DESE School Counseling & Support Services 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Under ASCA's ethical standards, a school counselor who suspects a student is being abused must first:
- Consult with a supervisor before taking any action
- Report to the appropriate child protective services authority (Correct answer)
- Notify the student's parents before contacting outside agencies
- Document the suspicion and monitor the situation for two weeks
Correct answer: Report to the appropriate child protective services authority
Mandated reporter laws require school counselors to report suspected abuse to child protective services immediately, regardless of parental notification.
Question 2: Which MTSS tier provides intensive, individualized interventions for the approximately 5% of students with the most significant needs?
- Tier 1
- Tier 2
- Tier 3 (Correct answer)
- Tier 4
Correct answer: Tier 3
Tier 3 of the Multi-Tiered System of Supports provides intensive, individualized interventions for students who have not responded adequately to Tier 1 and Tier 2 supports.
Question 3: A school counselor developing a 504 plan accommodation for a student with ADHD should ensure the plan is based primarily on:
- Teacher preference and classroom management style
- The student's documented functional limitations in the school setting (Correct answer)
- Parental requests without regard to educational impact
- The student's diagnosis alone without functional assessment
Correct answer: The student's documented functional limitations in the school setting
Section 504 plans must be based on documented functional limitations that substantially limit a major life activity, including learning, in the school environment.
Question 4: When facilitating a small counseling group for students with anxiety, which practice best supports group cohesion and safety?
- Allowing students to share only positive experiences
- Establishing clear group norms and confidentiality guidelines at the outset (Correct answer)
- Permitting unlimited sharing time without time structure
- Keeping group membership anonymous from other group members
Correct answer: Establishing clear group norms and confidentiality guidelines at the outset
Establishing clear group norms and confidentiality guidelines at the beginning creates the psychological safety necessary for effective group work.
Question 5: In Massachusetts, which document outlines the competencies expected of school counselors and guides professional practice?
- The DESE Educator Evaluation Framework
- The ASCA National Model
- The Massachusetts School Counseling Curriculum Framework (Correct answer)
- The IDEA Implementation Guide
Correct answer: The Massachusetts School Counseling Curriculum Framework
The Massachusetts School Counseling Curriculum Framework outlines the competencies and standards specific to school counselors practicing in Massachusetts.
Question 6: A student discloses plans to harm a specific classmate. The counselor's first priority should be to:
- Maintain confidentiality and schedule a follow-up session
- Assess the seriousness and immediacy of the threat and notify administration (Correct answer)
- Counsel the student on conflict resolution strategies before notifying anyone
- Contact the classmate's parents immediately without informing administration
Correct answer: Assess the seriousness and immediacy of the threat and notify administration
When a student discloses a specific threat to others, the counselor must assess the danger level and immediately notify administration and appropriate authorities to protect potential victims.
Question 7: Which approach to career counseling best aligns with Holland's Theory of Vocational Personalities?
- Matching students to careers based solely on academic grades
- Identifying students' personality types and aligning them with compatible work environments (Correct answer)
- Encouraging all students to pursue the highest-paying careers available
- Focusing exclusively on local job market demand when advising students
Correct answer: Identifying students' personality types and aligning them with compatible work environments
Holland's theory posits that career satisfaction increases when individuals' personality types (RIASEC) are matched with compatible work environments.
DESE School Counseling & Support Services 2
Under ASCA's ethical standards, a school counselor who suspects a student is being abused must first: