Blog 7: Accountability

            Over the years, data and accountability has been an issue that has needed to be discussed.  However, as time went on there has became a larger focus.  According to the article by Gysbers (2004), the thought of a program needing to be complete started in 1930 and evolved over the years.  It was found and noted that a well developed program would result in better grades, attendance, fewer discipline issues, better all around school, etc.  I found it interesting reading a quote that Hudson (1935) stated, "These are days...when all school activities are subject to the sharpest scrutiny, and the administrator is called upon to justify every expenditure of time and money in the operation of the school," (pg. 21) made in 1940s.  The interesting part is that in my opinion things have not changed in that sense.  We are always being looked at and questioned in what we are doing and how it is supporting our students.  Essentially we need to support the resources that schools are using and have evidence that what we are using works.  Then in 1970, the accountability deepened even more bringing in the terms of goals, objectives, implementation plans, and design for evaluation.  Pine (1975) stated that "In this age of accountability the evaluation of school counseling is of paramount concern to all counselors regardless of their theoretical and philosophical biases" (pg. 136).  Currently, accountability continues to grow and now it is required for teachers and counselors to provide data that proves growth in the academics, personal/social, and career paths of our students.  It is not good enough just to say that a particular program works.  What we need to answer is how do you know?  What evidence is presented. 

            This then leads into the chapter on accountability which focused on data.  Dollarhide and Saginak (2012) open the chapter with a vignette regarding "Mt Data's Dilemma."  This vignette brought many discussion topics and the first area that stuck out to me was the fact that teachers are more familiar with data compared to counselors.  As a teacher we are held accountable throughout our day and with all that we do with our students but how do counselors collect data?  As a teacher going into the counseling profession I feel as though I have background knowledge that will aid me in this process; however, I need to look at data in a different light because it is not just academics.  Even though I need to be looking at the academic, I also need to be referring to the personal/social and career aspects.  One area that I feel as though could be looked at; at least in my school is the impact of the Olweus program.  I would be interested in comparing and contrasting the survey that went out the students last year to the same given at the end of this year.  This would hopefully show that the program that we participated in affected the student population in a positive manner and decreased the amount of bullying.  Bullying is a major issue than may not ever be completely eliminated but the hope is that with the right program the issues would decrease.  When it comes to accountability, I feel that everyone in the school needs to have some accountability with the growth of our students because we are all there to reach the main goal of student achievement and building a better all around school morale.  In conclusion, accountability will continue to grow and evolve.  As future counselors, I feel as though we need to be aware of how data can be collected across various topics.      

Dollarhide, C. T. & Saginak, K. A. (2012). Comprehensive school counseling programs: K-12 delivery systems in action (2nd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc.

Gysbers, N. (2004). Comprehensive guidance and counseling programs: The evolution of accountability. Professional School Counseling, 8(1), 1-14.