Counseling Program Guides: School Counseling Handbook

This is the School Counseling Handbook for the 48-hour program.

Contact Information for Faculty and Staff

These are the individuals to contact about the program.

Department of Counseling

Dr. Michael Schmit
Department Head, Counseling
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 903.886.5633

Dr. Elizabeth Hudson
School Counseling Program Coordinator
Email: [email protected]

Christie Sifuentes
Administrative Associate III
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 903.886.5637

Office of Educator Certification

Sherri Harwell
Director, Educator Certification Office
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 903.468.8186

Leesa Cannon
Coordinator, Professional Certification Programs
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 903.886.8186

Counseling Program Locations

In addition to classes on the Commerce campus, the Counseling Program offers numerous graduate-level counseling courses at the following locations.

Mesquite Metroplex Center (MPLX)
819 Towne Crossing Blvd
Mesquite, TX 75150
Phone: 972.613.7591

Dallas Campus
8750 North Central Expressway
Dallas, TX, TX 75202
Phone: 214.954.360

Admission to Educator Certification

Admission to the Master of Science in Counseling at ETAMU is a separate process from admission to the educator certification portion of the school counseling program. Educator certification admission is designed to meet TEA requirements for certification programs in the state of Texas. Admission to the Certification Office for School Counseling should be sought at the same time as admission to the Graduate School for the M.S. Counseling program. Individuals who have not met admission through the Certification Office will not be eligible for school counselor certification from ETAMU. Criteria for admission to the certification portion of the program for school counseling are separate from admission criteria for the master's degree program and the Graduate School. Admission applications
and required documents are collected online through the software system TK20. Instructions for applying to the program are available on the program website. Students interested in applying to the certification program may also contact the Certification Office directly for application instructions and assistance. For help with the TK20 program application, please contact the Coordinator of Professional Programs in the Certification Office.

Current criteria for entering the certification portion of the school counseling program are:

Submitted TK20 application for the school counseling certification program
TEA Assessment Fee Payment and Receipt ($35)
Certification Application Fee and Receipt ($50)
Minimum GPA on official transcripts.
- All transcripts submitted to the Graduate School from the degree application will be reviewed.
- Individuals with a degree from outside the United States will need to submit additional documentation to meet TEA requirements. Contact the Certification Office for details.
- Minimum GPA numbers are posted on the program website.
- Per TEA, transcripts with pass/fail grades cannot be counted toward admission GPA criteria in the Certification Office.
- Successful Interview with program faculty.
- If accepted, sign and return the formal admission letter from the Certification Office. You are not officially admitted to the certification program until you sign and return the letter of admission.

Becoming a Certified School Counselor

To become a certified school counselor in the state of Texas, TAMUC students must complete the following steps:

Be fully admitted to the Certification Office prior to enrolling in degree courses.
Complete all school counseling emphasis courses as part of the M.S. Counseling degree program.
Complete an approved field placement for school counseling that meets the TEA criteria outlined in this document.
Graduate from the M.S. Counseling program and have their degree conferred by ETAMU
Pass the TExES examination for school counseling.
Complete an application through TEA for their standard school counseling certificate and pay TEA the appropriate application fee (after meeting all above requirements).

Background Checks and Criminal Records

School Counselor Candidates should be aware that:

School counselor candidates will be required to provide evidence of completing a criminal history background check with their school placement/district prior to beginning practicum. A letter from the district human resources department stating successful completion will satisfy
this requirement.
Individuals who have been convicted of an offense may potentially be ineligible for issuance of a school counselor educator certificate from the State Board of Educator Certification in Texas (19 TAC §227.1(d)(1)).
Pursuant to the Texas Occupations Code (TOC), Chapter 53, and the Texas Education Code (TEC), Chapter 21, Subchapter B, the State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) may suspend or revoke an existing valid certificate, deny an applicant a certificate, bar a person from being assessed or examined for a certificate, or take other disciplinary action because of a person's conviction of a felony or misdemeanor or certain other criminal history. (19 TAC §249.16(a))
Pursuant to the Texas Education Code (TEC) §22.083, candidates must undergo a criminal history background check prior to employment as an educator (including school counselor) (19 TAC §227.1(b)(1)).
A person who is enrolled or planning to enroll in a State Board of Educator Certification approved educator preparation program or planning to take a certification examination may request a preliminary criminal history evaluation letter regarding the person's potential ineligibility for certification due to a conviction or deferred adjudication for a felony or misdemeanor offense (19 TAC §227.1(d)(3)). Details on how to submit a request are available on the Texas Education Agency website.

Approval to Register for the TExES School Counselor Exam

Test approval must be processed by the university's Certification Office in the TEA system before a student will be able to register for the school counseling certification exam. Students who have not been fully admitted to the Certification Office for the school counseling certification program and who have not met all requirements outlined in this handbook will not be given test approval per rules outlined in Texas Administrative Code for educator preparation programs. Admitted students must complete program requirements prior to receiving test approval.

Requirement #1 – Successful completion of the following courses with a grade of “A” or “B” awarded.

COUN 501: Introduction to Counseling
COUN 510: Theories
COUN 514: Introduction to School Counseling
COUN 520: Advanced School Counseling
COUN 516: Basic Counseling Skills
COUN 528: Intro to Group Dynamics and Procedures

Requirement #2 – Submission of a passing interactive practice exam score report from the Pearson website for the TExES 252 School Counselor Exam. This practice exam costs $10 and information on preparation and registration. To request approval for the exam, students who meet the above criteria should send a request by submitting the online request form.

The request form submission must include:

a PDF file of the student's DegreeWorks showing appropriate course completion, and
a PDF copy of the above-mentioned practice exam score report.

The School Counseling Program Coordinator will review the student's information to confirm eligibility and forward approved requests to the Certification Office for processing. Staff in the Certification Office will process the test approval, inform the student, and provide registration instructions. *Passing a certification exam does not automatically mean a candidate can then be certified. Please see the above section “Becoming a Certified School Counselor” to learn the full list of what must be completed prior to issuance of your standard school counseling certificate.

Field Placements for Meeting TEA Requirements

In addition to completing the clinical experience at an accredited public or charter K-12 school, multiplepieces of paperwork and deadlines specific to TEA requirements accompany field placements for school counseling certification. Students who fail to receive approval for TEA practicum through the TK20 School Counselor Field Placement Application prior to placement in a school setting will not be given credit for the hours toward educator certification.

