The mission of the AISD Guidance and Counseling Department
To implement a comprehensive developmental guidance and counseling program promoting student success through a focus on academic achievement, prevention and intervention activities, advocacy, and social/emotional and career development.
What is a School Counselor?
The role of the AISD counselors is to help all students at their local campus full develop their academic, career, personal, and social abilities. The counselor is an educator who delivers a comprehensive guidance program in the school as recommended by the Texas Education Agency (TEA).
A Comprehensive Guidance Program consists of four major areas:
- Classroom Guidance--Counselors teach classroom lessons addressing basic life-long skills, identified as essential for academic and personal success.
- Individual Planning--Counselors help student to select appropriate courses, plan for transition (i.e., middle to high school or high school to college), and provide to students and parents information on careers and post secondary education and training.
- Responsive Services--Counselors assist students with an immediate personal concern, a crisis, or a problem that may be affecting their achievement at school.
- System Support--The school system includes many programs designed to support students. Counselors assist in the referral process of students to appropriate support programs and services provided within the school setting and to outside agencies. System support has two components:
- Educating the staff about the Comprehensive Development Guidance and Counseling Program
- Supporting the staff with professional development, consultation and assistance with community outreach.
**This information taken directly from the Austin ISD brochure about the Counseling Department for more detailed information on counselor services, please visit the website at https://www.austinisd.org/schools/learningsupportservices/gc/program-overview.