Constraints and Benefits of School Advisory Programs

Introduction

In an era of high-stakes testing and increasing calls for educator accountability for academic outcomes, identifying opportunities to use existing resources to their maximum advantage has assumed new importance and relevance (Phillipo & Stone, 2013). A growing body of research confirms the importance of school advisory programs in achieving improved academic outcomes, but these initiatives are also characterized by a number of constraints that must be taken into account in order to achieve optimal results. To determine the facts, this paper reviews the relevant literature concerning school advisory programs to identify current theories, explanations, proposed relationships among constructs, and existing gaps in this body of knowledge. A discussion of the contradictions, inconsistencies, and ambiguities found in the research is followed by a summary of the key findings in the conclusion.

History and Purpose of School Advisory Programs

School advisory programs in junior and middle schools have a lengthy history dating back nearly a century and a half (Weilbacher & Lanier, 2012). More recently, school advisory programs have been implemented at the elementary school level and continued throughout a student's academic career (Weilbacher & Lanier, 2012). These are important advances because the relationship between educators and students is an integral component of promoting academic success, yet many students experience a deterioration of this relationship during the transition from elementary to secondary school (Van Ryzin, 2010).

In response, a growing number of secondary schools have implemented advisory programs in which an educator or advisor periodically meets with small groups of students throughout the school year (Van Ryzin, 2010). Wall (2012) reports that advisory programs are also consistent with the goals set forth in the Developmental Designs for Middle School initiative. In this regard, Miglin, Hurd, and Al-Bataineh (2015) report that "advisory programs were developed with the belief in mind that all adolescent students should have at least one adult at school acting as the student's advocate" (p. 1). This strategy is also congruent with the recommendations of the Carnegie Council on Adolescent Development.

Benefits and Supporting Research

In truth, given the rigors of the academic process today, young learners need all the advocacy they can receive at school (Shulkind & Foote, 2009). A study by Borgeson (2009) found that mentored students generally benefited from the process and many experienced improved academic outcomes as a result. Benson and Poliner (2013) also cite the value of the low-key environment in which school advisory programs are administered as one of their major strengths.

The research to date confirms that advisory programs result in improved academic outcomes as well as a host of other positive features, including a positive learning environment, improved teacher-student relationships, and stronger peer-to-peer interactions — provided students receive the training they need to exercise these responsibilities appropriately (Miglin et al., 2015). In sum, school advisory programs are used for a number of reasons, including: (1) to promote students' sense of belonging within the school; (2) to assist students in the development of self-understanding; (3) to assist students in developing effective interpersonal relationships; and (4) to guide students in decisions related to future growth (Rotenberg, 1994, p. 72).

Conclusion

The research showed that although the concept of school advisory programs is certainly not new, the process has assumed new importance and relevance in recent years as growing numbers of students struggle to satisfy the mandates of high-stakes testing regimens in preparation for college and professional careers. The research was also consistent in showing that students can benefit from advisory services early in their schooling, and there is a growing trend to provide such services beginning in elementary school and continuing throughout students' high school careers. In the final analysis, it is reasonable to conclude that both adult-led and peer-to-peer mentoring strategies hold significant value for young learners who might otherwise fall by the wayside and join the many high school dropouts whose future opportunities are limited by their lack of educational attainment.