School Counseling Research ― Current Crossroads in Guidance and Reform

School counseling is undergoing significant changes. As evidence-based practice increasingly dominates conversations about the development and evaluation of school counseling programs, the impact on counselors, counselor educators, researchers, and leaders is becoming evident. A new emphasis on research is emerging, with calls for involvement in the shaping of national, state, and local agendas. As evidence-based practice takes precedence, new ways of addressing the current gap must be found and new initiatives that show the potential for research-focused school-university partnerships must be articulated.

This volume critically examines the current state of school counseling and navigates the current intersection of the profession’s history, themes and emphases in practice, offering a variety of solutions for moving forward. It also addresses the challenges associated with current socio-cultural, educational, and socio-economic issues such as global competitiveness and workforce development, violence in American society, adequacy in school funding, student motivation, and career immaturity among American youth.

Lonnie L. Rowell is Associate Professor of Counseling, School of Leadership and Education Sciences at the University of San Diego, CA.