Analysis
Conducting an Initial Time on Task Analysis
The Use of Time Calculator is an electronic survey of the school counselor’s time spent on performing the tasks in the Service as it currently exists. The results of this initial analysis will provide baseline data for comparing the time on tasks involved in the current Service to the time on tasks chosen for the district/supervisory union’s desired comprehensive school counseling Service.
Before the initial Use of Time Calculator is conducted, it is important for the school counselor(s) to decide on where current tasks fit into the Service components. This exercise provides all school counselors with a common understanding of how to categorize their activities when they complete the Use of Time Calculator form so that interpretations will be consistent. It is important to remember that the school counselor participates in school related responsibilities equivalent to expectations of all school staff. For the initial Time on Task Analysis, the following steps are necessary:
- All school counselors in the district/supervisory union will select the same ten days spread evenly throughout the school year to conduct the Time on Task Analysis. These ten days reflect typical days that contain a variety of school counseling Service activities within the four components as well as any non‐school counseling tasks (that create barriers to implementation) that may be present.
- Use the Time on Task Analysis to keep track of the actual time school counselors currently spend on activities in each Service component plus non‐school counseling activities. You may wish to designate more than one category during a 30‐minute time period. For those instances, you will put the number of minutes spent in the time categories used. In the end, make sure that each row contains no more than a total of 30 minutes. Note that the form has a time block for before school, after school, and evening activities conducted as part of the Service. Leave rows blank when you are NOT on duty (i.e. lunch).
- The data will be electronically analyzed and charts will be generated automatically.
Conducting an Internal Factors/Trends Analysis
This analysis examines factors/trends inside the schools of a district/supervisory union that may impact the development and management of the district/supervisory union’s comprehensive school counseling Service. The factors/trends to assess may include the following:
- Who the current service serves
- Existing resources (personnel, equipment, materials, and facilities)
- School counseling activities presently in place, including those directed by school counselors and those directed by others
- Staff expertise that may be helpful in conducting a district/supervisory union’s comprehensive school counseling Service activities • Attitudes of faculty, staff, and students
- Student needs
- The school’s/district/supervisory union’s Comprehensive School Improvement Plan (CSIP) Additional Service evaluation surveys can be used to assess the attitudes of students, teachers, staff, administrators, and parents regarding the school counseling Service.
Tools that you can use to support conducting a Trends Analysis include:
Conducting an External Factors/Trends Analysis
This analysis examines factors/trends outside the school district/supervisory union that may have an impact on the district/supervisory union’s comprehensive school counseling Service. These factors/trends may include, but are not limited to the following:
- Postsecondary activities of graduates
- Economic conditions of the community
- Population changes
- Attitudes of community members
- Community issues
- Community resources
