accommodations and services so a student with a disability can access the general curriculum, without requiring specialized instruction.

A change in how a student accesses instruction or demonstrates learning, such as extended time or preferential seating, that does not alter content expectations.

Practice that recognizes and incorporates students' cultural backgrounds, values, and experiences into counseling, communication, and intervention choices to reduce bias and improve engagement.

Fair treatment that allocates resources and support according to student need so that outcomes are not predicted by race, income, language, or disability status.