Publication Date

8-2013

Degree Granted

Ed.D

Institution Granting Degree

Argosy University, Phoenix Campus

Keywords

CACREP, Accreditation, Credentialing, School Counseling, Counselor Education, Praxis II

Disciplines

Education | Student Counseling and Personnel Services

Abstract

The age of accountability, evolving from outcome- and standards-based practices, is prevalent in the education, healthcare, and counseling fields. In regards to standards, counselor education is framed by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) for best practices in terms of content knowledge; however the assessment of competence of that knowledge is not easily defined. Furthermore, school counselors are held to the standards of the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) to practice within a certain scope of competence; however, the determination of that level is also not easily or clearly defined. This research sought to investigate credentialing exams and their relationship to competence for school counselors by examining Praxis II: School Guidance and Counseling exam results based on accreditation of participants’ graduate-level school counseling program. This study found no statistically significant effect between accreditation of the participants’ graduate-level school counseling program and results on the Praxis II exam. Likewise, no statistically significant relationship between age, gender, ethnicity, or GPA and Praxis II results was found. Further research, both quantitative and qualitative, should be conducted to investigate the relationship between accreditation and exam results. Last, alignment between counselor education program objectives, standards, and assessment should be strengthened to gain a better grasp on attaining competence.

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