School Advisory Programs: Annotated Bibliography

Advisors as Mentors and Attachment Figures

Van Ryzin, M. (2010). Secondary school advisors as mentors and secondary attachment figures. Journal of Community Psychology, 38(2), 131–154.

This study assessed whether students in two small secondary schools would nominate their advisor as part of their attachment hierarchy. The forty percent of students who nominated their advisor as a secondary attachment figure demonstrated greater school involvement and showed better gains in adjustment and achievement than those who did not. According to the author, this finding could help in the development and refinement of new theories regarding the factors that contribute to the success of mentoring relationships, along with the processes that aid in the growth and development of those relationships.

Johnson, B. (2013). Linchpins or lost time: Creating effective advisories. Horace, 25(2–3).

This study tested the theory that secondary school advisories are widespread across the United States and that this may be one of the great unintended outcomes of the Coalition of Essential Schools (CES) reform effort. With that in mind, the author questioned people in different essential schools to learn how advisories work, exploring the notion that a more structured and systematic approach to developing advisory programs might help schools become more effective. The author also aimed to identify principles that could help essential schools develop successful advisories. In spring 2009, the author sent an e-mail containing ten questions about advisory programs to twenty-five different schools. The questions and their responses are presented in the article. Additionally, the author offers five important insights drawn from the responses of five schools that share one characteristic: thriving advisory programs.

Designing Effective Advisory Programs

Van Ornum, J. W. (2014). Evaluation and improvement of an advisory program (Doctoral dissertation). [University].

This project study examines the effectiveness of a student advisory program at a rural high school in Hawaii. The advisory program was implemented to help students track their progress and prepare for post-secondary college and career choices. Guided by Erikson's theoretical framework, this quantitative survey assessed the perspectives of advisory participants on student-advisor relationships, assistance with post-secondary planning, advisor content knowledge, and recommendations for program improvement. Advisors indicated that they needed additional training, more planning time, and that program assessments should be shared during faculty meetings. The study recommends that the advisory program continue, and that ongoing training and planning time be provided to program advisors. Improvements to the advisory program are expected to promote positive change.

School Counselors: Roles, Conflicts, and Mental Health

Gewertz, C. (2011). Counselors see conflicts in carrying out their mission. Education Week, 31(13), 12–13.

An online survey of 5,300 counselors, conducted for the College Board's Advocacy & Policy Center, was one of the largest surveys of school counselors ever undertaken. Several trends emerged, highlighting dissatisfaction among counselors who felt that schools should focus more on student development, reduce administrative workloads placed on counselors, and allow for career development opportunities for staff. Counselors reported that a broad and ambiguous conception of their role prevented them from concentrating on what they considered most important. The report recommends that counselors be viewed as leaders focused on keeping students on track to graduate from high school prepared for college and career, and that their activities be closely aligned with that vision.

Gruman, D. H., Marston, T., & Koon, H. (2013). Bringing mental health needs into focus through school counseling program transformation. Professional School Counseling, 16(5), 333.

Skilled school counselors are academic leaders with the training and skills necessary to address the mental health needs of students. Unfortunately, working conditions at many schools create barriers to the effective delivery of mental health services. This article presents the case of one rural, diverse high school that transformed its school counseling program to better address student mental health needs. Through the use of data-based decision making, an automated identification system, and a school-wide advisory program, the counseling program now provides more effective and timely delivery of the mental health interventions students require.

Phillippo, K. L., & Kelly, M. S. (2013). On the fault line: A qualitative exploration of high school teachers' involvement with student mental health issues. School Mental Health, 6(3), 184–200.

School-based mental health (SBMH) research frequently underestimates the role educators play in supporting student mental health, even as educators regularly encounter mental health concerns among their students. Furthermore, the work of educators and school-based mental health practitioners (SBMHPs) with shared students has historically tended toward independent rather than collaborative effort. This article explores the boundary at which educators' and SBMHPs' work intersects in relation to student mental health concerns. Using qualitative data collected from three high schools that required varying levels of educator engagement with student mental health issues, the study assesses the nature of teachers' work in this area. It identifies specific ways in which teachers provided psychosocial support and examines how teachers' and SBMHPs' work overlapped. Findings revealed uncertainty at all three schools regarding the extent of teacher involvement in student mental health concerns — an ambiguity reinforced by organizational structures that encouraged a separation of teaching from SBMH practice. The article also discusses implications for professional practice, professional learning, and future research.