Principal's Perceptions of the Role of School Counselors and the Counselor-Principal Relationship

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the views of current administrators on the roles and tasks of school counselors, and on the relationship between counselors and principals. The participants were chosen from a convenience sample of one head principal and three assistant principals of a high school located in the northeastern United States. This research included a mixed methods design to incorporate a researcher-designed survey based on information from a list of appropriate and inappropriate tasks for school counselors as deemed by the American School Counselors Association (ASCA), and a focus group discussion on the relationship each principal has with the school counseling department. The research showed that there remains an inconsistent gap in the amount of exposure each principal has in relation to the ASCA National Model from their administrator certification training. Principals were also able to identify a number of characteristics that are viewed as critical to the success of a school counselors working at the high school level.