Culturally Proficient Collaboration: Use and Misuse of School Counselors

Optimize school counselors and raise your school′s cultural competence

The authors make a compelling case for recognizing professional school counselors as leaders of 21st-century change rather than "gatekeepers" of the status quo. Today′s school leaders need to acknowledge counselors′ value in the necessary work of providing equitable resources and opportunities for children in today′s multicultural environment. Aligned with the American School Counseling Association National Model for school counseling programs, Culturally Proficient Collaboration provides a conceptual framework and practical protocols for utilizing school counselors as:

• Change agents for school improvement
• Creators of results-based programs
• Advocates for equity among demographic groups

Included are case stories and reflective activities for building educators′ skills in serving as leaders, advocates, collaborators, and systemic-change agents. Readers will find a clearly outlined path for empowering counselors to transform your leadership team and your school for the benefit of all students.

Diana L. Stephens, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor and the Coordinator of the School Counseling PPS Credential Program in the Graduate School of Education at California Lutheran University. She serves on the President’s Diversity Council and is a member of the Faculty Inclusivity Task-Group. She is a certified Family Life Educator and a Resiliency Trainer. Her collaborative work in K-12 schools and as a counselor-educator in higher education is preceded by her experience in clinical counseling, administration, and consultation in the non-profit sector. Throughout her career, she has been involved in issues of diversity, cultural inclusion, and social justice. She serves as a consultant in educational and organizational communities, conducts professional development workshops, and facilitates collaborative partnerships in co-co-creating culturally inclusive environments. She is guided by the belief that understanding diverse perspectives and honoring the cultural heritage of all humankind is essential in achieving personal and organizational success.

Randall B. Lindsey is Emeritus Professor at California State University, Los Angeles. He has served as a teacher, an administrator, executive director of a non-profit corporation, as Interim Dean at California Lutheran University, as Distinguished Educator in Residence at Pepperdine University, and as Chair of the Education Department at the University of Redlands. All of Randy’s experiences have been in working with diverse populations and his area of study is the behavior of white people in multicultural settings. His Ph.D. is in Educational Leadership from Georgia State University, his Master of Arts in Teaching is in History Education from the University of Illinois, and his B.S. in Social Science Education is from Western Illinois University. He has served as a junior high school and high school teacher and as an administrator in charge of school desegregation efforts. At Cal State, L.A. he served as Chair of the Division of Administration and Counseling and as Director of the Regional Assistance Centers for Educational Equity, a regional race desegregation assistance center. With co-authors he has written several books and articles on applying the Cultural Proficiency Framework in various contexts.

Email – randallblindsey@gmail.com
Website - CCPEP.org
Twitter - @RBLindsey41