November-December,

2014

Volume 4, Issue 2

CGCP News Comprehensive Guidance and Counseling

OSPI Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction

OSPI Staff Change

After 39 years serving as a school counselor, or in advocacy and direct

support of comprehensive guidance and counseling programs, Mike

Hubert has retired effective December 1. Danise Ackelson will be

continuing in her key leadership in support of strong programs that serve

the academic, career and personal/social development needs of all

students in our schools. A new Secondary Education Director should be

in place no later than January 1.

When asked for a parting guidance, Mike offers two thoughts:

1. “Not really knowing what the future will hold, I still believe that setting

your sails to take full advantage of research informed practice, combined

with collaborative, passionately implemented, student-centered

programs, and an unwavering belief that this will make a positive

difference, will bring bright futures to Washington students. May your

work be done with a spirit of service to all students and their families.

2. “I would like to thank Dan Newell, the Assistant Superintendent and

supervisor of my division. It was only through his firm and passionate

commitment to empowering the OSPI voice related to school counseling

that any of the achievements over the past 6+ years of my time could be

possible. He brings great energy and “can-do” spirit to our work. I would

also want to thank Danise for stepping in early in my tenure to share the

same passion for school counselors and their primacy to education

reform. She is truly the state voice of school counselors and my hope is

that you will support her initiatives to strengthen your efforts and

celebrate your successes as counseling programs take center stage.

Finally, and certainly not least, thanks to my administrative assistant,

Laura Moore. She has been the frequent organizer behind the scene,

making sure that our efforts on your behalf were well organized and

presented. Combined with her amazing knowledge of policy history and

statutes, as well as her spirit of service, I could not have asked for more

support.”

600 Washington St. SE * P.O. Box 47200 * Olympia, WA 98504-7200 *

360.725.4967

Staff Change 1

Graduation

Toolkit Update

2

New Resources

for Graduation Requirements

2

Assessment Changes

2-3

SBCTC/COPS Statement on Use of Smarter Balanced

3-4

Transition English & Math Classes

4

NCAA Eligibility

Update

4-5

Equal Access Revisions

5

Career Guidance Award of Excellence

5-6

Allocation Model 6-7

Graduation

Specialist

7

ASCA New

Student Success Standards

7-8

WSCA

Conference

8-10

Dual Credit

Expansion Grant

10-

11

College Bound 11- 15

White House

Convening

15-

16

Tip of Hat to

Shannon Gubser

16-

17

Happy Sailing,

Mike

17

November-December Issue CGCP News Page 2

600 Washington St. SE * P.O. Box 47200 * Olympia, WA 98504-7200 *

360.725.4967

Graduation Toolkit Update

The Graduation in Washington Toolkit has been updated to reflect changes in those

sections related to assessments. Make sure that the version you are using has an

October 2014 revision date. The toolkit can be found at:

http://www.k12.wa.us/graduationrequirements/GraduationToolkit.aspx.

State Board of Education: New resources for

Graduation Requirements

In the 2014 session, the Legislature passed E2SSB 6552 that directed the State

Board of Education (SBE) to adopt rules to implement the Career- and College-

Ready Graduation Requirements which had been adopted in the board resolution of

November 10, 2010, and revised on January 9, 2014, with some modifications. The

Board adopted rules to implement E2SSB 6552 on July 10, 2014.

A 5-minute video, entitled “A Career- and College-Ready Diploma” was posted in

October 2014. It describes the new requirements and is an excellent description for

all school staff to see. http://www.sbe.wa.gov/graduation.php

The NEW application form for a Temporary Waiver from High School Graduation

Requirements under Chapter 217, Laws of 2014 can be found here:

http://www.sbe.wa.gov/graduation.php.

Assessment Changes

OSPI has issued two statewide testing memorandums this fall that are of note to

school counselors and the guidance/support they provide staff, students, and

parents.

1. Memorandum No. 064-14 – English Language Arts 10th Grade Exit Exam for

Classes of 2016-2018

(http://www.k12.wa.us/BulletinsMemos/memoranda2014.aspx)

This notice to school districts, issued on October 23rd, affirms that the computer

adaptive Smarter Balanced ELA test items developed for online testing will be

used for both the 10th grade ELA Exit Exam for graduation, as well as for

accountability with grade 11. The memorandum goes on to share specific

calendar information as well as provide a summary table with concise

information on each cohort’s (classes of 2014 through 2019 and beyond)

assessment graduation requirements under current statutes.