The 160 practicum hours that are officially supervised, documented, and reported for educator certification are collected in one long semester. Failure to log the required 160 hours will result in a failing grade for the practicum course. Extenuating circumstances leading to an incomplete should be discussed with your instructor early and will be at the discretion of the instructor and Counseling Department.

Note: Some, but not all private schools are approved by TEA for field placement. If you wish to complete your field experiences at a private school, please reach out to the School Counseling Program Coordinator in advance for approval. The site will be verified with the Certification Office. Additionally, a site supervisor meeting minimum qualifications will need to be secured for the private school site to be approved.

Other Counseling Department Handbooks

This document serves as information in addition to the program handbook for the Master of Science in Counseling degree. This document does not replace the policies for the degree, but rather serves as explanation of policies, forms, and procedures specifically regarding educator certification as a school counselor. It is the students’ responsibility to read additional departmental handbooks for their program and to ensure compliance with all university, degree, and departmental policies.

Course Sequence

Candidates may choose a spring or fall start. Additionally, students may enroll in 9 hours each term, or 6 hours depending on their desired rate of progress and
timeline for program completion. These combined choices result in four different course sequence plans. Each is listed below. *The practice TExES exam should be taken in the semester prior to graduation. The real TExES exam should be taken during the final term of the program.

Fall Start (August Graduation) 9 Hours Each Term

Year 1

Fall

COUN 501: Introduction to the Counseling Profession
COUN 510: Counseling Theories and Techniques
COUN 514: School Counseling and Development

Spring

COUN 516: Basic Counseling Skills
COUN 512: Career Development
COUN 522 Counseling Diverse Populations

Summer

COUN 528: Introduction to Group Dynamics and Procedures
COUN 539: Introduction to Play Therapy
COUN 517: Assessment in Counseling

Year 2

Fall

COUN 520: Advanced School Counseling
SPED 524: Characteristics of Students with Mild Disabilities OR SPED 586: Collaboration, Transition, and Diversity
COUN 534: Counseling Children and Adolescents

Spring

COUN 551: Practicum
SPED 524: Characteristics of Students with Mild Disabilities OR SPED 586: Collaboration, Transition, and Diversity

Summer

COUN 595: Research Literature and Techniques
COUN 545: Developmental Issues/Strategies in Counseling

*Terms where SPED 586 and SPED 524 are offered may be updated in 2025.

Spring Start (December Graduation) 9 Hours Each Term

Year 1

Spring

COUN 501: Intro. to the Counseling Profession
COUN 510: Counseling Theories and Techniques
COUN 514: School Counseling and Development

Summer

COUN 516: Basic Counseling Skills
COUN 512: Career Development
COUN 522 Counseling Diverse Populations

Fall

COUN 528: Intro. to Group Dynamics and Procedures
COUN 539: Introduction to Play Therapy
COUN 517: Assessment in Counseling

Year 2

Spring

SPED 524: Characteristics of Students with Mild Disabilities OR SPED 586: Collaboration, Transition, and Diversity
COUN 520: Advanced School Counseling
COUN 595: Research Literature and Techniques

Summer

COUN 534: Counseling Children and Adolescents
SPED 524: Characteristics of Students with Mild Disabilities OR SPED 586: Collaboration, Transition, and Diversity

Fall

COUN 551: Practicum
COUN 545: Developmental Issues/Strategies in Counseling

*Terms where SPED 586 and SPED 524 are offered may be updated in 2025.

Fall Start (May Graduation) 6 Hours Each Term

Year 1

Fall

COUN 501: Introduction to the Counseling Profession
COUN 514: School Counseling and Development

Spring

COUN 510: Counseling Theories and Techniques
COUN 539: Introduction to Play Therapy

Summer

COUN 522 Counseling Diverse Populations
COUN 517: Assessment in Counseling

Year 2

Fall

COUN 545: Developmental Issues/Strategies in Counseling
SPED 524: Characteristics of Students with Mild Disabilities OR SPED 586: Collaboration, Transition, and Diversity

Spring

COUN 516: Basic Counseling Skills
COUN 512: Career Development

Summer

COUN 528: Introduction to Group Dynamics and Procedures
SPED 524: Characteristics of Students with Mild Disabilities OR SPED 586: Collaboration, Transition, and Diversity

Year 3

Fall

COUN 534: Counseling Children and Adolescents
COUN 520: Advanced School Counseling

Spring

COUN 551: Practicum
COUN 595: Research Literature and Techniques

*Terms where SPED 586 and SPED 524 are offered may be updated in 2025.

Spring Start (August Graduation) 6 Hours Each Term

Year 1

Fall

COUN 501: Introduction to the Counseling Profession
COUN 514: School Counseling and Development

Summer

COUN 522 Counseling Diverse Populations
COUN 517: Assessment in Counseling

Fall

COUN 510: Counseling Theories and Techniques
COUN 545: Developmental Issues/Strategies in Counseling

Year 2

Spring

COUN 520: Advanced School Counseling
COUN 512: Career Development

Summer

COUN 516: Basic Counseling Skills
COUN 534: Counseling Children and Adolescents

Fall

COUN 528: Introduction to Group Dynamics and Procedures
SPED 524: Characteristics of Students with Mild Disabilities OR SPED 586: Collaboration, Transition, and Diversity

Year 3

Spring

SPED 524: Characteristics of Students with Mild Disabilities OR SPED 586: Collaboration, Transition, and Diversity
COUN 551: Practicum

Summer

COUN 539: Introduction to Play Therapy
COUN 595: Research Literature and Techniques

*Terms where SPED 586 and SPED 524 are offered may be updated in 2025.

Terminology

TEA

The Texas Education Agency. This entity ensures that the educator preparation programs at TAMUC comply with items in Texas Administrative Code set forth by the State Board of Educator Certification (SBEC). All requirements set forth in Texas Administrative Code and audited by the Texas Education Agency must be fulfilled as part of the field placement and course sequence for school counselor certification.

Counselor Candidate

School Counseling Program student seeking or fulfilling TEA required experiences. TEA refers to individuals completing an educator certification program as “candidates.” Many of the forms designed for compliance with TEA's certification requirements will refer to the ETAMU student as a counselor candidate.

School Counseling Program Coordinator

A Counseling faculty member with responsibility for ensuring that field site placements, university field supervisors, site supervisors, and candidates complete Texas Education Agency components of the field experience and coursework in compliance with Texas Administrative Code. The School Counseling Program Coordinator also serves as a liaison between the Counseling Department, counseling students, and the Certification Office.

