NOSCA
Connecting counselors with the tools to help students enroll and succeed in college
The College Board's National Office for School Counselor Advocacy (NOSCA) promotes the value of school counselors as leaders in advancing school reform and student achievement. NOSCA operates out of the College Board's Washington, DC office.
NOSCA vision 
Every student exits high school with the educational preparation and social capital necessary for college success and full participation in a democratic society.
NOSCA mission
Endorse and institutionalize school counseling practice that advocates for equitable educational access and rigorous academic preparation necessary for college readiness for all students.
NOSCA beliefs
School counselors are critical school-based professionals who have significant impact on children's futures and are essential to their attainment of meaningful future career options and high-quality life circumstances.
School counselors are leaders and advocates who:
- Profoundly influence the academic achievement, aspirations, decisions, and future plans of all students.
- Commit to equitable results for all students.
- Cultivate environments for nurturing high aspirations and academic achievement for all students.
- Take risks and advocate to create systemic change for all students.
- Develop programs and services with targeted goals and measurable objectives to improve achievement for all students.
- Value the unique gifts and differences of all students.
- Subscribe to life-long learning and reflective practices that ensure equitable engagement of diverse student populations.
School counselor outreach
NOSCA works with pre-service training programs and K-12 schools and systems to:
- Build capacity of school counselor leaders and practicing school counselors to contribute to major district-wide goals for student achievement.
- Transform district-wide school counseling programs and practices
- Help districts define, structure, and implement strategies for counselors' roles in advancing the academic agenda so greater numbers of students graduate college ready/work ready
- Establish a framework for accountability for transformed work that can be expressed in measurable outcomes.
National Conference & Advocacy Awards
NOSCA National Conference: Destination Equity
NOSCA's third national conference will be held on April 16–18, 2010 in Nashville, Tennessee. Join NOSCA and other school counseling professionals and educators to get a national perspective on the impact of school counselors on equity in education and education reform in the twenty-first century.
Register online now.
National NOSCA Advocacy Awards
Three awards are presented annually in recognition of exemplary advocacy efforts by school counseling professionals that result in positive outcomes for underrepresented populations.
Public voice
NOSCA has undertaken a number of projects to advocate greater support and understanding of the value of school counselors as critical players in 21st century school reform:
- A collaboration with American School Counselor Association (ASCA) and National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) to promote widespread understanding of the vital role of the counselor and principal relationship in advancing academic achievement.
- A brief that provides a synthesis of the latest research and best thinking on creating a college-going culture for all students.
- Research identifying effective counselor practices in Inspiration Award Schools.
- Two-part initiative including an online survey administered to more than 2300 principals, assistant principals, and school counselors, and a companion brief highlighting the practices of seven highly effective principal-counselor teams. Read more and watch the video about this initiative.
Collaborations
NOSCA is working with the NASSP, ASCA, the Education Trust, and the University of Maryland to promote awareness of the role of the school counselor in advancing educational reform and academic achievement.
Research
NOSCA is working in collaboration with the University of Maryland to conduct research examining the influence and impact of school counselor programs and activities on the college preparedness of low-income, minority, and urban high school students. The objective of the three-year longitudinal study is to identify school counseling program and counselor characteristics related to increased rates of college preparedness and college-going in urban high schools.
Get involved
NOSCA invites you to share your thoughts, ideas, feedback, and suggestions. For more information on how you can get involved in school counselor advocacy, email Guidance@collegeboard.org.
