Overview
Through the Utah K-12 Comprehensive School Counseling Program Components Document, school counselors implement a standards-based, data-driven school counseling program
to address the needs of each student. This K-12 framework provides a comprehensive
approach and systemic program design.
Contact Us
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Bethany Marker
School Counseling Specialist
Phone: (801) 538-7929 |E-mail
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Millie Mortensen
Support Staff
Phone: (801) 538-7631 | E-mail
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Elementary Implementation Guide
The purpose of the Elementary School Counseling Program Implementation Guide is to
supplement the Utah K-12 Comprehensive School Counseling Program Model Components by providing
additional insight and resources to help elementary school counselors in developing
and implementing a comprehensive school counseling program.
The Elementary Implementation Guide is currently being updated and will be posted
when complete. If you would like a copy for a "resource only", please contact Bethany Marker.
Implementation Guide Documents/Templates
School Counseling Program Board Rules
Please go to our School Counseling Programs Law and Policy webpage for all School Counseling Program Board Rules
School Counseling Program Funding
Utah State Board of Education (USBE) Administrative Rule R277-462: Comprehensive School Counseling Program outlines program implementation requirements for secondary schools (grades 7-12)
to be eligible to receive School Counseling Program Funding for school counseling
programs. As defined in this rule, Local Education Agencies (LEAs) must adhere to
the following guidelines to qualify for school counseling program funding:
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Implement the Utah Comprehensive K-12 School Counseling Program Components.
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Participate in performance self-evaluations (annually), interim (3 year), and formal
(6 year) on-site reviews. The On-Site Review Performance Self-Evaluation for Existing
Programs is the tool used for these evaluations.
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Maintain a minimum 1:350 school counselor-to-student ratio within the LEA.
Program Performance Review
The School Counseling Program Components emphasize a continual process of designing,
planning, implementing, evaluating, and enhancing the school counseling program.
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The design of the program is the framework the school has developed.
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The plan is the written description of the school program, which can be informed/improved
by ongoing self-evaluation and the effective use of data.
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All new programs are fully implemented when they meet the original 12 components for
program approval.
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Program evaluation occurs through annual performance self-evaluations (required for
funding) and passing the interim (3 year) and formal (6 year) on-site performance
reviews.
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Program enhancement occurs as school counselors align their school counseling program
with student needs and school improvement goals.
The componenets and indicators in the performance self-evaluation document are the
criteria for evaluation of the school counseling program.
Performance Review Components
According to R277-462, school counseling programs are required to be evaluated annually.
A formalized accountability process of annual program evaluation is established through
annual performance self-evaluations, interim, and formal on-site reviews.
The following On-Site Review Performance Self-Evaluation for Existing Programs is
the tool used for these evaluations:
To support the performance self-evaluation process, school counselors provide evidence
in the form of Electronic Working Files. The Electronic Working Files are an ongoing
resource of shared files that supports program management, team effectiveness, and
program evaluation and accountability of the school counseling program. The following
documents/templates are tools that school counselors can use to support this process:
Annual Performance Self-Evaluation
An annual self-evaluation, using the performance review document, is required for
all schools as part of the school counseling program funding process. School counseling
teams, working with their local leadership, should establish an annual process to
review school counseling program implementation, evaluate program outcomes, and set
new program goals. To meet the annual performance self-evaluation requirement, school
counselors complete the On-Site Review Performance Self-Evaluation for Existing Programs
document by June 1. School counselors keep the completed document for their records, and future accountability
process, in their electronic evidence box files. This document does not need to be
submitted to a Utah State Board of Education School Counseling Program Specialist.
The LEA leadership oversees that this process is completed annually.
Three-Year Interim Review
The Interim Review (3 year) is structured at the discretion of the Local Education
Agency (LEA). These reviews should focus on identifying program strengths, areas of
improvement, and using data to effect program change that results in improved behavior,
attendance, or academic achievement for students. LEAs are encouraged to replicate
the formal review process within the district to allow schools to plan and share their
school counseling program within the district or the Career and Technical Education
(CTE) region. LEA will provide names of schools and plans for review structure for
the current year in their annual Request for Funding (RFF) for the school counseling
program. If district personnel have program concerns and/or significant team changes,
the district leadership can require a formal, traditional performance review using
the onsite process, conducted by an outside district team. Interim review reports
are completed by the LEA leadership and submitted via e-mail to a Utah State Board
of Education Counseling Program Specialist by May 1. The annual self-evaluation is required to be completed by schools participating
in the interim review.
Reporting template for Three-Year Interim Review:
Six-Year Formal On-Site Review
The Formal Review (6 year) is conducted by a Utah State Board of Education School
Counseling Program Specialist. This process is developed within the Utah Comprehensive
K-12 School Counseling Program Components framework to ensure that the school counseling
team has implemented the program elements described in the review standards. The on-site
review process serves to:
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celebrate the Utah Comprehensive K-12 School Counseling Program Components;
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recognize program strengths and accomplishments;
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identify goals and areas for improvement;
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minimize identified gaps in the areas of access, attainment, and achievement; and
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ensure program implementation promotes an academic, career, and social emotional development approach for all students.
School Counseling Program Board Rules
Please go to our School Counseling Programs Law and Policy webpage for all School Counseling Program Board Rules
Systemic Assessment
Systemic Assessment and Curriculum Delivery Survey
All schools receiving Comprehensive School Counseling Program funds are required to
complete a formal Systemic Assessment and Curriculum Delivery Survey every three years.