November-December Issue CGCP News Page 3

600 Washington St. SE * P.O. Box 47200 * Olympia, WA 98504-7200 *

360.725.4967

2. Memorandum No. 071-14 – ACT/SAT Science Cut Scores and Locally

Determined Assessment Options for Science

(http://www.k12.wa.us/BulletinsMemos/Memos2014/M071-14.pdf). This

memorandum provides an update on the status of two alternatives by which

students may meet the science assessment requirement.

ACT/SAT Cut score – OSPI recommended a cut score of 16 to the State Board of

Education (SBE). This cutoff was approved by SBE on November 14. Counselors

are reminded that students who choose to use the ACT for purposes of fulfilling

the science graduation requirement may have the test fee waived by using the

fee waiver form found at the following link:

http://k12.wa.us/assessment/Graduation Alternative/pubdocs/1633.pdf (mail-in

registration only).

Locally Determined Assessment – OSPI is developing the associated

documentation and processes to support local efforts to measure student (12th

graders on an IEP) demonstration of knowledge of select science standards,

aligned with the Biology End-of-Course exam. The scheduled release of these

materials is being planned for February, around the beginning of 2nd semester

on most schools. A training webinar will be posted for teacher access in mid-

January. Note: to be eligible, the student must have participated in a previous

high school science assessment, such as the Biology EOC or the science DAPE/

Special, Unavoidable Circumstances Appeals

Students in their senior year who have been unable to demonstrate their skills and

knowledge on the HSPE or other assessment because of special, unavoidable

circumstances may appeal to a High School Certificate Review Board. The definition

of a “special, unavoidable circumstance,” the process for filing an appeal, and the

criteria for granting an appeal, are included in the Special, Unavoidable

Circumstances Appeal Guidelines (PDF)

(http://www.k12.wa.us/assessment/GraduationAlternatives/SpecialCircumstances.a

spx), which defines the terms, explains the process for filing the appeal, as well as

the criteria for granting such a waiver.

SBCTC/COPS Statement regarding the use of Smarter

Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC) for

placement

In September of this year, the Washington State Council of Presidents

(representing Washington’s public baccalaureate institutions) and the State Board

of Community and Technical Colleges, issued a joint statement reflecting an

agreement on how the Smarter Balanced Assessment scores of 11th graders can be

used by their member institutions. In their statement of support for use of the

November-December Issue CGCP News Page 4

600 Washington St. SE * P.O. Box 47200 * Olympia, WA 98504-7200 *

360.725.4967

Smarter Balanced Assessments to evaluate student learning, they include

measuring readiness for entry-level college coursework in mathematics and English

language arts.

“To that end, the six public baccalaureate institutions and the community and

technical college system have agreed to use 11th grade Smarter Balanced

Assessment scores of level 3 or 4 to enroll first-year college students who have

been admitted into entry-level college math and English courses without further

placement testing.”

This statement of support applies to the classes of 2016 through 2018, after which

it will then be renewed or modified, based on the outcomes for students. More

details can be found at http://www.sbctc.edu/documents/Smarter-balanced-final-

approved-10.6.2014.pdf.

Transition English and Math classes

As part of the joint agreement between the Washington State Council of Presidents

and the State Board of Community and Technical Colleges, SBCTC has partnered

with OSPI in developing Bridge to College courses (aka transition courses) in math

and English for students who do not score at a college-ready level (3 or 4) on the

Smarter Balanced Assessments. These courses are designed to assist high school

seniors in acquiring the specific skills in math and English that can get them “over

the hump” and thereby avoid remediation and placement testing when they enter

college. Developed with the end in mind, these courses are aligned between K-12

standards and those for entry-level college courses. More details can be found at

http://www.sbctc.ctc.edu/college/education/smarter_balanced_brief_oct2014.pdf.

Although the courses are designed for SBAC level 2 students mainly, and level 1

students may require different and more intensive interventions in the senior year,

there is nothing to prohibit small districts from including level 1 students in such

courses, if they believe that the students are sufficiently motivated, and minimum

course enrollments are a factor.

OSPI will be intensifying efforts to communicate to school counselors over the next

several months as student guidance related to these courses should serve to

enhance student access to postsecondary education. OSPI’s Teaching and Learning

division has submitted to present on this topic at the WSCA annual conference in

February.

NCAA Eligibility Update

The NCAA supports communications to school counselors and administrators

through their NCAA Eligibility Center High School Portal which can be found at

https://web1.ncaa.org/hsportal/exec/homeAction. This is a complimentary

subscription which will keep school counselors up-to-date related to NCAA eligibility

guidelines for student athletes. Within the November issue you can find links to the

November-December Issue CGCP News Page 5

600 Washington St. SE * P.O. Box 47200 * Olympia, WA 98504-7200 *

360.725.4967

Guide for College-Bound Student Athlete, a link to a high school survey to seek

feedback designed to improve their services and communications with the high

schools, as new information on the changes to Division I academic requirements

starting with the Class of 2016.

Equal Access WAC revisions

Effective December 19th, revised rules go into effect that impact guidance and

counseling programs as they relate to course and program enrollment, access to

course offerings, as well as responsibilities related to preventing as well as addressing

harassment, intimidation, and bullying.

Schools are now required to include tests and appraisals, career and vocational

guidance materials, work/study programs and educational scheduling or placement in

their assessment. A prompt response as to whether substantial disproportionality

exists and it’s response to ensure that disproportionality is not the result of

discrimination is also required.

For more information on the revise rules, go to

http://www.k12.wa.us/equity/Rules.aspx.

Career Guidance Award of Excellence

The Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction is inviting public middle and high

schools to apply for The Career Guidance Award of Excellence. The award will

recognize schools that demonstrate outstanding high standards for development of

school-wide college and career readiness specifically related to career guidance as a

part of their comprehensive guidance and counseling program. Applications are due

January 22, 2015. Schools will be notified in late January, with an award ceremony

in early March, 2015.

What is the Career Guidance Award of Excellence?

Awards for career guidance will be selected from public middle and high schools

to honor schools with superb career guidance programs. Common

characteristics for schools designated for the Career Guidance Award of

Excellence include:

Serves all students and is a school-wide program

Connects with other school-wide initiatives

Data shows increase in college ready transcripts, increase in rigor,

program sustainability, decrease in college remediation rates, increase

in college persistence

Program structure connected to Comprehensive Guidance and

Counseling Program (CGCP) as described in RCW 28A.600.045

Aligned with American School Counselor (ASCA) National Standards

Develops a High School & Beyond Plan/Portfolio for every student

Distributive Leadership from administration, counselors, and lead teachers

November-December Issue CGCP News Page 6

600 Washington St. SE * P.O. Box 47200 * Olympia, WA 98504-7200 *

360.725.4967

Utilizes Career Guidance Washington curriculum

Selection Priorities for schools:

All staff involved in an Advisory or similar program to disseminate

information and teach college & career readiness

Students and staff cultivate positive relationships with personal connections

Program builds a cohesive school culture for college and career readiness

Data shows that student-led conferences worthwhile and parent engagement

has increased

Through interconnected key elements, the career guidance program engages

the entire school

o Career Guidance WA Curriculum delivered to all students

o Student planning portfolios for development of the High School and

Beyond Plan starts in middle school

o Student-led conferences held each year with parents

o Student-informed scheduling connected to student course selection and registration process

o Ongoing evaluation of outcomes to measure program success

o Program has the foundations of Program Management and Leadership

Guidance & Counseling Programs

Application and support documents can be found at

http://www.k12.wa.us/SecondaryEducation/CareerCollegeReadiness/CGAwards.asp

x.

Allocation Model

Over the past couple of years, we have had the good fortune to report to secondary

school counselors, improvements in the allocation for their positions, based upon

legislative actions, and informed by the earlier recommendations of the Quality

Education Council. With the sharing of that information, we have also defined what

an allocation is, and the primacy of local school districts and their school boards in

determining how such allocations would be utilized (local control). We have shared

such information to illustrate how the legislature and governor assign significant

importance to the role of guidance and counseling in education. We continue to

hope that this information has led to greater confidence in sharing your program

successes with your school and district leadership, and not as we have cautioned,

to use this prototypical school staffing allocation formula news to initiate

conversations that begin with, “you get the money, hire more counselors.” The

financing of schools is a very complex set of decisions, and not everything funded

by state dollars is enough to create a fully funded position. The strength of school

counseling is that we can demonstrate how our efforts can positively impact career

and college readiness in our students. We urge you to share such efforts. It is our

OSPI guidance and counseling program belief that, as you increasingly demonstrate

November-December Issue CGCP News Page 7

600 Washington St. SE * P.O. Box 47200 * Olympia, WA 98504-7200 *

360.725.4967

that you are making a difference, others will more readily assign greater priority to

the allocation of both state and local dollars to the work.

Graduation Specialists

There are many reasons some students don’t complete high school or perform at a

level equal to his or her classmates. All students need support to achieve these

important goals—and some need more help than others. Student success requires

high levels of collaboration between educators, community resources, the student,

and his/her family. One way to implement this team approach is through the use of

“graduation coaches.”

Although the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) does not specifically

take a position on use of graduation coaches, it does recognize that the inclusion of

such individuals within a school counseling program can be an important element in

schools seeking solutions to addressing student engagement. In the ASCA position

statement, The Professional School Counselor and the Use of Non-School Counseling

– Credentialed Personnel (adopted in 1994, revised in 2012), the organization

asserts that the use of non-school counseling personnel may provide valuable

services to students, but that such services must be clearly defined, based on the

individual’s training and skills, and delivered collaboratively within the context of a

Comprehensive Guidance and Counseling Program (CGCP)

(https://www.schoolcounselor.org/asca/media/asca/PositionStatements/PS_Non-

School-Counseling-Credentialed.pdf).

Graduation coaches work with school counselors, as a part of the CGCP team, to

ensure that all students have the support they need to graduate and transition into

postsecondary education and life, and that students who need targeted support get

it.

In 2013, OSPI prepared and released a model policy that defines the skill sets and

responsibilities that would shape the role and responsibilities of a graduation coach

within a Comprehensive Guidance and Counseling Program (CGCP). It can be found

at http://www.k12.wa.us/LegisGov/2013documents/ModelGradCoachesPolicy.pdf

American School Counselor

Association (ASCA): New Student

Success Standards

http://www.schoolcounselor.org/asca/media/asca/home/MindsetsBehaviors.pdf

The ASCA Mindsets & Behaviors for Student Success: K-12 College- and

Career Readiness for Every Student describe the knowledge, skills and attitudes

students need to achieve academic success, college and career readiness and

social/emotional development.

November-December Issue CGCP News Page 8

600 Washington St. SE * P.O. Box 47200 * Olympia, WA 98504-7200 *

360.725.4967

The standards are based on a survey of research and best practices in student

achievement from a wide array of educational standards and efforts. These

standards are the next generation of the ASCA National Standards for Students,

which were first published in 1997. The 35 mindset and behavior standards identify

and prioritize the specific attitudes, knowledge and skills students should be able to

demonstrate as a result of a school counseling program. School counselors use the

standards to assess student growth and development, guide the development of

strategies and activities and create a program that helps students achieve their

highest potential. The ASCA Mindsets & Behaviors can be aligned with initiatives at

the district, state and national to reflect the district’s local priorities.

To operationalize the standards, school counselors select competencies that align

with the specific standards and become the foundation for classroom lessons, small

groups and activities addressing student developmental needs. The competencies

directly reflect the vision, mission, and goals of the comprehensive school

counseling program and align with the school’s academic mission.

Research-Based Standards: The ASCA Mindsets & Behaviors are based on a review

of research and college- and career-readiness documents created by a variety of

organizations that have identified strategies making an impact on student

achievement and academic performance. The ASCA Mindsets & Behaviors are

organized based on the framework of non-cognitive factors presented in the critical

literature review “Teaching Adolescents to Become Learners” conducted by the

University of Chicago Consortium on Chicago School Research (2012). This

literature review recognizes that content knowledge and academic skills are only

part of the equation for student success. “School performance is a complex

phenomenon, shaped by a wide variety of factors intrinsic to students and the

external environment.” (University of Chicago, 2012, p. 2). The ASCA Mindsets &

Behaviors are based on the evidence of the importance of these factors.

2015 Washington School Counselor Association Conference "Vision, Focus, Change, Rejuvenate”

Date: February 24th - 27th, 2015

The Doubletree Hotel and Conference Center,

18740 International Blvd, Seattle, WA. 98188

Registration can be found at: http://www.wa-schoolcounselor.org

Thursday Morning Keynote—Trish Hatch

Trish Hatch, PhD, is the author of The Use of Data in School Counseling: Hatching

Results for Students, Programs and the Profession (2014); co-author of the ASCA

National Model: A Framework for School Counseling Programs (ASCA, 2003; 2005)

and co-author of Evidence-Based Practice in School Counseling: Making a Difference

with Data-Driven Practices (Dimmit, Carey & Hatch, 2007). Dr. Hatch is the Director

of the School Counseling Program and Associate Professor at San Diego

November-December Issue CGCP News Page 9

600 Washington St. SE * P.O. Box 47200 * Olympia, WA 98504-7200 *

360.725.4967

State University and the Executive Director of the Center for Excellence in School

Counseling and Leadership (CESCaL), in the College of Education at SDSU. A former

school counselor and administrator, Dr. Hatch has served in multiple leadership roles

including Supervisor/Postsecondary-Level Vice President of the American School

Counselor Association (ASCA). Dr. Hatch provides training and consulting on

evidenced-based practice, the use of data to improve outcomes for students,

programs and the profession.

Thursday Featured Speaker—Eric Sparks, Ed.D. Assistant Director, American

School Counselor Association

The ASCA Student Standards have guided school counselors’ practice for many years.

