Comprehensive School Counseling
On behalf of the Kentucky Department of Education, welcome to the
Comprehensive School Counseling web pages. Within these pages are information, resources and tools designed to assist schools and districts in providing effective school counseling services that improve student achievement and support the needs of the whole child.
On this page, you will find core values for comprehensive school counseling in Kentucky and quick links to many of the tools school counselors use daily to enhance the success of students.
The vision behind Comprehensive School Counseling and our work as counselors is to provide access and opportunity to all students; providing effective school counseling services that improve student achievement and support the needs of the whole child ensuring the provision to our community of a college and/or career ready workforce.
Role of a Kentucky School Counselor Defined
On December 17th, 2018, the Kentucky Counselor Standards Advisory Committee convened at the Kentucky Department of Education in Frankfort and defined the role of a KY school counselor as follows:
A Kentucky school counselor is a certified mental health professional supporting all K-12 students in their social/emotional, academic and career development. Through a Comprehensive School Counseling Program, counselors provide data-informed, universal and targeted learning experiences to develop the whole child in a diverse society.
Kentucky Framework of Best Practices for School Counselors
Kentucky Multi-Tiered System of Supports for School Counselors
Kentucky Multi-Tiered System of Supports (KyMTSS) is a multi-level prevention system to support student achievement and social-emotional behavioral competencies through an integration of differentiated core instruction, assessment and intervention. School counselors are leaders among the larger schoolwide team to ensure all areas (academic, social/emotional, and college and career readiness) are at the forefront of providing evidence-based MTSS. This implementation document aligns with KYMTSS, the ASCA National Model, and the Kentucky Framework of Best Practices for School Counselors to show the school counselor's role and services delivered within the MTSS Model at each tiered level. 
3 Domains of School Counseling
Academic Development – Standards guiding school counseling programs to implement strategies and activities to support and maximize each student’s ability to learn.
Career Development – Standards guiding school counseling programs to help students 1) understand the connection between school and the world of work and 2) plan for and make a successful transition from school to postsecondary education and/or the world of work and from job to job across the lifespan.
Social/Emotional Development – Standards guiding school counseling programs to help students manage emotions and learn and apply interpersonal skills.
Michelle Sircy, Ed.D.
Office of Teaching and Learning
300 Sower Blvd., 4th Floor
Frankfort, KY 40601
(502) 892-6662
Fax (502) 564-6470