Needing an idea to collect school counseling data? Look no further! This article will explain how and when to collect and what to do with school counseling data.

What is School Counseling Data?

Process Data: What was the process and who was involved? This is where you explain how you went through the process of change. Explain the number of kids and from what grade-levels (who was impacted). Also, think about what you did (the steps you took) and how often you did it.

Perception Data: What do people think they can do? This is where your subject (kids, parents, staff) show you that they can do whatever it was you taught them or they now have new beliefs since they have been through your process of change. This type of data would include results from a pre/post assessment, survey, school-wide initiatives, needs assessments, etc.

Outcome Data: People can show you evidence or proof of impact. This data is the result on a bigger scale. This isn’t just the post-survey results. We have to think bigger here. What impact has it made for the long-term? People are able to demonstrate knowledge. How has it positively impacted students?

How Do I Collect School Counseling Data?

One way to start wrapping your head around collecting data would be to prioritize and develop some goals for your school counseling program. In Missouri, we have to do the Internal Improvement Review (IIR). I do this for my elementary building and the other counselors and I do a district-wide one together. This helps us find our strengths and weaknesses within our programs. Once we can see that, we can develop goals and action plans.

If you would like to see a copy of the IIR from Missouri you can check it out here.

Once you evaluate your program and find out what you need to work on, you might start to feel a little overwhelmed. I know I did at first! So, in this situation just pick two or three things to really focus on for the year.

Your next step is to look at your building and district goals. Can you find a way to align your goals to those? 

From their, it’s time to think SMART! Break apart your goal into SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Timely)! This way you have an action plan and you know where you can start.

Now to the Actual Collection of Data…

There are several different ways to collect data.

Here is a list of the most common…

• Simple Averages and Percentages
• Disaggregate– Break down aggregated data into subgroups or populations
• Aggregate– Compiled and summarized
• Cross-Tabulate– To put the data into a chart for comparison
• Longitudinal– long-term data over time

You can collect all kinds of data…

• School-Wide
  • Attendance
  • Tardies
  • Grades
• Individual
  • Attendance
  • Grades
  • Organization
  • Social/Emotional (Feelings Scale, Solution-Focused)
• Small-Group
• Classroom Lesson

Basically, decide how you can collect data to reach your set goals. Then develop an action plan to meet those SMART goals. Collect data along the way. Then once your process is over… pick-apart the data and looks for results.

Another way I collect data is through my Simply Perfect Planner! I track my time every single day… because it’s built right into my weekly schedule. Makes the process super easy!

How Do I Use School Counseling Data?

Once you have the data numbers figured up, you can decide who to share them with or what you want to do with the information.

I like to use it to drive my counseling program. If something is working and showing a lot of student growth, of course, I’m going to keep doing it! I will use positive data to advocate for what is working! If I see data that needs improvement, I am going to see what I can do to improve that area. Whether it means, I need to attack it school-wide or make a small-group to target a small number of kids.

Whatever the data is… I use it to promote change!

Sharing the Data

Sharing my school counseling data with my administration is very important. I know they have my back, but it helps solidify my reasoning for the change.

I can also use longitudinal student data to monitor student progress in certain areas. This can help the student set individual academic goals and be responsible for their own learning.

Being able to track data, make goals and promote change helps decision makers, improvement teams and school counselors develop the right activities to target struggling areas.

These books can be very helpful when needing help in collecting data…



How do you collect school counseling data? What cool things have you done to promote change?