But student developmental needs are always changing, and ASCA’s standards have

been updated based on the latest research and best practice to enhance student

achievement and promote college and career readiness. The ASCA Mindsets &

Behaviors for Student Success: K-12 College- and Career-Readiness Standards for

Every Student describe the knowledge, skills and attitudes that students need to

achieve academic success, college and career readiness, and social/emotional

development. The standards are based on a survey of research and best practices in

student achievement from a wide array of educational standards and efforts. Come to

this session to learn all about the revised ASCA Student Standards.

Friday Morning Keynote—Jermaine Galloway

Officer Jermaine Galloway has been an Idaho law enforcement officer since 1997 and

has more than 11 years of experience in underage drinking and drug and alcohol

enforcement. Officer Galloway has worked several different assignments, including

crime scene investigation (CSI), DUI task force, officer mentoring, and as a field

training officer. After playing Division I basketball, Jermaine received his BA from the

University of San Francisco. Jermaine is currently an adjunct instructor at NNU

(Northwest Nazarene University). Jermaine has coordinated and led thousands of

alcohol-related initiatives. Jermaine is also an Idaho POST certified instructor in

alcohol beverage laws, drug identification, community policing, and hate & bias

crimes. He currently provides nationwide training to police officers, prevention

personnel, educators, counselors, parents, treatment providers, health professionals

and community, coalition members on alcohol and drug trends, drug identifiers, drug

clothing, party patrols, party drugs, Fake ID's, drug concealment, alcohol and energy

drinks, drug logos, synthetic drugs, drug concentrates, non- traditional ways of

alcohol consumption, cough medicine abuse, alcohol laws, drug stash compartments,

popular culture music, and other community based alcohol and drug initiatives.

Currently, Galloway has trained over 50,000 people nationwide and internationally.

November-December Issue CGCP News Page 10

600 Washington St. SE * P.O. Box 47200 * Olympia, WA 98504-7200 *

360.725.4967

Pre Conference: Tuesday February 24th 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

School Counselor Supervision Dr. Cher Edwards

Wednesday February 25th 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

9-noon or 1-4 pm. Networks for Life—This class fulfills the state requirement for

suicide prevention training.

Enhancing Intrinsic Motivation to Change and Achieve—Dr. Kathy Biles, Ph.D., N.C.C

and Dr. Gene Eakin, Ph.D

Mandated Reporters—Dr. Cher Edwards

Working with Students with disabilities: How to navigate Special Ed and Section 504

to deliver effective strategies—Rebecca Ballbach and Jan Bakken, Special Ed. Director

in Everett Public Schools

More information is on the WSCA website www.wa-schoolcounselor.org.

Academic Acceleration: Dual Credit Capacity Expansion Competitive Grant One last round of grants is being offered for school districts to apply for the Dual

Credit Capacity Expansion competitive grants. RCWs 28A.320.195 and 196 assert the

importance of making dual high school and college credit courses available for

students, as well as a desire that more be done to promote academic acceleration for

all students, including the elimination of barriers, real or perceived.

To be eligible for this grant, a school district must have adopted an academic acceleration policy as outlined in RCW 28A.320.195. The school board must enact a

policy where students, who meet the state standard on the high school assessment, are automatically enrolled in the next most rigorous advanced course offered by the high school. Students who are successful in that course are then automatically

enrolled in the next most rigorous course, with the objective that these students will eventually be enrolled in dual credit courses. The subject of the course depends on

the area of the state assessment in which standard was met. Students must pass end-of-course tests in either Algebra I (Integrated Math I) or Geometry (Integrated Math 2) to meet the standard in mathematics. Students who meet the standard in

reading and writing qualify for advanced English, Social Studies, Humanities, and other related courses. Under this adopted policy, school districts must notify students

and parents about the policy, and must provide parents an opportunity to opt out and enroll the students in alternative courses. Schools who have already been awarded Dual Credit Expansion competitive grants in either of the 2013–14 grant cycles or in

the first two rounds awarded through this summer, are not eligible for a second grant. These grant funds can be used for all dual credit programs (except Running

Start) that include AP and IB.

Application Process: School districts, working with their high schools, may apply

through OSPI’s iGrants Package #661–Dual Credit Capacity Expansion competitive

grants. Awards will range between $1,900 to $10,000 per high school, depending

November-December Issue CGCP News Page 11

600 Washington St. SE * P.O. Box 47200 * Olympia, WA 98504-7200 *

360.725.4967

on student enrollment. The application in iGrants will open on Thursday, January 8,

2015.

Due Date: Applications must be submitted by the school district on behalf of all schools interested in Dual Credit Capacity Expansion grant funding. Applications must

be completed by 5:00 p.m., Thursday, February 5, 2015.

College Bound Scholarship News and Information

From Washington Student Achievement Council (WSAC) Beth Ahlstrom,

betha@wsac.wa.gov.

