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Upon my completion of a Master of Guidance and Counseling, I hope to be employed as a school counselor, preferably in the elementary school setting. I currently have completed a Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies and have obtained a position as a 5th grade math teacher at Reagan County Elementary.

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Exploration Option #1: Top 5 According to a Professional

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Exploration Option #1: Top 5 According to a Professional

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I talked with the current Elementary School Counselor at Reagan County Elementary, Renea Hallmark, to discuss current legal and ethical issues that have have impacted her job.

#1 This year there has been a higher number of students that participate in counseling sessions with a licensed counselor, outside of school. Determining the correct legal process to provide services at school as well takes time and communication between the school counselor and the licensed counselor. Specific forms have to be filled out and filed for both parties to assist this student.

#2 Confidentiality is key. Every legal and ethical issue a school counselor encounters they must first think about confidentiality. This involves a student, parents, teachers, administrators, etc. FERPA is crucial to be comfortable with.

#3 504 and Special Education have to be taken seriously. Organization is key when you have numerous students under these categories. These students need specific accommodations that by law have to be met everyday! The school counselor is responsible for organizing and presenting these accommodations to those that come in contact with these students to ensure that the students needs are met.

#4 It is very important to attend various trainings on legal and ethical issues such as child abuse, teacher ethics, sexual harassment for educators, and any training on FERPA and PPRA in schools.

#5 One of the most important duties as a school counselor is to keep students and faculty up to date on issues such as preventing bullying on campus and staying current on laws such as David's Law.

(R. Hallmark, personal communication, January 16, 2019)

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Exploration Option #2: American School Counselors Association (ASCA)

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Exploration Option #2: American School Counselors Association (ASCA)

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In my review of the ASCA website I noticed there was discussion and changes made to the Elementary and Secondary School Counseling Act. This act provides elementary and secondary schools funds to lower the staffing ratios for school counselors and school psychologists. The goal of the Elementary and Secondary School Counseling Act is to create grants that are available to school counselors, psychologists, and social workers from the school district, basically providing them with a reasonable paycheck. This program will hopefully provide funding for all 50 states and the states will be required to match the amount of funding the program provides to the school. The end goal is to provide more opportunities for improving students wellness and mental health. ASCA is pleased to join NASP, SSWAA and APA to make this act successful (Legislative Affairs, n.d.).

Another issue discussed on this website was the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). ESSA replaces the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). The purpose of this amendment to the act is to provide all students with access to a good education that include special programs such as PE, art, and music. Also, this amendment will improve classrooms for student learning that involve necessary mentoring and school counselor availability to all students. The last amendment was to improve the use of technology in school and make it more available. The goal is to improve the technological literacy of students (Legislative Affairs, n.d.).

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Legislative Affairs | American School Counselor Association (ASCA)

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Exploration Option #2: National School Boards Association (NSBA)

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Exploration Option #2: National School Boards Association (NSBA)

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NSBA represents state school boards associations all of the board members involved. They believe that education is a right and that public education is the most important and vital institution (About Us, n.d.).

While reviewing the NSBA website I noticed there was discussion about how special education can have very complex issues in the school system. NSBA provides information regarding the Individuals with Disabilities Education  of the Rehabilitation Act and the Individuals with Disabilities Act.  The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act ensures that every student with a disability has access to a free and public education. The board discusses the different parts of this act and comes up with topics such as parental consent for special education services, discipline, and teacher quality and effectiveness with the special education students (Special Education and IDEA, n.d.).

Another discussion I noticed while reviewing the NSBA website was that they were very supportive of the amendments made to the Every Student Succeeds Act. On the website it says, "NSBA applauds lawmakers for restoring local governance and working with our public education stakeholders to end the prescriptive requirements under the No Child Left Behind Act – strengthening the ability of states and local school board members to act in the best interests of students, parents, and local communities" (ESSA, n.d.).

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Advocacy | National School Boards Association

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School Law Issues The resources, news, and court decisions you need on a range of legal issues for public schools.

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Researching Individuals with Disabilities Education of the Rehabilitation Act and the Individuals with Disabilities Act

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Researching Individuals with Disabilities Education of the Rehabilitation Act and the Individuals with Disabilities Act

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In my search of reviewing different websites and resources I found a book that references the laws and ethics of a school psychologists. One of the sections mainly focuses on the IDEA and the Individuals Disabilities Act. This book breaks down different cases and explains the specifics in the different laws.

