Colorado School Counselors

Home of the mile-high city, and land of more than 50 fourteeners, (including the distinguished Pikes Peak), Colorado is committed to soaring above the clouds in their school guidance and counseling services.

From 2008 to 2019, Colorado has spent millions to improve their counseling programs, especially for low-income middle and high schools throughout the state. One of their major goals is to re-engage potential high school dropouts and at-risk teens, by motivating them to continue their education and plan for their future.

With support from the Colorado School Counselor Corps grant, Colorado schools have the opportunity to increase the number of school counselors and availability of effective school counseling services. This state-funded initiative has helped more than 1,000 students stay in school and explore future college/career options. This brave initiative is focused primarily on raising the statistics of Colorado students, by helping them pursue higher education and continue with post secondary programs. Not only is this promising for Colorado’s future employment opportunities, it is promising for students all across the state.

What do Colorado school counselors do?

Student engagement and success is at the heart of what Colorado school counselors do. Beyond annual student assessment and college application services, Colorado school guidance counselors are uniquely qualified to address social, behavioral, academic, and career decisions most students face.

Helping students fulfill educational goals and lead fulfilling lives, is the intention behind Colorado’s counselors. Empowering students to become responsible members of society is part of the motivation behind what they do.

Some of the best and brightest educators in Colorado are being drawn to a school counseling career. And the main reason is to break “learning barriers” for all students. Gone are the days when educational curriculum is based on traditional methods that no longer work. Colorado is leading the way for school guidance counselors to play a prominent role in developing new and exciting educational paths.

Here are a few more responsibilities of the Colorado school counselor:

1. Respond to students’ specific needs through individual and group counseling.

2. Facilitate skill-building activities in classroom settings, and work side-by-side with other educators to foster student success.

3. Work closely with parents, teachers and school administrators by keeping the lines of communication open.

4. Study historical and current trends in school counseling so as to remain up-to-date on what is most beneficial to the modern student.

5. Master the ethical and legal aspects of a school’s counseling services in order to remain in line with Colorado state guidelines.

Why should someone consider becoming a school counselor in Colorado?

School counselors in Colorado could be considered “designers” and “managers” of modern developmental programs aimed at helping students acquire adequate skills in social, personal, academic, and career fields. These creative programs are designed to go beyond the norm to reach every student right where they are.

Here are even more great reasons to consider becoming a school counselor in Colorado:

• Recent projections indicate school counseling services will grow over the next few years. Especially as more grant money is dedicated to the Colorado initiative for school counseling, this career field is on track to keep growing and improving.
• Attractive salary rates are drawing more attention to school guidance services in Colorado.
• Opportunities to help low-income and at-risk students re-engage educationally and move toward successful career opportunities are at the heart of their mission.
• Small, focused class sessions afford Colorado school counselors to teach on subjects they are passionate about, such as violence prevention and specialized education and career fields.

If you are a good listener, highly intuitive, and ready to lead the next generation on solid education and career paths, school counseling in Colorado might be the perfect fit! The colorful state of Colorado is a wonderful place to rise to new levels of child advocacy and lead the way up the steep mountain of educational and career success.

Contact schools offering school counseling or mental health counseling programs and learn how you can begin a career as a Colorado School Counselor.

• Capella University Master of Science (MS) in Human Services – School Counseling Specialization – CACREP and State Approved ^**

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