In our upcoming webinars, we will describe the highlights of the MS Toolbox including

how to access the portal, use the new upload feature, print Missing Information

Letters (MILs) and track your sign ups. You will be able to ask questions live during

the webinar and get answers immediately. Instructions to participate will be sent via

the counselor Listserv. We will host a webinar in January, so watch for the date.

Ninety-four (94) districts signed-up 90 percent or more, and of those, 69

signed up 100 percent of their students!

Sixty-three percent (63%) of this year’s 8th graders (last year’s 7th graders)

are already signed-up.

Since the program began in 2007, there has been a 32 percent increase in

sign-up numbers.

November-December Issue CGCP News Page 12

600 Washington St. SE * P.O. Box 47200 * Olympia, WA 98504-7200 *

360.725.4967

Overall, 185,600 students have applied.

There are now three College Bound Listservs: two for students (9th graders and 12th

graders) and one for K-12 staff and partners. The messages are short and

informative, and you can always opt out later. This is the best way for us to stay in

touch with you and the students. Consider joining the student ones, too. That way

you will know what we send the students and you can help us reinforce the

messages! To sign-up for any or all of these, please visit www.collegebound.wa.gov.

Following up with the students: A complete application must have two signatures

(parent/guardian and student), have an income box checked, and be submitted to us

by June 30 of the student’s eighth grade year.

This is how we work with you to ensure that we have complete applications by the

June 30 deadline:

1. Every other month, beginning in October, we will send you a batch of MILs

(Missing Information Letters) and ask you to give them to students who have

incomplete applications. You may:

a. Collect them from the students and forward them to us (preferable); or

b. Ask the families to send them directly to us.

2. In addition to the MILs we send you, we also send three letters to the

families/students notifying them that their applications are incomplete and

provide instructions about what they must do.

3. Students with complete applications are sent a College Bound certificate and

magnet (usually within four to six weeks).

4. Students who fail to submit complete applications by the deadline are

notified that they are ineligible to receive the scholarship.

5. Finally, if a family believes there has been a mistake, there is an appeals

process.

Out with the old and in with the new: Each spring the USDA publishes income

eligibility requirements for the free and reduced-price lunch (FRPL) program. These

income guidelines are one of the ways eligibility is determined for College Bound.

Therefore, all materials—including applications—may only be used for the academic

year specified. If a student submits a previous year’s application, it will be considered

invalid. Please toss old brochures, posters, and applications.

Paper applications: Beginning this year, the Word version of the application, which

some schools have used to mail merge their FRPL list, is no longer available.

Instead, schools may use the upload feature in the MS Toolbox to input the names of

their FRPL students. This change was made because of the size and continual growth

of the program. For more information on how to upload names, attend one of the

webinars listed above.

November-December Issue CGCP News Page 13

600 Washington St. SE * P.O. Box 47200 * Olympia, WA 98504-7200 *

360.725.4967

Portal access: Gaining access to the WSAC’s secure portal is your most important

sign-up tool. The portal is where you can track your CBS students and monitor your

sign-up rates. The process is as easy as 1, 2, 3.

1. Email collegebound@wsac.wa.gov; use PORTAL ACCOUNT in the subject line

and provide your name, phone number, title, and the schools that you serve.

2. Activate! You will receive an activation email from WSAC. You must activate

your account within 48 hours or the link will expire.

3. Bookmark https://fortress.wa.gov/wsac/portal/default.aspx for future access

to your students’ names.

Correspondence: In early spring, superintendents and principals receive letters and

reports from CBS notifying them of their sign-up numbers. Then in late spring,

districts and schools that have sign-up rates lower than the state average receive

another letter and report alerting them to their low numbers.

Ordering materials: Free materials—brochures and posters (English and Spanish),

pencils, and window clings (new this year)—may be ordered by emailing

collegebound@wsac.wa.gov. Please allow two weeks for delivery.

Questions, comments, concerns: We want to hear from you! Email us at

collegebound@wsac.wa.gov or call 888-535-0747. We administer the program, but

it works because of you. Let us know what’s working and what’s not.

One-stop college information website: Whether you are a counselor, teacher,

parent or student, visit www.ReadySetGrad.org for the latest on financial aid,

academic preparation, scholarships, and more.

Keeping your student lists current:

1. Four times per year, students with new, complete applications on file with

WSAC will be matched with OSPI.

2. Then, after the initial match, there will be weekly matches with OSPI to

update student enrollment information. Remember that the accuracy of this

match depends on how quickly districts update their student information with

OSPI.

3. Finally, once students have been matched with OSPI, College Bound staff

cannot override the last reported school.