TK20

TK20 is an online data storage platform that houses official educator certification records for students at ETAMU. Candidates will use TK20 for program admission, practicum application submission, and the submission of TEArequired documents for certification. Although the program admission application is through a free TK20 account, candidates will use a separate, second, paid TK20 account for all other submissions during their school counselor program. Directions on how and when to purchase TK20 (approximately $140) will be sent to candidates at the appropriate time by the school counseling program coordinator. It is important that candidates follow all directions to make sure they are purchasing the correct TK20 account and using the appropriate (new) username and password following purchase completion.

Site Supervisor

For a TEA Practicum candidate, an educator who has at least three years of experience in the aspect(s) of the certification class being pursued by the candidate (school counseling); who is collaboratively assigned by the campus or district administrator and the educator preparation program (EPP); who is currently certified in the certification class in which the practicum candidate is seeking certification (school counselor); who has completed training by the EPP, including training in how to coach and mentor candidates, within three weeks of being assigned to a practicum candidate; who is an accomplished educator as shown by student learning; who guides, assists, and supports the candidate during the practicum; and who reports the candidate's progress to the candidate's field supervisor.

Candidates will request a specific K-12 school site and site supervisor.
A form documenting that the site supervisor meets TEA requirements should be turned in prior to the beginning of the course through the TK20 School Counselor Field Placement Application. This form is called “Verification of Site Supervisor Qualifications” and should be completed by either the campus principal or the human resource department of the school district. Site supervisors may not complete the form verifying their own qualifications.
Failure to have a qualified site supervisor during the practicum will result in the practicum experience being invalid for school counselor certification.
Site supervisors will complete required documentation in the TK20 online platform during the practicum semester.
Due to technical limitations, the site supervisor will appear as a “cooperating teacher” in the TK20 system when they log in to view documents. Unfortunately, this is not something that can be edited to show the correct verbiage

Field Supervisor

The field supervisor is also commonly referred to as the university field supervisor. A currently certified educator, employed by the university to observe candidates, monitor their performance, and provide constructive feedback to improve their effectiveness as school counselors. A field supervisor shall have at least three years of experience and current certification in the class in which supervision is provided. A field supervisor shall be an accomplished educator as shown by student learning. A field supervisor shall not be employed by the same school where the candidate being supervised is completing his or her practicum. A site supervisor may not also serve as a candidate's field supervisor. The field supervisor has completed TEA-approved field supervisor training and training provided by ETAMU. The School Counseling Program Coordinator holds the requisite qualifications for field supervision and for some students will also serve as a field supervisor within field experience courses.

Field Placement Site

An actual school setting (K-12) where school counselor candidates provide counseling and counseling-related services to students under supervision from both the site supervisor and the university field supervisor. Private practice settings may NOT be used as field placement sites. Acceptable school settings include accredited Texas K12 public school campuses and Texas public charter schools approved by the Texas Education Agency.

Candidates serving as school counselors employed on emergency permits may use their work setting as their field placement site.
Candidates serving on emergency permits are advised that emergency permits are nonrenewable and only valid for 12 months. Additionally, an individual may not have more than three 12-month periods on any combination of emergency permit, intern, or probationary certificate in any certification area/class.
Deficiency plans for the issuance of emergency permits may be obtained from the Certification Office after completion of minimum requirements in 19 Texas Administrative Code Chapter 230. Prior approval from the School Counseling Program Coordinator is required.
A deficiency plan request may be sent to the School Counseling Program Coordinator through email.
Requirements for the issuance of an emergency permit for a school counselor are outlined in Texas
Administrative Code Chapter 230 as follows:
- Hold a bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited institution of higher education.
- Have completed 24 semester credit hours of graduate-level credit, including 12 semester credit hours in guidance and school counseling.
  - Completion of the school counseling emphasis courses in your degree plan with posted grades of “A” or “B” will be required to meet the 12 hours of guidance and school counseling prior to the issuance of a deficiency plan from the Certification Office.

Practicum

TEA defines practicum as a supervised educator assignment at a public school accredited by the Texas Education Agency or other school approved by TEA for this purpose. School counselor candidates will complete practicum requirements during the COUN 551 Practicum course.
The practicum shall:

Include a minimum of 160 clock-hours whereby a candidate must demonstrate proficiency in each of the educator standards for the certificate class being sought. Activities used to accrue clock-hours must align with TEA's school counselor educator standards.
Not take place in a distance learning lab or virtual school setting.
Not take place during a summer recess or winter break – All field placements intended to fulfill TEA requirements must take place during a 16-week fall or spring semester.
Include a minimum of three formal observations and three informal observations conducted by a qualified university field supervisor.
To document a successful practicum experience, both the site supervisor and field supervisor must recommend that the candidate should be certified.
As part of the practicum semester and course at ETAMU, candidates will participate in a weekend experience. This is a requirement for successful completion of the practicum.

Formal Observations During Practicum

Three formal observations must be conducted. One in the first third of the practicum, one in the second, third, and one in the final third of the practicum.
The three required formal observations must be at least 135 minutes in duration in total throughout the practicum and must be conducted by the field supervisor.
The counseling department requires that each of the three formal observations be a minimum of 45 minutes in duration. These are 45 continuous and uninterrupted minutes where a candidate is participating in a standards-based activity. The 45 minutes do not include any introduction or debrief explanation a candidate may provide at the beginning or end of an observation video.
A formal observation may happen virtually or face-to-face. Virtual observations will be conducted through the submission of videos to the school counseling university field supervisor.
Regardless of modality, each formal observation must have a pre- and post- conference between the candidate and the field supervisor.
During the pre-conference, candidates will have the opportunity to ask questions, present their plans for the observation activity, and review the observation feedback instrument with the school counseling university field supervisor.
For each formal observation, the field supervisor will conduct an individualized pre-observation conference with the candidate; document educational practices observed; provide written feedback through an individualized, synchronous, and interactive post-observation conference with the candidate; and provide a copy of the written feedback to the candidate's site supervisor. Written feedback is provided through the online software application TK20 and upon entry is immediately viewable by both the candidate and site supervisor.
Candidates and site supervisors will be required to acknowledge receipt of formal observations within their TK20 account as part of the practicum binder.
Neither the pre-observation conference nor the post-observation conference needs to be onsite. Virtual meetings are acceptable.

