Post-Secondary Planning for All: Approaches to College and Career Readiness Counseling for Special Populations

It is not surprising that in order to meet the job demands of the future, we need to ensure that students have the knowledge and opportunity to choose from an array of postsecondary options before graduating from high school. Particularly as our society continues to increase in diversity, providing access to college and career choices for all students is imperative. However, there are many barriers that keep students from reaching their potential and envisioning a future that is personally and professionally rewarding. Many of these barriers are systemic in nature and others are related to individual circumstances. Regardless from where the barriers stem, school counselors and others who provide postsecondary readiness services to students must advocate, work to create equitable access, and assist with navigating through complex systems.

This book compiles information and strategies from experts in the field. Each chapter in this book offers definitions of specific populations, evidence-based culturally responsive counseling strategies including those related to collaboration, case studies and interventions, and opportunities for readers to reflect on their understanding of that population to inspire professional growth. Groups included in this book include students who are experiencing homelessness, students in English Language Learner programs, families experiencing poverty, students with special needs, and many others that school counselors and college advisors will encounter in their career.