Middle School Specifics: Middle schools will receive a welcome packet from WSAC

with a sample of our College Bound materials and a News and Information sheet with important updates about signing up students for 2014-15. The packet is

addressed to "Counselor," so if does not reach you, please email us at collegebound@wsac.wa.gov and one will be forwarded to you.

High School FAFSA Events: The dates and locations of the 2015 College Goal

Washington FAFSA completion events are posted at online at www.readysetgrad.org/educators/grad/college-goal. It's not too early to remind your College Bound seniors that they should file the FAFSA by the February 1,

2015, priority filing date even if their parents haven't filed their taxes or they

November-December Issue CGCP News Page 14

600 Washington St. SE * P.O. Box 47200 * Olympia, WA 98504-7200 *

360.725.4967

haven't been accepted to college. For a list of the FAFSA priority filing dates for all Washington institutions visit

www.wfaa.org/docs/students/FinancialAidDeadlines.pdf.

A recent AP article about College Bound: www.seattlepi.com/news/article/Public-

college-enrollment-up-in-Washington-state-5838124.php

Counselor resources available on the Washington Financial Aid Association's website

under Resources and Outreach: www.wfaa.org

American College Application Campaign

The American College Application Campaign® (ACAC), a national initiative

administered by the Washington Student Achievement Council, is designed to

increase the number of first-generation and low-income students who pursue a

postsecondary education. The purpose is to assist high school seniors as they

navigate the college admissions process and ensure each participating student

submits at least one admissions application.

This initiative seeks to address income inequality, a critical need for the state.

Increasing the number of low-income students who apply and then earn a college

credential can reverse the cycle of poverty, reduce the strain on social services, and

advance opportunities for economic prosperity in Washington.

More information about the American College Application Campaign can be found

here. If your school is interested in participating in ACAC/CGW, please contact Anna

Batie, Program Associate, annab@wsac.wa.gov, 360.753.7856.

College Goal Washington

College Goal Washington is part of a national program that helps students and

families complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), the form

required to apply for federal financial assistance for higher education. The

Washington Student Achievement Council, in partnership with USA Funds, is the

lead agency in administering the College Goal Washington campaign. College Goal

Washington aims to reduce the barriers students face in paying for college. This

annual event takes place at numerous locations statewide. College Goal Washington

is an entirely volunteer-driven event.

Annual events take place in January and February. Attendees receive assistance on

completing an initial FAFSA submission and guidance on next steps in the financial

aid application process. At College Goal Washington events, students and families

can utilize the expertise of financial aid counselors through the FAFSA filing process.

The goals of the program are the following:

Increase the number of students that complete the FAFSA.

Ensure College Bound scholars file by the February 1 priority deadline.

Provide information on the entire federal financial aid process.

Connect with other state college access campaigns.

Provide students with information on TheWashboard.org.

November-December Issue CGCP News Page 15

600 Washington St. SE * P.O. Box 47200 * Olympia, WA 98504-7200 *

360.725.4967

If you are interested in participating in the campaign, please contact Anna Batie at

annab@wsac.wa.gov. For more information about the national events, please

follow this link: http://www.collegegoalsundayusa.org/Pages/default.aspx.

White House Convening for School

Counselors for Reach Higher Initiative

When more about 130 experts in school counseling gathered this summer for a summit

at Harvard University, there was talk about how to strengthen the role of counselors in helping more students go to college. In mid- November more than 350 people gathered

at San Diego State University to map out action plans for their states to meet that goal. Both events were sponsored by the White House and Michelle Obama's Reach Higher Initiative. They were part of the Obama administration's broader agenda to improve

college access and completion for students, particularly those from disadvantage backgrounds where no one else in their family has attended college. "There was energy

in the room to work on this together," said Trish Hatch, who organized the White House convening in San Diego, along with Laura Owen, Assistant Professor in the school counseling program at SDSU.

The first lady has indicated she will continue to promote school counseling after the

Obamas leave office, bolstering the commitments of participants gathered from 32

states, added Hatch, an associate professor and director of the SDSU department of

school counseling. Teams who came to the invitation-only event November 17-18,

discussed plans to modify school policies, provide professional development,

leverage student data, change school counselor training curriculum, and other

initiatives aimed at better preparing school counselors to do college advising, said

Hatch, who participated in an Education Week webinar last month on positioning

school counselors to be game changers in college access. A team from Washington

State included Dr. Diana Gruman, Sharon Camblin, Becky Ballach, Jeanne Willard,

Yolanda Watson, Heidi Morton, Michelle Nilsen, Keith Schacht, Aramis Johnson, and

Jennifer Brown.

