National Office for School Counselor Advocacy (NOSCA)

NOSCA: National Office for School Counselor Advocacy

See our new website promoting the value of school counselors as leaders in school reform and college readiness.
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NOSCA: Largest School Counselor Survey

See how school counselors view their mission, spend their days, and believe they can better serve students.
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Principal-Counselor Relationships Critical to Student Success

Hear what leaders from NOSCA, NASSP and ASCA, and members of effective principal-counselor teams have to say.
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Eight Elements to Help School Counselors 'Own the Turf' of College and Career Readiness

New release — NOSCA's Eight Components of College and Career Readiness Counseling provide a systemic approach for school counselors to ensure equity both in process and results...
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Join the NOSCA Own the Turf Campaign for School Counselors

A national advocacy campaign to rally and mobilize school counselors in college and career readiness counseling
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NOSCA National Conference: Destination Equity 2010

Watch the video to learn what participants have to say about their experience at the 2010 NOSCA National Conference
Toolkit: Enhancing the Principal-School Counselor Relationship

A new toolkit to increase student achievement by building a strong working relationship between principals and school counselors.
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Exploring the Principal-Counselor Relationship in Schools

Watch the video featuring representatives from NOSCA, ASCA and NASSP, plus effective principal-counselor teams

Why We're Helping

School counselors are uniquely positioned as the school professionals best able to guide all students toward college readiness, marshaling forces from across the school, district and community.

Too few students are graduating from high school ready for college. In today's knowledge-based, global economy, a college education is the gateway to social mobility and better opportunities. The vast majority of America's high school students (86 percent) expect to attend college, but many lack the support and guidance they need to prepare for enrollment and success in college (U.S. Department of Education, NCES 2010-170). This is an urgent concern for the future of the nation as a whole and for our most underserved communities.

The College Board's National Office for School Counselor Advocacy (NOSCA) believes school counselors are critical school-based professionals who have significant impact on children's futures and are essential to their attainment of meaningful future career options and high-quality life circumstances. We work to institutionalize school counseling practice that advances equitable educational access and rigorous academic preparation necessary for college readiness for all students.

Our Progress

What We've Accomplished:

Established multiple advisory groups that serve as focus groups for school counselor issues

The lessons learned from NOSCA’s research into the Inspiration Award Schools were presented in Inspiration & Innovation.

A Closer Look at the Principal-Counselor Relationship provided results of a survey of school counselors and principals on aspects of their working relationships

Finding a Way profiled highly effective principal-counselor teams from across the country — a collaboration with NASSP and ASCA

Created training programs for K-12 schools to build capacity of school counselor leaders and help practicing school counselors contribute to major district-wide goals for student achievement.

Launched training programs for K-12 school systems to transform district-wide school counseling programs and practices, and to establish a framework for accountability for transformed work that can be expressed in measurable outcomes.

NOSCA's Eight Components of College and Career Readiness Counseling and a strategic planning tool for school counselors

A toolkit to help principals and school counselors develop more effective working relationships — a collaboration with NASSP and ASCA

What We're Working On:

Ongoing professional development workshops and activities, presentations and advocacy throughout the United States

An initiative to help urban school districts plan their counseling programs effectively, use data to drive decision making, and set metrics for determining success

Research on what constitutes a college-going culture, including examples of exemplary practices

A national survey of school counselors beginning in 2011 to explore their perspectives about their roles, responsibilities, professional relationships, current practices and priorities for the future.

The NOSCA Team

Patricia Martin Assistant Vice President, National Office for School Counselor Advocacy	April Bell Associate Director, National Office for School Counselor Advocacy	Vivian Lee Director, National Office for School Counselor Advocacy	Jennifer A. Dunn Director, National Office for School Counselor Advocacy
Dominique J. Jones Program Coordinator, National Office for School Counselor Advocacy

Our Goal

To promote the value of school counselors as leaders in school reform, student achievement and college readiness.

Join the Own the Turf campaign for college and career readiness counseling

Be part of a national movement
Gain new strategies and tools
Belong to the online community
Share experiences and effective practices
Get involved
Own the Turf PowerPoint

Visit Now

Events

Apr13-14

Destination Equity 2012

Nov30-Jan19

Own the Turf: Eight Components Webinar Series

A series of 60 minute webinars that provide practical information and strategies for implementing each of the Eight Components of College and Career Readiness Counseling.

Nov 17

First Annual National Survey

Oct 26

Own the Turf: Best Implementation Practices

Did you miss the webinar? Watch the archived webcast.

Apr16-18

Destination Equity 2010

See pictures from the conference

Press Releases

Visit the new NOSCA site for NOSCA program press releases.

Collaborators

The National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP)

The American School Counselor Association (ASCA)

Center for School Counseling Outcome Research (CSCOR)

The collective message of the counselors to parents is that nothing can stand in your way in sending your child to college. It is our job to demystify access to college and help all students complete college preparation, testing, applications and financial aid forms.

Leonora Deaton

Counselor, Edinburg North High School

Contact Us

National Office for School Counselor Advocacy

The College Board Advocacy & Policy Center
1233 20th Street, NW, Suite 600 
Washington, DC 20036-2375

NOSCA invites you to share your thoughts, ideas, feedback and suggestions. For more information on how you can get involved in school counselor advocacy, email guidance@collegeboard.org