This issue of Impact examines a variety of viewpoints, programs, issues, and concerns about accountability of guidance. Three articles are adaptations from speeches presented at the conference on Accountability and Pupil Personnel Work held at Michigan State University in the summer of 1971; they explore the importance of preserving "caring"…

Steps in an outcomes-based counseling cycle are described, and examples are provided that illustrate the usefulness of an outcomes-based approach with "insight" as well as "behavioral" techniques for promoting counseling goals. Factors that may currently discourage the practice of outcomes-based counseling are considered, and…

Compared two levels of goal setting. In the first level adolescents were involved in setting goals for behavioral counseling. In the second level they were informed that goals were set, but were not involved. Results indicated greater degree of goal attainment and counseling satisfaction for participating pupils. (Author/JAC)

The first article argues that systematic career planning should be abandoned, and replaced by a "good theory of non-rationality." That is, counselors should consider what actually influences career decisions, instead of bemoaning their lack of logical planning. Several other authors respond to this idea in separate articles. (Author/BP)

A brief contact procedure was found to be effective for counselors to use in encouraging students to assume responsibility and initiate action on the recommendations generated in counseling. Females reported initiating more actions than did males. Implications for future guidance procedures and further research are indicated. (Author)

Literature review suggests structural characteristics which prevent counselors from performing optimally in a parochial school setting. Counselors ranked 20 obstacles, indicating that lack of clerical help, high student-counselor ratio, and insufficient time for professional improvement were most serious. (CJ)

Instruments and procedures used and problems encountered in a recent evaluation of changes in a school guidance program are discussed. Evaluation activities focused on determining: whether staff achieved their objectives and whether the guidance units were effective in helping students achieve goals derived from a district-wide needs assessment.…

This article lists the difficulties involved in conducting evaluations of guidance and counseling programs. Of the difficulties listed only those that dealt specifically with measurement terms are discussed. Some examples are provided of alternative means to the traditional approaches of measurement related to evaluation in general and guidance in…

The nature and functions of pupil personnel servcies staff, together with a model of a typical pupil personnal services organization found effective in the public schools of Wisconsin, are presented. Salient features of the recommended model include: (1) services for all children; (2) direct line responsibility to the district administrators; (3)…

Reviews of the literature suggest the need for research of outcomes of school counseling. This document attempts to speak to this problem. Section One reviews studies in methods of evaluating counselor behavior and counseling outcome. It proposes a counselor task survey which would involve counselors, parents, clients, and teachers in elementary…

The authors suggest that counselor supervision is a viable way to assist school counselors in dealing with lack of professional development opportunities. Supervision can facilitate the counselor's personal and professional development and can promote counselor competencies, accountability and the improvement of guidance services and programs. (SE)

The study begins with an elaboration of the standards and components of an effective guidance program, which served as a reference point for the study. Three sources of data were used: (1) Student Guidance Questionnaire which was administered to a ten per cent sample of all children in grades seven through twelve in the region; (2) the Guidance…

The Newport-Mesa Unified School District has developed an innovative approach to the organization and administration of Pupil Personnel Services. This approach reflects the Statement of Educational Principles and the Management and Operations Principles of the District which emphasize results--from which reasonable student progress can be…

Results and usefulness of the educational and psychological tests annually given to Harcum freshmen as discussed. General guidelines for test interpretation are also included. (MS)

Ninety-six 9th, 10th, and 11th grade students, randomly selected to include equal numbers from each grade level, from both sexes, and from each ability quartile were randomly assigned to either experimental or control procedures. The experimental group used the computer to select courses, while the control group was assisted by the counselor.…