Informal Observations During Practicum

Three informal observations must be conducted.
The three required informal observations must each be at least 15 minutes in duration and must be conducted by the field supervisor.
It is a TEA requirement that each of the three informal observations be a minimum of 15 minutes in duration. These are 15 continuous and uninterrupted minutes where a candidate is participating in a standards-based activity. The 15 minutes do not include any introduction or debrief explanation a candidate may provide at the beginning or end of an observation video.
Informal observations may happen virtually or face-to-face. Virtual observations will be conducted through the submission of videos to the school counseling university field supervisor.
Regardless of modality, each informal observation must have a post-conference between the candidate and the field supervisor.
For each informal observation, the field supervisor will document educational practices observed based on a set of standards-aligned targeted skills; provide written feedback through an individualized, synchronous, and interactive post-observation conference with the candidate; and provide a copy of the written feedback to the candidate's site supervisor. Written feedback is provided through the online software application TK20 and upon entry is immediately viewable by both the candidate and site supervisor.
Candidates and site supervisors will be required to acknowledge receipt of informal observations within their TK20 account as part of the practicum binder.
The post-observation conference does not need to be onsite. Virtual meetings are acceptable.

TK20 School Counselor Field Placement Application

Students will submit an application for practicum placement through the TK20 online system.
Applications must be approved by the School Counseling Program Coordinator prior to registering for COUN 551.
The TK20 application will include the upload of required field placement paperwork.
The School Counseling Program Coordinator will review and approve placements through the TK20 application system.
After your application status has been updated to “Clear” for placement, you will receive notification from the administrative assistant in the Counseling department about permits for course registration.
Spaces in courses are limited and not guaranteed – permits will be provided on a first come, first served basis. It is important to submit your application for placement as early as possible with accurate information.
In addition to providing paperwork in your application, you will need to bring all initial paperwork to the first course date for your instructor.
For instructions on submitting your field placement application in TK20, please contact the School Counseling Program Coordinator and/or the Certification Office.
Failure to submit full and accurate information within a TK20 School Counselor Field Placement Application may result in an invalid field experience, whereby the counseling candidate does not receive credit for the field placement toward their school counseling certification with the state.

TK20 Field Experience Binders During Practicum

All all-required paperwork will be completed in TK20 as part of the field experience binder.
This includes several items such as:
- Document uploads.
- Electronic Signatures/Acknowledgments for site supervisor, candidate, and field supervisor.
- Completion of digital forms.
In addition to the field experience binder in TK20, you may be required to turn in additional copies/paperwork to your course instructor during the practicum semester.
If your practicum site or site supervisor information changes between the time of your TK20 School Counselor Field Placement Application and the first course date, it is the student's responsibility to notify the School Counseling Program Coordinator and Certification Office as soon as possible. The new site and site supervisor will need to be approved, the applicable paperwork will need to be resubmitted, and your records within the Certification Office will need to be updated to reflect the new information.
Failure to submit full and accurate information within a TK20 field experience binder may result in an invalid field experience, whereby the counseling candidate does not receive credit for the field placement toward their school counseling certification with the state.

Field Experience Hours During Practicum (COUN 551)

The activities completed toward the TEA required 160 clock-hours for school counselor certification are comprised of experiences directly tied to the school counseling educator standards found in Texas Administrative Code. These hours are completed during COUN 551 Practicum.

Hours logged for this purpose are collected on the “TEA Hours Log – School Counseling” form.

Each activity must include a brief description of one to three sentences. Enough information must be provided for an individual unfamiliar with the candidate to know what the activity included.
Total hours spent on an activity and the date the activity was completed also need to be logged for each entry.
After logging all hours for the semester, the candidate must obtain their site supervisor's signature on the form to verify their activities, and the candidate must upload the signed form in TK20 as part of their field experience binder.
Activities must be documented for each of the six school counseling standards on the form:
- Standard I: Learner-Centered Knowledge: The certified school counselor has a broad knowledge base.
- Standard II: Learner-Centered Skills: The certified school counselor applies the knowledge base to promote the educational, personal, social, and career development of the learner as outlined in The Texas Model for Comprehensive School Counseling Programs.
- Standard III: Learner-Centered Process: The certified school counselor participates in the development, monitoring, revision, and evaluation of a campus based on The Texas Model for Comprehensive School Counseling Programs that promotes learners’ knowledge, skills, motivation, and personal growth.
- Standard IV: Learner-Centered Equity and Excellence for All Learners: The certified school counselor promotes academic success for all learners by acknowledging, respecting, and responding to diversity while building on similarities that bond all people.
- Standard V: Learner-Centered Communications: The certified school counselor, an advocate for all students and the school, demonstrates effective professional and interpersonal communication skills.
- Standard VI: Learner-Centered Professional Development: The certified school counselor continues professional development, demonstrating a commitment to learn, to improve the profession, and to model professional ethics and personal integrity.

Certified School Counselor

An individual who holds a Texas School Counselor Certificate. Texas school counselor certification is regulated by the State Board for Educator Certification. Minimum qualifications for the issuance of a standard School Counselor (EC-12) certificate in the state of Texas include: a conferred master's degree in counseling containing 48 or more credit hours, completion of a TEA approved certification program (including TEA required field experiences) and passing the School Counselor certification exam. Policies and procedures for TEA field experience hours are aligned to Texas Administrative Code set forth by the State Board for Educator Certification.

Letter of Anticipation

A letter stating the anticipated graduation date, target certification area, and remaining certification requirements for a candidate (this is NOT a statement of eligibility). This letter can be used by candidates to apply to job positions when they are not yet certified, but expect to be prior to filling the vacancy. For example, a job for a 2023-2024 academic year school counselor is posted in April of 2023. Jane Doe is a student who will graduate in May of 2023 with her master's in counseling. She plans to take her certification exam over the summer and be certified before the beginning of the 2023-2024 school year. Jane Doe requests a letter of anticipation so she can apply for the job opening.

General Guidelines and Policies for Practicum

All school counselor candidates are expected to read these guidelines and policies prior to application for completing TEA and program required field experience activities. All candidates are expected to follow these guidelines and policies.

Eligibility and Pre-requisites for Practicum

The following criteria exist for enrollment in TEA Practicum (COUN 551):

Fully admitted to Counseling Program & have a degree plan on file in the Department office.
Fully admitted to the Office of Educator Certification for the School Counseling certification program.
Completion of all prerequisite courses for enrollment in COUN 551.
Approved School Counselor Field Placement Application within TK20.

Attendance, Participation, Restrictions

Counselor candidates are expected to attend all class and supervision meetings (group, individual, on-site, off-site). Be prompt and be prepared. Candidates should develop a schedule with their school campus placement regarding attendance and come prepared to fully participate in the field site experience. During practicum, candidates must complete a minimum of 160 clock-hours of TEA standards-aligned activities between the first semester class date and the last semester class date of one 16-week fall or spring semester. Supervisors and field sites must be notified in a timely manner if you will be delayed or will miss attendance. It is the responsibility of the candidate to arrange make-up supervisions.

Consistent Failure

Consistent failure to attend class or supervision meetings in a timely manner or prepare TEA standards-aligned observations for review may result in the candidate being dropped from the class or receiving a failing grade.

Growth Plan

Either a Site Supervisor or Field Supervisor may initiate a growth plan for the candidate if they determine the candidate needs corrective action to avoid having an unsuccessful school counseling field experience. Growth plans may be initiated at any time. Growth plans will clearly outline deficiencies in candidate performance,
provide a list of required remediations, and provide a deadline for the candidate to demonstrate growth. The development of the growth plan is a collaborative process between the candidate, site supervisor, and field supervisor with the intent of supporting the candidate in their development as a school counselor.

Unsuccessful TEA Practicum

The Texas Education Agency requires that educator certification programs determine if practicum experiences should be labeled as “successful” or “unsuccessful.” Those with a “successful” practicum experience remain on track to be recommended for certification upon graduation from the program. An “unsuccessful” practicum may not be used toward meeting eligibility for a recommendation for certification.

Candidates who:

Fail the COUN 551 course;
Fail to meet program requirements;
Fail to adhere to campus or district policies at their practicum site;
Fail to demonstrate proficiency in educator standards;
Fail to meet the minimum 160 clock-hours;
Fail to make progress on an established growth plan; or
Are deemed unfit for school counselor certification (with documented evidence) by either the site supervisor or field supervisor will be considered unsuccessful in their TEA practicum experience.

This means that candidates will either be dismissed from the school counseling certification program, or that they will need to complete a second attempt of the TEA practicum experience in a different semester. If the site supervisor or field supervisor determines that the practicum was unsuccessful, written documentation must be provided to all parties including the site supervisor, field supervisor, Certification Office, and certification candidate.

Home Visit Restrictions

Counseling Program candidates are not permitted to make home visits alone during their practicum course, unless serving as an employed school counselor receiving direction from the building administrator to conduct a home visit for the school campus' student. Counseling candidates who are not employed as a school counselor on an emergency permit may not conduct a home visit but may shadow their site supervisor on a home visit.

Access to Supervision

Counselor candidates must always have immediate access to a professional colleague or the site supervisor for consultation and support when at their field sites. Candidates may not work alone in a building at their practicum sites, unless employed on an emergency permit.

Professional Demeanor

Counselor candidates should conduct themselves in a professional manner in dress and behavior at their practicum sites. Consult with your site supervisor about appropriate dress. School counselor candidates must abide by the Texas Educators' Code of Ethics as posted in Texas Administrative Code Title 19, Part 7, Chapter
247, Rule §247.2. Violation of the Texas Educators' Code of Ethics may be used as grounds for dismissal from the school counselor certification program and/or the designation of the candidate's TEA practicum experience as “unsuccessful.” The school counselor candidate's professional demeanor must be consistent with the current ethical guidelines of the American Counseling Association and/or the American School Counselor Association (posted on the Counseling Department website).

Locations for Class and Course Supervision Meetings

Candidates are assigned to practicum classes at the Metroplex Center in Mesquite, TX, the Dallas campus, or on the East Texas A&M campus. Individual supervision meetings with faculty instructors/doctoral student supervisors that occur in person may occur ONLY at these locations (unless the supervision being conducted is a formal observation from a university field supervisor at the school site for the purpose of meeting TEA requirements). Consult the Department website for directions to each location.

TEA Observations During Practicum

Candidates are assigned to a field supervisor who meets TEA criteria when completing hours required for school counselor certification. The field supervisor may or may not be the same individual as the course instructor. The field supervisor may conduct formal observations virtually or face-to-face at the school campus. Consult with the field supervisor assigned to determine if observations, pre-conferences, and post-conferences will be conducted virtually or on site.

Document Retention During Practicum

It is important that counselor candidates carefully manage the documentation required for practicum. The numerous forms are designed to facilitate your learning process and verify information for Department records, the Texas Education Agency, and Texas educator certification. Many of the forms you will be using during the semester remain in your file as verification of your field experience and coursework. It is in your best interest to complete all require documentation (including submissions in TK20) in a timely and efficient manner. Candidates should retain a copy of all completed paper forms submitted to the Counseling Department and within TK20 during field experience courses.

Texas Education Agency document retention requirements for Educator Preparation Programs are for a period of 5 years. Students who return to ETAMU after a 5 year period requesting copies of their documentation may not be able to secure copies from the university. It is your responsibility as a professional to retain your documents for long-term data storage.

Course Supervision within Practicum

A critical element in field experiences is the extensive supervision received by school counselor candidates. School counselor candidates are expected to present student cases for review and discussion in individual supervision with their faculty instructor/doctoral student supervisor (individual supervision), their site supervisor (site supervision), and their peers (group supervision during class). Case presentation typically includes recordings (audio or video) of counseling
work. The specific format for supervision varies with the supervisor and is geared to meet the specific needs of the candidate. Triadic supervision (2 supervisees and one supervisor) may sometimes be used in place of individual supervision. Missing supervision meetings or being unprepared for supervision (e.g., no recordings to review) will result in an unsatisfactory grade. A defensive or non-receptive posture regarding supervision is unacceptable behavior and will seriously impair the candidate's progress through the clinical sequence.

Confidentiality

Counselor candidates are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of all information related to their K-12 students. Candidates must understand and follow the confidentiality practices of their school districts and maintain documentation and recordings in a secure manner.

Do not identify students by full name in documentation (e.g., recordings, notes, recordings critiques), except for recording consent forms. Instead, use first names, initials, or some other coding method.
NEVER fax anything with client names (e.g., consent forms).
Do NOT discuss students over email. Instead, indicate to your supervisor that you wish to discuss a student situation and arrange to do so via meeting or phone conversation.

The maintenance of K-12 student confidentiality extends to classroom discussion and viewing or listening to recorded counseling sessions. Never discuss K-12 students outside the classroom or with anyone other than supervisors, faculty members, and professionals at the school campus who have a legitimate educational interest in the student.

