The School Counselor and Discipline
(Adopted 1989; revised 1993, 1999, 2001, 2007, 2013, 2019)
ASCA Position
School counselors have specialized training and skills in promoting appropriate student behavior
and preventing disruptive student behavior. School counselors are not disciplinarians but
should be a resource for school personnel in developing individual and schoolwide
discipline procedures. School counselors collaborate with school personnel and other
stakeholders to establish policies encouraging appropriate behavior and maintaining safe schools
where effective teaching and learning can take place.
The Rationale
Disruptive student behavior is one of the most serious, ongoing problems confronting school
systems today (Diliberti, Jackson, & Kemp, 2017). Research suggests such behavior negatively
affects classroom learning and school climate (Kremer, Flower, Huang & Vaughn, 2018). To
establish and maintain safe and respectful learning environments, school systems must employ
adequate mental health personnel and seek effective discipline programs with the commitment
and input of all school personnel, including school counselors (Cowan, Vaillancourt, Rossen &
Pollitt, 2013). To most effectively promote student achievement and development, school
counselors must maintain strength-based relationships with students and, therefore, are not
involved in administering discipline. The school counselor should be, by policy, designated
as a neutral and resourceful consultant, mediator and student advocate.
The School Counselor's Role
School counselors promote positive student behaviors to create a safe, effective learning
environment for all students. It is not the school counselor’s role to mete out punishment but
instead to help create effective behavior change focused on positive, healthy behaviors.
Within multitiered systems of support, school counselors:
Promote wellness and lead prevention efforts to create safe and supportive school environments
Lead individual and small-group counseling that encourages students to make positive behavior
choices and accept responsibility for their actions
Provide school counselor curriculum and contribute to safe classrooms through appropriate
classroom management strategies
Consult with families, teachers, administrators and other school personnel to understand
developmentally appropriate student behavior and promote positive student behavior
Design and implement positive behavior and intervention support plans for individual students in
collaboration with classroom teachers and other school behavior specialists
Collaborate with school stakeholders to develop, implement and maintain a developmentally
appropriate schoolwide discipline program
Serve as a mediator for student/student, student/teacher and student/family conflicts
Coordinate and facilitate programs (mentor, peer support, conflict resolution and anger
management programs) to assist students in developing pro-social behaviors
Provide staff development on classroom management, student behavior and discipline strategies
such as traumasensitive approaches (Reinbergs & Fefer, 2018), restorative practices (Smith,
2017) and emotional regulation of adults and students (Bowers, Lemberger-Truelove, &
Brigman, 2017)
Keep informed of school, district and state policies related to student discipline
Advocate for best practices for schoolwide discipline, including ensuring objective and equitable
disciplinary practices
Summary
School counselors have specialized training and skills in promoting appropriate student behavior
and preventing disruptive student behavior. School counselors maintain nonthreatening
relationships with students to best promote student achievement and development and serve as a
resource for school personnel in developing individual and schoolwide discipline procedures.
School counselors should be, by policy, designated as neutral and resourceful consultants,
mediators and student advocates. It is not the school counselor’s role to serve as an
enforcement agent for the school but rather be a significant contributor to the development
of the prevention and intervention programs through which problem behaviors are
managed and positive behaviors are nurtured.
References
Bowers, H., Lemberger-Truelove, M. E., & Brigman, G. (2017). A social-emotional leadership
framework for school counselors. Professional School Counseling, 21(1b), 1–10.
https://doi.org/10.1177/2156759X18773004
Cowan, K. C., Vaillancourt, K., Rossen, E., & Pollitt, K. (2013). A framework for safe and
successful schools [Brief]. Bethesda, MD: National Association of School Psychologists.
Diliberti, M., Jackson, M., and Kemp, J. (2017). Crime, Violence, Discipline, and Safety in U.S.
Public Schools: Findings from the School Survey on Crime and Safety: 2015–16 (NCES 2017-
122). U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics. Washington, DC.
Retrieved [date] from http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch.
Kremer, K. P., Flower, A., Huang, J., & Vaughn, M. G. (2016). Behavior problems and
children’s academic achievement: A test of growth-curve models with gender and racial
differences. Children & Youth Services Review, 67, 95–104.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2016.06.003
Reinbergs, E. J., & Fefer, S. A. (2018). Addressing trauma in schools: Multitiered service
delivery options for practitioners. Psychology in the Schools, 55(3), 250–263.
https://doi.org/10.1002/pits.22105
Smith, L. C.; Garnett, B. R.; Herbert, A., Grudev, N., Vogel, J., Keefner, W., Barnett, A., Baker,
T. (2017). Professional School Counseling, 21(1), 1-10. doi: 10.1177/2156759X18761899
