Document addresses competencies for candidates for licensure and certification as school counselors.

(21) School counselor.

(A) The candidate for licensure and certification:

• (i) Uses an understanding of human development to provide a comprehensive, developmental guidance and counseling program.
• (ii) Understands the impact of environmental influences on students’ development and achievement, and helps students develop strategies to resolve or cope with situations that may hinder learning.
• (iii) Demonstrates an appreciation of human diversity by providing equitable guidance and counseling services for all students and by promoting a climate of mutual respect that helps students value themselves and others.
• (iv) Uses effective leadership skills to plan, implement, and evaluate a comprehensive, developmental guidance and counseling program to address the needs of all students.
• (v) Provides guidance and counseling services to address the needs and concerns of students and to help students develop skills to use in future situations.
• (vi) Facilitates the educational and career development of individual students to help all students achieve success.
• (vii) Uses formal and informal assessment to provide information about and to students, to monitor student progress, and to recommend changes to the student’s educational environment.
• (viii) Consults with parents and school personnel, provides professional expertise, and establishes collaborative relationships that foster a support system for students, parents, and the school community.
• (ix) Establishes strong and positive ties with the home and the community to promote and support students’ growth in school and beyond the school setting.
• (x) Has knowledge of professional ethical codes, the importance of professional development, and the need to work with colleagues to advance the profession.

(B) Competency for School Counselor certification may also be verified by the Nationally Certified School Counselor (NCSC) credential.

(b) Specialists. Specialists such as library media specialists (librarians), reading specialists, guidance counselors, school psychologists, and speech-language pathologists shall meet the certification requirements of the state of Oklahoma. (1) School counselors shall hold a valid Oklahoma School Counselor Certificate appropriate for the grade levels to which they are assigned.

(b) School counselors shall hold a valid Oklahoma School Counselor Certificate appropriate for the grade levels to which they are assigned.

(a) Counselor. School counselors shall hold a valid Oklahoma School Counselor Certificate appropriate to the grade levels to which they are assigned.

Rubric requires elementary schools to provide for counseling services, which may be provided by a counselor or other personnel specially trained in the area of guidance.

Rubric requires secondary schools to provide students with counseling and guidance services from certified school counselors. The guidance program shall provide one counselor for a maximum of 450 students, with no school district having less than one half-time counselor, with one exception: districts fewer than 225 students may prorate the number of hours per week a certified school counselor is required by dividing the number of students enrolled by 450 and multiplying the quotient by 30.