Developing a Comprehensive Elementary School Counseling Program on a Shoestring

This article features a series of strategies and resources one elementary school counselor used to develop a comprehensive elementary school counseling program without adequate funding. Suggestions include participation in professional associations, use of children's literature, and illustrations with puppets. Suggestions for collaborating with parents and working with external funding sources are included. An example of one lesson and a companion letter to parents is included. How vividly I remember the interview for the elementary school counseling opportunity of my dreams! State legislators had recently mandated that school districts provide elementary counselors for each school. I had applied for one of the new positions. During an interview in April 1990, the principal talked about a budget that seemingly had no limits. Though the room to be renovated for the counselor's office was small and dirty, I would be able to select office furnishings, supplies, equipment, storage shelves, materials, and carpet. I would work with approximately 350 elementary school children (K - 6). Throughout the day I visited with teachers and met many of the children; they represented a variety of ethnic groups, socioeconomic statuses, and ability levels. During the early weeks of summer I inquired about preparing the office and ordering the materials. I learned the school building would be closed and the principal would be gone until August. Undaunted, I busied myself with preparing a proposal for procedures that would be followed to develop a model comprehensive program and designing a brochure to be distributed in the fall. The summer passed quickly, and I began to see teachers' cars in the parking lot. I visited the school, hoping to prepare my office and talk with the principal about obtaining materials and furnishings. The principal was on vacation and the office was in the same condition as it had been in April. Determined to be prepared to discuss the new program at the fall faculty meeting and introduce it on the first day of school, I purchased and used the requisite cleaning supplies. A disproportionate amount of time was documented for noncounselor duties that month. And then the principal returned from his vacation. He suggested that I visit with the librarian to see if she would order counseling materials through her budget. He said that a separate telephone would be against school policy. He wasn't sure how I could find money to print the brochure I had designed. He hoped he could persuade the parent organization to allocate some money to support the program. He thought I might be eligible for some state money, but he was not sure. He seemed quite pleased with the oversized desk he had retrieved from storage. He did not seem to remember the conversation we had in April. Mine probably was not an isolated situation. Limited financial resources have resulted in insufficient materials to support programs, high counselor-to-student ratios (Harris-Aikens, 2001, 2002), and eliminated positions (Simmons, 2002). Nonetheless, sufficient funding for appropriate numbers of counselors and materials contributes to the effectiveness of comprehensive school counseling programs (Henderson & Gysbers, 1998). Designing and Implementing an Underfunded Program Fortunately, my excitement about the new counseling position carried me through the unexpected obstacles. Although financial support would have been helpful, I learned that I could do many things without it. I also discovered external sources of funding. The purpose of this article is to suggest resources and strategies for developing under-funded comprehensive school counseling programs. Professional Associations and Conferences I had already experienced the value of attending professional conferences, such as those sponsored by the American School Counselor Association (ASCA), the American Counseling Association (ACA), the Texas Counseling Association (TCA), and the Texas Education Agency (TEA). …