International school counselors design and deliver culturally-responsive school counseling programs that improve student outcomes. The professional school counselor serves as a leader, an assertive advocate for students, consultant to families and educators, and collaborator to promote equity and access for all students by connecting their school counseling program to the school’s academic mission and school improvement plan. Upholding the ethical and professional standards and responsibilities, school counselors promote the development of the school counseling program based on the following areas of the International Model: foundation, delivery, management and assessment.
Please use any of the supporting documents below to support your work as a school counselor.
Roles and responsibilities
- School Counselor Performance Appraisal - Use this document with administrators to help your annual evaluation. It is based on the elements of a comprehensive International Model based counseling program.
- Recommended and Not recommended activities for school counselors - Updated Jan 2021
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Sample School Counselor Annual Agreement - Use this document to talk with your administrator about your role and the counseling program. It is comprehensive and lays out all the key elements of the International Model.
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Crosswalking TOOL International Model Content Standards for Students (Personal/Social, Career, Academic, Global Perspective)
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Guidance Counselor vs. School Counselor from ASCA
professional competencies
The ISCA School Counselor Competencies are based on the both the American Counseling Association (ACA) definition and practices as well as the ASCA (American School Counselor Association) standards, and outline the knowledge, attitudes and skills that ensure counselors are equipped to meet the rigorous demands of the profession and the needs of our PreK-12 students.
The adopted ASCA Competencies state that a school counselors should possess the knowledge, abilities, skills and attitudes necessary to plan, organize, implement and evaluate a comprehensive, developmental, results-based school counseling program that aligns with the International Model including the:
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Program Foundation
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Management
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Delivery
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Accountability / Assessment
Download a copy of the Professional Standards and Competencies here.
Code of Ethics
ISCA has adopted the American School Counselor Association's Ethical Standards for School Counselors, 2016. These standards are the tenets of professional responsibility for all school counselors. You can download a copy of these Ethical Standards here.
Becoming a School Counselor
To be employed as a counselor in most international schools, the educational requirements for counselors are similar to the expectations of many private schools in the United States as well as other countries around the world.
Educators employed in international schools must hold at a minimum a bachelor's degree and a teaching certificate, or equivalent. Although it is preferred that school counselors have a Master's degree in school counseling, exceptions are sometimes made by administrators when hiring for a counselor position and many in these positions hold related degrees (i.e. psychology, education, mental health, etc.) Many international school counselors are encouraged and supported by their administration to work towards state, national, or international credentials as a school counselor. For more information on how to get a job as an international school counselor please visit this page: Becoming an International School Counselor