FERPA Compliance

School counselor candidates must comply with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and protect the Personally Identifiable Information (PII) of K-12 students.

“Personally Identifiable Information” The term includes, but is not limited to – (a) the student's name; (b) the name of the student's parent or other family members; (c) the address of the student or student's family; (d) a personal identifier such as the student's social security number, student number or biometric record; (e) other indirect identifiers, such as the student's date of birth, place of birth, and mother's maiden name; (f) other information that, alone or in combination, is linked or linkable to a specific student that would allow a reasonable person in the school community, who does not have personal knowledge of the relevant circumstances, to identify the student with reasonable certainty; or (g) information requested by a person who the educational school setting and or district or institution reasonably believes knows the identity of the student to whom the education record relates. (U.S. Code, Title 20, Chapter 31, Subchapter III, Part 4, §1232g)

Respect for Clients

Parents and guardians who consent for their K-12 student to receive counseling services from school counselor candidates are helping candidates to become effective school counselors. Treat them respectfully. Guardians and their students do not exist to serve the needs of candidates. It is inappropriate to keep seeing a student whose goals have been met or pull a student from class simply to meet your needs for recording or accumulating hours.

Audio and Video Recording for Course Requirements

School counselor candidates are expected to record many of their counseling activities during their field placement courses. Candidates present portions of their recorded sessions for review during weekly supervision meetings with faculty instructors/doctoral student supervisors, during group supervision (class), and recorded sessions are graded by the instructor in COUN 551. Candidates should record as many counseling activities as possible so that they can select the best recordings for grading. Individual instructors will give directions regarding how many recordings will be graded, session critique forms, and related matters. Signed consent forms (provided elsewhere in this Handbook) must be completed before any taping is done and must accompany any recordings handed in for a grade or review. Additional suggestions regarding recording equipment are found elsewhere in this Handbook.

Audiovisual Recordings for Formal Observations in Practicum

A minimum of three formal observation videos and three informal observation videos (six recordings total) must be collected by candidates for TEA-required supervision during COUN 551. The university field supervisor will establish due dates through the course of the semester for pre-conferences, observation video submissions, and post-conferences. Each of the three videos must capture the school counseling candidate performing an activity that is clearly aligned to
the educator standards (see the hours log in this handbook for a full list of educator standards). Each formal observation video should be a minimum of 45 minutes in duration to meet the required 135 total minutes of observation video. Each informal observation video should be a minimum of 15 minutes in duration. Video introduction, commentary, or closure discussion by the candidate DO NOT count for the minimum duration.

Candidates are encouraged to plan activities with the guidance of their field supervisor and site supervisor for optimum outcomes. Signed consent forms (provided elsewhere in this Handbook) must be completed before any recording is done and must accompany any recordings handed in for review. Additional suggestions regarding recording equipment are found elsewhere in this Handbook. All recordings must be destroyed at the end of the semester after they have been evaluated by your instructor and/or field supervisor in order to protect client confidentiality and privacy.

Crisis Procedures

Counselor candidates must know the appropriate procedures at their campus placement and school district regarding crisis situations (e.g., suicide, violent behavior). Candidates should notify their campus administration and site supervisors immediately of actual or potential crisis situations with students and follow the protocols of the K-12 campus and school district. In the event of a death (esp. suicide or homicide) of a student, the counselor candidate must notify their field supervisor and practicum faculty instructor or, in their absence, the School Counseling Program Coordinator or Head of the Department.

Professional Liability Coverage

Counselor candidates are required to obtain professional liability coverage (insurance) prior to enrollment in COUN 551. This is NOT homeowners' insurance, but insurance that specifically addresses counseling services provided by a counselor candidate during their clinical experience. School counselors holding an emergency permit issued by the school district are usually covered by the school district insurance but must check to be certain. Most counselor candidates will find professional liability insurance from the American School Counseling Association, Texas Counseling Association (TCA), or American Counseling Association (ACA) are easiest to obtain. These professional organizations require membership (student rate) in addition to a nominal fee for the coverage. You should purchase the coverage specifically for students. The benefit of joining these organizations goes far beyond simply buying insurance and is highly recommended by the Counseling Program.

The Department does not endorse any particular insurance plan and the rates quoted below may vary.

The American School Counseling Association. Annual student memberships are $69 and include liability insurance coverage.
The American Counseling Association, partners with HPSO to provide free student liability insurance to paid student members. Call 800.347.6647 or visit their website Counseling.org. The student fee for membership in ACA is $105.
The Texas Counseling Association. Call 800.580.8144 or visit their website (click on join/renew w/ insurance). Annual student membership is currently $70 and liability insurance is offered for an extra fee.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Purchase the insurance and submit proof of coverage within your TK20 School Counselor Field Experience Application in order to be approved for practicum. Proof of liability coverage, usually a certificate of insurance, must also be provided to your instructor at the first-class meeting. School counselors employed on emergency permits can provide a letter from their district insurance carrier verifying their coverage. Candidates will not be able to see K-12 students (collect clock-hours) if they do not have liability coverage.

Background Checks and Criminal Records

School Counselor Candidates should be aware that:

They will be required to provide evidence of completing a criminal history background check with their school placement/district prior to collecting field experience hours.
A letter from the district human resources department stating successful completion will satisfy this requirement.
Evidence of background check completion will be included in the online TK20 School Counselor Field Experience Application.

You may be denied a placement if you have a conviction record. Felony or misdemeanor convictions will impair, and quite possibly prevent, licensure as a professional counselor and certification as a school counselor in Texas.

Removal for Cause of Candidate from Field Site

The counselor candidate may be removed from their K-12 campus placement for the following reasons:

failure to obtain and show proof of professional liability insurance.
failure to obtain and show proof of a criminal history background check.
dishonesty or inaccurate information on the TK20 School Counselor Field Experience Application.
failure to meet TEA requirements (i.e. field site placement, site supervisor qualifications, or other).
failure to function in a mature, responsible, and professional manner.
failure to follow the ethical guidelines of the counseling profession.
failure to follow the Texas Educator Code of Ethics.
dishonesty regarding field placement log or contract, recording, obtaining client consent.
dishonesty regarding the “TEA Hours Log – School Counseling” document.
failure to comply with FERPA or maintain confidentiality of client/student records and/or situations.
by request of the campus principal/administrator or the site supervisor.

