Ultimate Aims of Counseling Initiative

Recognizing the complex and systemic challenges to effective school counseling in Indiana’s K-12 schools, the Endowment announced the Counseling Initiative to promote and support the development and implementation of innovative, promising and sustainable comprehensive counseling models that address the academic, college, career, and social and emotional counseling needs of K-12 students in Indiana’s public school corporations and charter schools.

As stated earlier, the ultimate aim of the Counseling Initiative is to increase significantly the number of Indiana students who:

  • Are emotionally healthy
  • Realize academic success
  • Graduate from high school
  • Obtain valuable postsecondary credentials,  certifications and degrees necessary for meaningful employment
  • Are prepared to compete and prosper in the global society in which they will live and work

The Enhancement Program

Now, the Endowment is offering a complementary program for Indiana public or private nonprofit colleges and universities accredited by the Higher Learning Commission that have Building Level Administrator or School Counselor programs approved by the Indiana Department of Education (eligible applicants). This program is called the Comprehensive Counseling Initiative: Enhancing School Principal and Counselor Preparation Program (the Enhancement Program).

In furtherance of the ultimate aim of the Counseling Initiative, the two primary objectives of the Enhancement Program are as follows:

Priority of Student Needs, Effective Work with School Counselors, & Advocation of School Counseling Programs

To ensure that emerging school principals understand comprehensive counseling models and improve meaningfully:

  1. Their preparation to ensure that the academic, career, college, and social and emotional needs are prioritized and properly addressed for Indiana’s K-12 students,
  2. Their expertise to recruit, evaluate properly and retain effective school counselors, and
  3. Their ability to develop, oversee and advocate for effective school counseling programs, including with professionals inside the school and with external partners.

Development of Student Programs, Preparation to Work Well with School Administrators, & Engagement with External Partners

To ensure that emerging school counselors understand comprehensive counseling models and improve meaningfully:

  1. Their ability to develop and deliver specifically or broadly programs and services that address academic, career, college, and social and emotional counseling needs for Indiana’s K-12 students,
  2. Their preparation to work effectively with school administrators on the prioritization and deployment of a comprehensive counseling model, and
  3. Their engagement with external partners and providers in the provision of other supportive services and programs.