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THE PREMIER TEXT FOR ETHICAL AND LEGAL ISSUES ASSOCIATED WITH SCHOOL-BASED PSYCHOLOGICAL PRACTICE

Ethics and Law for School Psychologists is the single best source of authoritative information on the ethical and legal issues school psychologists face every day. Designed specifically to meet the unique needs of psychologists in school settings, this book includes the most up-to-date standards and requirements while providing an introduction to ethical codes, ethical decision making, and the legal underpinnings that protect the rights of students and their parents. This new seventh edition has been extensively updated with the latest research and changes to the law, with an increased focus on ethical-legal considerations associated with the use of digital technologies. Coverage includes new case law on privacy rights, electronic record keeping, the 2014 Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing, digital assessment platforms, the latest interpretations of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, and more.

Ethics texts for counseling and psychology are plentiful, and often excellent—but this book is the only reference that speaks directly to the concerns and issues specific to psychologists in school settings. Case vignettes, end-of-chapter questions, and discussion topics facilitate deeper insight and learning, while updated instructor's resources bring this key reference right into the classroom.

Get up to date on the latest research and professional literature

Consider new issues surrounding the use of digital technologies

Update your knowledge of case law and federal education law

Understand the ethical issues surrounding school psychological practice

Keeping up with the latest research and legal issues is a familiar part of a psychologist's duties, but a practice centered on children in an educational setting makes it both critical and more complex. Ethics and Law for School Psychologists provides a central resource for staying up to date and delivering ethically and legally sound services within a school setting.

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school psychologists - professional ethics - united states

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seventh edition; susan jacob; dawn m. decker; elizabeth t. lugg; school psychologist reference; school psychologist textbook; school psychologist ethics; school psychologist laws; school counseling legal reference; issues in school psychology practice; school psychologist case law; school psychologist federal law; school psychologist educational law; idea updates; 2014 standards for educational and psychological testing; digital technology in school psychology; student counseling rights; professional ethics for school psychologists

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Ethics and Law for School Psychologists is the single best source of authoritative information on the ethical and legal issues school psychologists face every day. Designed specifically to meet the unique needs of psychologists in school settings, this book includes the most up-to-date standards ...

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When researching about the Every Student Succeeds Act using the Angelo State University Library search tools, I found this article that discusses how the expansion of the school choice movement, allowed by ESSA, means that school leadership is going to become more important to ensure school effectiveness.

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When researching Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) using the web, I found this article that discusses what is new about this law, important highlights, the history of the ESSA, and also future plans that relate to this topic (ESSA, n.d.).

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The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) was signed by President Obama on December 10, 2015, and represents good news for our nation's schools. This bipartisan measure reauthorizes the 50-year-old Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), the nation's national education law and longstanding commitment to equal opportunity for all students.

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ESSA includes different things that will help to ensure success for students and schools. The first thing ESSA will ensure is that all students are required to be taught to the highest educational standard that prepares them for a future in college or a career. Also, ESSA ensures that educators, administrators, families, students, and community members stay up to date with information regarding the standards the students need to be held to. ESSA also maintains a high expectation of accountability for positive change for all schools, including the low performing schools (ESSA, n.d). ESSA  has an influence on a variety of stakeholders, including sponsors, board members, school leaders and parents (Curry, 2018). This I believe helps with the community feel of a school, where everyone feels their opinion is heard.

As an educator it is important to put the student education and success before anything else. I believe it is very important to hold all students, teachers, administrators, and parents responsible for the success of the student. It takes a team. Counselors play a big role in promoting a career or getting into college to students at a young age and it is important they are up to date on the information regarding new standards. School counselors should stay up to date on all laws that pertain to the specific issues they deal with on a daily basis, including a students success. In my future role I plan to stay up to date on the new laws and resources provided to ensure I provide all students and staff with the highest quality of information needed to be successful.

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About Us. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.nsba.org/about-us

Curry, K., Kinder, S., Benoiton, T., & Noonan, J. (2018). School Board Governance in Changing Times: A Schools Transition to Policy Governance. Administrative Issues Journal: Education, Practice, and Research, 8(1). doi:10.5929/2018.8.1.1

Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.ed.gov/essa

Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.nsba.org/advocacy/federal-legislative-priorities/every-student-succeeds-act-essa

Legislative Affairs (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.schoolcounselor.org/school-counselors-members/legislative-affairs

Special Education and IDEA. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.nsba.org/advocacy/federal-legislative-priorities/special-education-and-idea