“Removal for Cause” from COUN 551 field sites will result in a failing grade in the course and a Counseling Student Competency Evaluation. All students are evaluated at the end of specific courses using the Counseling Student Competency Evaluation. The outcome of this evaluation could be a remediation plan or removal from the Counseling Program. Additional information on the Counseling Student Competency Evaluation is provided during the program
orientation during COUN 501 and COUN 510 enrollment.

Field Placement Policies

An approved application through TK20 must be processed prior to beginning COUN 551 at an approved school site. Counselor candidates must meet all course requirements, including documentation, as required by the Department and faculty instructors.

School counselor candidates must complete all 160 TEA required school counseling hours within one long semester of COUN 551 to receive credit for the TEA aligned supervision required for certification.

Candidates must complete their field experiences in a setting appropriate to their selected program specialization – a K12 TEA accredited school campus. The setting must provide a wide range of opportunities appropriate to the role of a certified school counselor. The Texas Education Agency (TEA) requires that School Counseling students be observed with a rubric aligned to the school counseling educator standards.

The Department cannot guarantee that a candidate will be accepted by a requested field placement site.
The Department cannot guarantee that a candidate will successfully complete the required hours in a given semester.
Practicum is NOT offered in the summer for school counseling candidates. Texas Administrative Code identifies that hours logged for educator certification are collected during the regular academic year of the K-12 school. Additionally, summer session opportunities are prohibitively limited in scope due to district calendars for student attendance.

Candidates are responsible for making the initial contact and arrangements with potential field site placements. All contact information regarding the field site must be provided to the School Counseling Program Coordinator (submission of the TK20 School Counselor Field Placement Application). All field placement sites MUST be approved by the Department.

Candidates may use their regular employment as a field placement site only under the following conditions:

School Counselors employed on emergency permits may use 10 hours of their work week toward TEA practicum hours.
Teachers with field placements in their schools MAY NOT provide counseling to their own students; however, classroom/group guidance activities may be conducted with their own students.

All school counselor candidates MUST complete a School Counseling Field Orientation prior to the semester start date. The orientation is provided by the School Counseling Program Coordinator and students approved through TK20 will be notified of orientation details. Failure to complete the orientation may result in a candidate being dropped from the class.

Finding a Field Placement Site

A good field placement site and experienced site supervisor are critical ingredients in a successful clinical experience. School counselor candidates should approach their decision about seeking a practicum site with careful and realistic thought regarding their career goals, their current work and family situation, and their special interest areas. You should consult with your professors, your faculty advisor, other professional or school counselors, and the School Counseling
Program Coordinator regarding appropriate field sites and field site experiences that would make for the best “fit” for you. The field placement courses require a significant commitment of time and energy. Candidates are expected to put in a minimum of 10 hours weekly at their field site during COUN 551.

A candidate's work setting may be used for their field placement. Most often, school counseling track candidates become School Counselors employed on emergency permits and use their work setting as their field site placement. Please see “Field Placement Site” under Field Placement Terminology for additional information on emergency permits.

Finding a field site placement is the responsibility of the counselor candidate. School counseling track students must complete their field experience hours in a school setting under the supervision of a certified school counselor.

Some field placement sites are not appropriate because they do not provide adequate/qualified supervision, do not allow audio or videotaping of counseling sessions, or are in some other way inappropriate for school counselor candidates. An appropriate field placement site provides the following:

opportunities to participate in a range of counseling and counseling-related activities appropriate to the role of a full-time school counselor and aligned to the appropriate educator standards;
permission for candidates to audio or video record counseling sessions (with client/parental consent);
opportunities for activities to generate the required hours for educator certification and course requirements (this cannot be guaranteed by the site or by the Department);
a qualified site supervisor who oversees and evaluates the candidate's work and meets regularly for supervision of the campus caseload.

Steps to Securing a TEA Compliant Field Placement Site

Step 1. Consult with school counselors, district counseling coordinators, and/or school administrators during your prepracticum regarding suitable sites and qualified site supervisors. Review this handbook fully, so that you are well informed about all practicum requirements. Remember the following:

You may do your practicum at the same school where you are teaching but you may not counsel your own students. School districts and administrators vary widely in their support for teachers fulfilling practicum requirements.
School counselors employed on emergency permits can use their current school assignment as a field site. They may apply only 10 hours a week toward practicum hours.
It is strongly preferred that the site supervisor work in the same building as the counselor candidate. If that is not possible, then the site supervisor must be regularly and easily available for consultation with the counselor candidate (e.g., at the next closest school).
A qualified site supervisor MUST meet all requirements for site supervisors. See the definition of site supervisors in the School Counselor Program Terminology section for a complete list of requirements.

Step 2. Contact the appropriate campus administrator or district counseling coordinator to discuss a field site placement. Review with them the Desirable Experiences for School Counseling Field Placements on the next page, as well as other requirements throughout this handbook. With the assistance of your campus administrator and/or district counseling coordinator, locate a potential site supervisor and discuss their willingness to provide supervision during your
practicum course.

Step 3. Complete the TK20 School Counselor Field Experience Application by the deadline to confirm that your placement meets all requirements. See the section below on how to complete the application for more details.

Step 4. The School Counseling Program Coordinator will review each application and notify students of approved placements, orientation, and other relevant details. Submission of an application in TK20 does not guarantee approval for a site.

Desirable Experiences for School Counseling Field Placements

Familiarization with the School Environment. The candidate should become familiar with:

Community characteristics.
Physical facility.
Administrative structure of school.
Counselor role statements.
Roles of non-counseling staff in relation to the counseling program.
Characteristics of the student population.
Written statements regarding the philosophy, purpose, organization, and procedures of the school's counseling program.
Written statements regarding the philosophy, purpose, organization, and procedures of the district's K-12 comprehensive developmental counseling program.

Program Planning/Management/Evaluation. The candidate should become familiar with and participate in:

Community and school environment assessment activities.
Needs assessment of students, teachers, and parents.
Planning, implementing, and evaluating the school counseling program and its specific activities.
Regularly scheduled counseling staff meetings.
Follow-up studies of former students, including follow-up reports to administrators, parents, and teachers as appropriate.

Counseling and Guidance. The candidate should gain experience in:

Individual and group counseling.
Working with students from a variety of cultures, races, sexual preferences, and gender.
Establishing and maintaining a counseling relationship from intake through termination or referral and follow-up.
Devising a counseling procedure for a specific case problem.
Writing case notes/interview summaries.
Classroom or other group guidance activities.
Student orientation, college days, parent nights, career days, etc., including the development of materials which are used on such occasions.

