An investigation into the perceptions of elementary school counselors and principals: Essential elements of the comprehensive counseling and guidance program in North Carolina

Lavern Tate Smith, Fayetteville State University

Abstract

This study determined whether elementary principals and counselors differ significantly in their perceptions regarding elements that are essential to responsive services, individual student planning, guidance curriculum, and system support. These four components are frequently included in the literature as being essential for a comprehensive counseling and guidance program. A quantitative research methodology was utilized to study the perceptions of elementary principals and counselors in the largest school systems in each of the eight state board districts of North Carolina. A 50-item questionnaire that consisted of elements and components that are essential to the comprehensive counseling and guidance program was administered to elementary principals and counselors. It was prefaced by introductory questions relating to gender, educational level, number of courses/workshops in a comprehensive guidance program and the number of years involved in the implementation of a comprehensive guidance program. Five (5) hypotheses based on five research questions related to the essential components of the comprehensive guidance and counseling program were formulated. An ANOVA was used to determine if there was a significant difference in the perceptions of principals and counselors on the four areas of study individually and as a group. An analysis of responses to questions in Section III of the survey was performed using a frequency distribution. An analysis of responses to questions in Section IV offered a narrative summation, using examples from the data to clarify and illuminate concepts, thus providing a basis for the responses and also for possible future research. Additionally, one open ended question was analyzed to collect qualitative data relative to information or concerns drawn from the respondents. Results from the study indicated that there were no significant differences in principal and counselor perceptions of the system support component or in principal and counselor ratings of the perceived four major components of a comprehensive counseling and guidance program. There were significant differences between principal and counselor perceptions of the responsive services, individual student planning, and guidance curriculum components. Principals rated the components of individual student planning and guidance curriculum higher than counselors, whereas counselors rated responsive services higher than principals.

Subject Area

School administration|School counseling

Recommended Citation

Smith, Lavern Tate, "An investigation into the perceptions of elementary school counselors and principals: Essential elements of the comprehensive counseling and guidance program in North Carolina" (2004). ETD Collection for Fayetteville State University. AAI3345791.
https://digitalcommons.uncfsu.edu/dissertations/AAI3345791

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