Per the Houston ISD counseling department's website, a comprehensive developmental counseling program is established in all HISD schools. School counselors work collaboratively with school staff, students, parents, and communities to design a developmental counseling program that includes a guidance curriculum, responsive services, individual planning, and system supports. Our primary goal as a department is to support the social, emotional, career and academic growth and development for all students in Houston ISD. Services are delivered through four components:
- Guidance Curriculum- planning curriculum and implementation process for delivering units of instruction that may include but are not limited to: classroom instruction, small-group discussions, parent presentations/workshops, school wide-assemblies, and collaborative activities with the campus community.
- Responsive Services- actions that address immediate needs or concerns of a student that may include:consultation, referrals to agencies, individual and/or small group counseling, crisis counseling, or peer support.
- Individual Planning- coordinates a systematic approach to promoting competency in academic, career, social and personal goals for the individual student.
- System Supports- manage the implementation of the school counseling program through professional development, consultation/collaboration, program review, partnerships, advocacy, data analysis and other supports within the educational system.