Recently I had a day. And I mean a DAY. One of those days where everything happens. ALL THE THINGS. Meetings, individuals, groups, advocacy collaboration, parent phone calls, state testing, collaboration. It was tiring and exhausting, but I loved it. I love any day that is productive and fulfilling.

On the drive home I couldn’t help but wonder, ….”How did we get here?” How did the profession get to a place where we are doing all the things, all the time, for all the people? 

I’m no Henry Louis Gates but I love a good history lesson and I know a few things, so let’s dive in to the past 100 years of school counseling.

Imagine the early 1900s in America—industrialization is booming, and cities are growing rapidly. This era sparked the birth of school counseling. The main focus? Helping young people transition smoothly from school to work.  If you didn’t have good history teachers, it might be easy to forget about this time period’s impact on marginalized populations. So for context, let’s keep a few things in mind before we begin the lesson:

Yes, factories are popping up everywhere, but women still can’t vote. Jim Crow is rearing his very ugly head on African Americans. The first World War is brewing, and there’s been a significant loss of tribal lands for Native people.  College and university attendance is not nearly as commonplace as it would become in 100 years, so the focus for students becomes-work.

Humble Beginnings

It’s 1907.  In walks Jesse B. Davis. He started the first systematic school guidance program in Detroit, Michigan. His innovative idea? Integrating career guidance into English classes to teach students about good citizenship, character, and making smart vocational choices. Sometimes we call him “The First Guidance Counselor”. (If you’re cringing, hold tight, we’re going to ANNIHILATE the g word in about 90 years….)

Enter Frank Parsons in 1908. He’s in Boston sipping….tea (?) and HE’s got this great idea. He’s all like, “Hey guys, vocational guidance is great but hear me out. WHAT IF WE matched the kids careers to their talents and strengths?!” Everyone was like, “Frank’s a genius, we should call him the Father of Guidance Counseling. He’s all smart and Cornell educated, why not?” Frank was actually a social reformer and he did a LOT of things from engineering, to law, to running for mayor of Boston. But round these parts, we give Frank props for new(ish) ideas about career counseling.  He founded the Vocational Bureau in Boston, where they emphasized the importance of matching personal traits with suitable careers.

40’s-60’s-Bringing Clarity

Fast forward to the 1940s and 1950s. The world is recovering from a SECOND World War and the role of guidance counselors is expanding.The National Defense Education Act comes into play, providing federal funding to enhance math and science education. It also includes provisions for guidance counseling to help identify students with special talents in math and science. Apparently, the government hadn’t quite evolved enough yet to get cash support for other academic talents, but hold tight, its coming.

Between 1950 and 1960 the guidance movement grows. It’s no longer just about career counseling; academic and personal development are now on the radar. Carl Rogers is THE MAN.  Rogers’ client-centered therapy starts influencing eeeeverybody from psychiatrists, to teachers, to counselors, to heads of state. In our field, Rogers’ influence was seen with the push for supportive counselor-student relationships. The American School Counselor Association (ASCA) was founded at this time. (In 1952 to be exact). ASCA was established to support school counselors by providing them with professional development, resources, and a framework to enhance the quality of counseling programs in schools. I’m sure everyone was thinking, “FINALLY!”

One of the major conversations in the 60’s concerning our profession was this idea of “What exactly do they do?” (Sound familiar?!) Folks were debating whether our profession was more clinical in nature, or academic? There were academic papers, books, and even arguments about what our profession was truly designed to do. And up until the 60’s….elementary counselors weren’t even a thing!

The 70’s-Inclusion is Key

The 1970s bring a shift towards a more comprehensive and developmental approach. School counseling now addresses the developmental needs of all students (you can clap now…), not just those with immediate vocational or academic issues. The American School Counselor Association (ASCA) was a key player in promoting this model. In the 80’s developmental guidance programs become formalized. The idea? Support students’ academic, career, and personal/social development throughout their school years.

Let’s jump to the 1990s and beyond because this period marks a significant transformation in school counseling.

The 90’s-Standards and More

In the 1990’s, ASCA introduced the National Standards for School Counseling Programs, creating a framework for school counseling nationwide. The focus shifts to delivering data-driven and outcome-based programs. We also begin to ask in the 90’s that the title “guidance counselor” become a thing of the past.  Around this time we start to educate the public about the scope and role of a true school counselor, and how it had made major shifts from back when Jesse and Frank were doin their thang. We realize, through research and education, “You know what? This isn’t GUIDANCE counseling. No one’s DOING that anymore. A title change can really shift the focus here.” And while so many people are just married to the term “guidance counselor”🙄 we know that the term is more than 30 years outdated!  The world may never know why so many people are committed to using the term “guidance counselor”, even when presented with information and research contrary to their commitment. Dogmatism makes me itch! But we DO know, and have known since the 90’s that the term is antiquated, outdated, incorrect, and flat out wrong.

2023 – A New Model

Fast forward a bit more. It’s now 2003 and I’m in my very first school counseling job, crawling my way through one of the toughest year’s ever. In walks The ASCA National Model.  Published in 2003 we now had a blueprint to guide comprehensive, data-driven school counseling programs that align with academic achievement and student success. The model gave us more accountability, leadership, advocacy, collaboration, and a cause for celebration.

2024

Today, as school counselors, our role is multifaceted. You’re not just helping with academic achievement and career readiness; you’re also addressing personal and social development. You advocate for students’ well-being, provide crisis intervention, support mental health needs, write action plans, support good attendance, work with teachers, admin, child study teams, parents, community resources, teach lessons, mediate conflict, address bullying, and so much more. I get that sometimes we have a hard time articulating exactly what we do, but its critical to your work as a counselor to educate your students, staff, community, and colleagues about school counseling.

School counseling has come a long way, evolving from a focus on vocational guidance to a comprehensive approach that addresses the academic, career, and personal/social development of all students. The evolution very much aligns with broader societal changes and the growing recognition of the importance of mental health and well-being in education. So not only do you have big shoes to fill from Jesse, Frank, and Carl, you’ve got big work to do for ALL of your students.

Did you know that you’re part of such a rich history?!

If you’re a new school counselor and you need help getting started, click here to view a resource packed with Meet the Counselor activities and other fun things to get you started in your new role.

Fun Fact: Mrs. Opal Lee

Recognition of the emancipation of hundreds of thousands of enslaved people did not come easy. After years of advocacy, Opal Lee, a school counselor got it done. Mrs. Lee spoke, beat down doors, and would not stop until she saw to it that Juneteenth became a federally recognized holiday in 2021.  Juneteenth is now a national holiday.  School counseling history just keeps getting better with time.  Chin up counselor, you belong to a pretty awesome club of folks!