2004

It now seems quite evident that school counselors must answer the call to help close a massive achievement gap that prevails in the United States. Until recently, education reforms have left counselors out of center stage. They are now being called upon to play more direct roles in state and district efforts that would assist students placed at risk (SPARs) and their teachers by both their professional national organization and the Education Trust. However, disagreement exists in deciding how counselors’ roles might change, and the purpose of their new roles or their preparation. Well-justified critiques of counselor education programs suggest that counselors are not well prepared for significant roles in educational reform. These initiatives are founded on the common premise that transformations should center on improving achievement scores. While there is a need for transforming higher education, tests or accountability alone can not achieve either equity or excellence in education. There is a need to prepare and empower counselors differently than in the past but also in areas in which the gap is rooted.