Some of the work will require funding, but much can be done by changing the

language of school policies to include counselors or reforming curriculum so

counselors know how to best reach out to disadvantaged students and introduce

them to the possibility of college. "The Harvard event generated interest and put

ideas out there. San Diego moved from ideas to action plans," said Mandy Savitz-

Romer, who led the meeting at the Harvard Graduate School of Education in July.

David Hawkins, director of public policy and research at the National Association for

College Admission Counseling, said the administration has highlighted the need for

standards for pre-service and in-service training to improve college-readiness

counseling. "What this event did, with the first lady as the catalyst, is activated that

nerve center in a way that people from disparate parts of the country saw that

other people were working on the same problem," said Hawkins.

November-December Issue CGCP News Page 16

600 Washington St. SE * P.O. Box 47200 * Olympia, WA 98504-7200 *

360.725.4967

A website created for the San Diego event includes details of the commitments

made by participants to advance the school counseling agenda. Some school

districts pledged to hire more counselors, expand completion of federal financial aid

applications, and improve access to enrollment in college-level courses in high

school. Others plan to develop certificate programs in college advising for

counselors and host training conferences on college- and career-readiness.

Outcomes of the Reach Higher Initiative

Committed leaders and commitment makers in the process of creating systemic

change in one or more of the following areas:

Designing or revising school counselor preparation at higher ed to ensure

adequate preparation standards for school counselors in college career

readiness (CCR)

Developing, improving, and sustaining partnerships between university

training programs and K-12 school districts to ensure field site placements

and activities during fieldwork and training for site supervisors and

administrators align with new requirements in CCR

Writing and implementing minimum credentialing/certificate standards for all

who participate in CCR activities (university training programs, K-12 school

districts, college access staff, and not-for-profit, non-college access groups).

Supporting professional development in districts for school counselors and

CCR service providers ensuring a collaborative scaffolding of agreed upon

roles and services

Creating policies, practices, and procedures that support hiring, supervision,

and placement of appropriately trained/certificated/licensed CCR service

providers ensuring responsibilities are tied to training (job descriptions,

evaluation tools, etc.)

Providing opportunities to develop strategic partnerships with donors,

funders, and researchers interested in evaluating or supporting any or all of

this work, promoting new systemic change models, and discovering evidence

based practices to support school counselors and the students they serve.

Tip of the Hat to Shannon Gubser Article

Kudos to Shannon Gubser, the WSCA 2014 Elementary School Counselor of the Year,

currently serving as an elementary school counselor at Lackamas Elementary in the

Yelm Community Schools District. Shannon and her co-author Kurt Fourre (the

principal at Lackamas) were published in the fall 2014 issue of the Association of

Washington School Principal magazine.

The article, entitled “The Principal-Counselor Relationship: A Customer Service

Model,” talks about strategies that have proven effective in working together for the

“betterment of our school’s academic and climate aspirations.” Designed to engage

school principals, Shannon and Kurt tie their successful efforts to both AWSP

Leadership Framework Criterion (2.2: Ensuring social, emotional and intellectual

November-December Issue CGCP News Page 17

600 Washington St. SE * P.O. Box 47200 * Olympia, WA 98504-7200 *

360.725.4967

safety and 8.1: Identifying barriers to achievement) and to a foundational belief

system “What is best for the student?”

Thanks to Shannon and Kurt for their advocacy. Their efforts will inform principals

statewide, making a positive difference in the lives of our students.

Happy Sailing, Mike

As you know Mike Hubert has retired after 39 years of

serving students in the state of Washington.

He served as a counselor in the Yakima Valley before moving

to Bremerton High School. Starting in 2007, Mike served as a

consultant with the Navigation 101 program. He joined

OSPI in August 2008, eventually becoming program supervisor for Navigation 101,

and ending as Director of Guidance and Counseling, which eventually transformed

into work with all of Secondary Education.

Mike was the resident expert on all subjects dealing with secondary education from

Running Start to Dual Credit to Assessment and everywhere in between. His

willingness to help students has been a hallmark of Mike’s work. Mike has been a

mentor, coach, and friend to the program supervisors and staff of the Guidance &

Counseling Section of Secondary Education & Student Support.

Over the years he has been active in the American School Counselors Association

(ASCA) and involved with the Washington School Counselors Association (WSCA).

He served on a myriad of committees within the agency and with other state

agencies, too many to list here.

To say that his expertise and knowledge, as well as the man himself, will be missed

by those of us who worked directly with him or served with him on various

committees and projects is an understatement.

There are sailing trips and two “across the ocean” trips in his future. But we

wouldn’t be surprised if, at some point, Mike is back helping students.

So again we want to say “Happy sailing, Mike—fair winds always.”