For Elementary School Counseling Programs, it is recommended that these surveys be
administered every 3 years in alignment with the secondary school counseling program
6-year review cycle to support program alignment and data analysis across feeder schools.
The Systemic Assessment is completed by school faculty, parents, and students. The
parent and student survey should reflect a sampling of the population that is representative
of the overall school demographics. Results from the Systemic Assessment offer a data-informed
direction for the implementation of a comprehensive school counseling program.
The Curriculum Delivery Survey is completed by teachers. This survey measures student
mindsets and competencies as well as durable skills which are consistent with the school counseling program components. Results from this survey allow school counselors to deliver intentional classroom
instruction, design effective individual Plan for College and Career Readiness meetings,
and support the academic, career, social, and emotional development of each student.
Creating an Account Through CTE Surveys
To create a new account:
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Click on Create Account
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Complete All Fields
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If your school is not listed on the Select Your School drop down menu, choose My School is Not Listed, and you will be prompted to enter that information in a text box.
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If you need to list more than one school in the Select Your School drop down menu, choose I need Access to More than One School, and you will be prompted to enter that information in a text box.
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Click on Register as a New User
After submitting the information, you will receive an e-mail asking you to validate
your e-mail address. After your e-mail is successfully validated, you will receive
another e-mail stating you have access, and you can then log in.
CTESurveys com Walkthrough YouTube
Student Outcome Accountability Report (SOAR)
The Student Outcome Accountability Report (SOAR) provides school counselors with student
data to assist in the data-decision making process. This report takes data submitted
through the Utah Transcript Record Exchange (UTRex) system and organizes it in categories
that school counselors can use to help identify gaps in the areas of opportunity,
achievement, attendance and behavior. From this analysis, school counselors set program
goals to address identified gaps to improve student outcomes. The SOAR is designed
as one resource for school counselors, but additional data sources should be used
when making data-informed decisions.
Individual schools can access their SOAR through the Utah State Board of Education Data Gateway Login. School counselors will need to work with their Information Technology department
or LEA leadership to obtain access. Once access is granted through the district, school
counselors can find the report on the Data Gateway homepage under My Tools. To help
school counselors analyze and interpret the SOAR, the SOAR Business Rules have been established.
Data Projects
School counselors are uniquely positioned to create a program that serves all students
and supports the school improvement plan. As school counselors work within the system
with administration and school leadership teams, they work continuously with data.
A data project is a way that school counselors can connect school needs and goals
for improving student learning outcomes. Data projects submitted to USBE are only
one example of a larger data-driven school counseling program and systemic practice
within the educational setting. Each year, all schools receiving Comprehensive School
Counseling Program funds are required to submit a data project to USBE. The data project
is completed by the school counseling team and submitted to their Local Education
Agency (LEA) leadership. The LEA leadership submits all data projects to a USBE School
Counseling Program Specialist via e-mail by June 15.
Data projects promote a data-driven decision-making school counseling program and
answers the question, Is the school counseling program making a difference for students, and how can I prove
it? School counselors can use the Data Project Rubric to assess the level of evidence found in their Data Project.
School counselors are accountable for their individual performance as well as their
program’s performance.
Download and complete the Data Project Reporting Template. When you first open the file in Excel, click enable macros if prompted. Once in
the document, refer to the instructions sheet and read the instructions page thoroughly
before beginning to fill out the template.
Secondary Request for Funding
Funds disbursed to approved school counseling programs are for secondary schools 7-12
grades. Performance and adherence to standards cited in the Utah State Board of Education
(USBE) Administrative Rules R277-462: Comprehensive School Counseling Program, as well as completion of the RFF application, are required in order to receive funds.
The RFF application and signature page are completed by the Local Education Agency
(LEA) leadership and submitted via Utah Grants by June 1.
Note: The application for Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 will be released in Spring 2025.
Annual Due Dates for Compliance
October 1
School Counselor Full-time Equivalent (FTE) entered in Comprehensive Administration
of Credentials for Teachers in Utah Schools (CACTUS) for 1:350 ratio report completed
by Local Education Agency (LEA) leadership.
April 1
Program Ratio Plans (for LEAs not meeting 1:350 ratio) completed by LEA leadership
and submitted via e-mail.
May 1
Program Reviews (Formal and Interim) completed. Interim reports completed by LEA leadership
and submitted via e-mail.
Letter of intent for new schools seeking program approval.
June 1
Program Performance Self-Evaluations completed and saved in the school counseling
program’s Working Files.
Program Request for Funding (RFF) completed by LEA leadership and submitted to Utah
Grants.
June 15
Program Data Projects completed by school counselors and submitted via e-mail by LEA
leadership.
Grant Opportunities
The Elementary School Counseling Grant funding was added to the WPU At-Risk add on funding per the Utah State Legislature
in the 2024 session. It is no longer a separate line item. USBE will no longer be
issuing a grant for this purpose. The decision on how to use the flexible funding
of the WPU At-Risk add on is up to each LEA, including the local board. Please contact
your Business Administrator and LEA Leadership to remind them about the importance
of funding elementary school counseling and to request funding for this purpose.
The Grow Your Own Educator Grant Program awards grants to the Local Education Agency (LEA) to provide scholarships to paraprofessionals,
school counselor assistants, and school counselor interns, school social workers,
and school psychologists for education and training to become licensed educators.
At this time there will not be an application for new cohorts.
