Making Student Achievement a Priority: The Role of School Counselors in Turnaround Schools
Erik M. Hines, James L. Moore III, Renae D. Mayes, Paul C. Harris, Desireé Vega, Dwan V. Robinson, Crystal N. Gray, and Candice E. Jackson
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Abstract
Much attention has been paid to administrators and teachers in turnaround schools; however, little focus, if any, is given to school counselors and the vital role that they play in improving student outcomes. In turnaround schools, it is critical that all school personnel are involved in improving school outcomes, such as academic achievement and graduation rates, in the lowest performing high schools in the United States. The authors highlight the critical role that school counselors play in turnaround schools and offer specific recommendations on how they may collaborate with other stakeholders to improve student achievement in such school settings. 
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Author Biographies
Dr. Erik M. Hines (@EHinesPhD), NCC is an assistant professor in the Department of Educational Psychology at the University of Connecticut. Dr Hines teaches in the counseling program and prepares graduate students to be professional school counselors. Dr Hines’s research agenda centers around: (a) African American male academic achievement and college readiness; (b) parental involvement and its impact on academic achievement for students of color; and (c) improving and increasing postsecondary opportunities for first generation, low-income, and students of color (particularly African American males). Additionally, his research interests include career exploration in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) for students of color in K-12. Dr. James L. Moore III is the Education and Human Ecology distinguished professor of Urban Education and Executive Director of the Todd Anthony Bell National Resource Center on the African American Male at The Ohio State University. Dr. Renae D. Mayes NCC is a licensed school counselor and assistant professor at Ball State University where she also serves as the director of the School Counseling program. Dr. Paul C. Harris, NCC, NCSC is an assistant professor in the school counseling program in the Curry School of Education at the University of Virginia (UVA). His professional research interests include issues related to promoting equity in schools. He is particularly interested in the college and career readiness of Black males and student-athletes, and has numerous publications in Professional School Counseling, The High School Journal, the Interdisciplinary Journal of Teaching and Learning, and the Journal for the Study of Sports and Athletes in Education. He is also counselor educator VP for the Virginia School Counselor Association. Dr. Desireé Vega is an assistant professor in the School Psychology program at the University of Arizona. Her research and teaching interests focuses on the assessment of culturally and linguistically diverse students, including utilizing best practices and training culturally competent school psychologists; the identification of the significant factors, which contribute to the academic success of African American and Latino youth in the K-12 pipeline (i.e., culturally responsive intervention and instructional practices); and access to higher education among urban youth. Dr. Dwan V. Robinson, an assistant professor in Educational Administration, holds a BA in Government from Oberlin College, a MA in Public Policy from the University of Chicago and she has earned a PhD in Educational Administration from The Ohio State University. Dr Robinson teaches doctoral and masters courses in leadership, educational leadership, policy and politics in education, and school and community relations. Her research includes educational leadership, collaboration between schools, families and communities, the educational experiences of Black males and marginalized groups in education, and social justice in education. Crystal N. Gray is a third year doctoral at The University of North Carolina at Greensboro in the Counseling and Educational Development department. She is licensed as k-12 school counselor. She may be contacted at [email protected]. Candice E. Jackson, MS, EdS is a doctoral student at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in the Counseling and Educational Development Department. Candice was a high school science teacher prior to pursuing a counseling career, and she has worked in a community counseling practice and two college counseling centers. Her research and advocacy interests center on Black male college students’ at Predominately White Institutions, minority women in the academe, and college students with substance use and abuse issues. | ||