Assessment and Records. The candidate should become familiar with and gain experience in:

School counseling department record-keeping system as well as school's cumulative records.
Assessment instruments and other assessment techniques used in the school.
Interpretation of aptitude, achievement, and interest instruments.
Ethical and legal uses of assessment and student records.

Consultation and Coordination. The candidate should be involved in:

Preparation for and performance of a case conference.
Consultation with teachers regarding students' developmental needs; academic, career, and personal/social development; and classroom management.
Consultation with parents regarding student academic, career, and personal/social development.
Promotion of a cooperative relationship between the school, business/industry, and community agencies.
Coordination of special activities such as career day, orientations at points of transition, etc.
Work with the counselor to facilitate referrals appropriately.

Individual Planning and Placement. The candidate should become familiar with and gain experience in:

Career development and related activities.
Educational, occupational, and personal/social information resources in the counseling department and media center.
Career and educational planning, development, and/or placement with individual students.

Professionalism. The candidate is expected to:

Adhere to the Texas Educators' Code of Ethics TAC chapter 247.
Adhere to ACA and ASCA ethical standards.
Participate in professional development activities, including in-service as well as external professional meetings and conferences.
Demonstrate appropriate human relation skills with students, school personnel, and parents.
Demonstrate responsibility with regard to laws, rules, and regulations, including applying professional work habits.
Show respect for diversity among students, school personnel, and the community. Seek and utilize feedback from supervisors.

TK20 Application for Practicum and Initial Steps

All counselor candidates should read this information before considering application for practicum (COUN 551). Remember that procedures change – check the Department website for the most current information.

COUN 551 presents special circumstances regarding enrollment procedures because of limitation on class size, multiple class locations, availability of faculty instructors/doctoral students for supervision, and the general requirements of the University. Using diverse field placement sites and checking the qualifications of site supervisors necessitates a great deal of coordination. Also, there are legal and ethical matters involved with field placements that demand careful
attention and documentation. To manage these circumstances, the Department of Counseling requires school counselor candidates to make a formal application for practicum and be assigned to a specific course section prior to University registration.

The following items will guide the candidate in their application process:

Step 1. Purchase TK20 and review the School Counselor Field Placement Application. Your TK20 account that you created when you applied to the program is NOT a paid account and will NOT give you access to the School Counselor Field Placement Application. The cost for TK20 is currently $139 and purchased accounts are active for a period of 10 years. TK20 will be used to collect all documents during practicum, keep files in accordance with TEA accreditation requirements, and house the application for field placements. School Counselor candidates will be able to use an existing account that is still active if previously purchased as part of their teacher certification program at ETAMU. If a TK20 account was purchased during teacher certification and has since expired, reach out to TK20 for account
reactivation. That fee is substantially smaller than purchasing a new account.

Step 2. Work with the potential site to collect all required documents and information for the TK20 School Counselor Field Placement Application. Candidates make applications for practicum in the semester BEFORE they wish to take the class. The TK20 School Counselor Field Experience Application opens mid-semester each term and is provided by the School Counseling Program Coordinator. Document uploads will include school verification of the placement, site supervisor qualifications, proof of insurance, and proof of background check. As part of the application, you will be asked to enter the TEA ID number of your site supervisor. This is NOT the 10-digit TEA unique ID that often appears on the service record and is NOT their TEAL username. For a link to the TEAL website where your site supervisor can find their TEA ID number for entry, please see the application in TK20. Submit the application by the deadline. Applications for fall practicum are due no later than July 15th and applications for spring practicum are due no later than October 21st.

NOTE: The primary means for communicating with you regarding your field placement application is your student LeoMail email address. Personal accounts will not be used.

Step 3. The School Counseling Program Coordinator will review applications submitted by the deadline, check for compliance with requirements, and notify students of results and next steps. Waiting lists will be developed as appropriate (this is especially common for COUN 551). Again, preference will be given to those applications that are completed before published deadlines.

Step 4. Candidates cleared for practicum will be assigned to a specific course section. Your name will be “permitted” into that section only. Candidates will be notified by email by the School Counseling Program Coordinator and/or Counseling Department Administrative Assistant as to their section assignments. At that point, you may officially enroll in the class. You will only be allowed to enroll in the specific course section for which your name has been permitted. DO NOT reach out to the department administrative assistant about registration if you have not first contacted the School Counseling Program Coordinator.

Step 5. All counselor candidates enrolling in a field placement course must complete the School Counselor Field Orientation prior to the first class meeting. Candidates who have not completed the Orientation will not be allowed to collect hours and may be dropped from the class. The School Counseling Program Coordinator will inform you of orientation details after your practicum application in TK20 has been approved.

Step 6. All hours logged during practicum to meet TEA requirements must fall between the first date of the semester and the last date of the semester. All candidates should be formally admitted to the Educator Certification Office prior to the beginning of their concentration coursework and field experience courses. If for any reason a candidate has not followed the proper admissions procedure prior to the beginning of their field placement, the Certification Office may determine that they are ineligible for certification as a school counselor through Easat Texas A&M based on requirements in Texas Administrative Code.

Step 7. Additional TEA related paperwork and information may be sent to candidates prior to the beginning of the semester. Candidates should monitor their university email closely for these communications from the School Counseling Program Coordinator. TK20 field experience binders for logging practicum items from the candidate, site supervisor, and field supervisor are typically available within the first week of class. More information on how to access and complete your field experience binder will be provided by your university field supervisor and/or School Counseling Program Coordinator.

Questions regarding the application process for field placements should be directed to the School Counseling Program Coordinator (email preferred).

REMEMBER: you must make an application for practicum through TK20 BEFORE you plan to take practicum; submit by appropriate deadlines; follow directions carefully; always provide accurate contact information including a current email; complete the online School Counselor Field Orientation and the department orientation promptly; enroll in your assigned course section as directed.

Practicum Paperwork Overview and Submission Organization

Originals of these documents to be copied (for form uploads) and screenshots (for electronically completed forms) are found elsewhere in this Handbook. Forms are broken down into sections based on when they are submitted and the person completing them.

Candidate documents submitted before practicum in the Tk20 Practicum Application.
Candidate documents submitted during practicum in the Tk20 Field Experience Binder.
Site Supervisor documents submitted during practicum in the Tk20 Field Experience Binder.
Field Supervisor documents submitted during practicum in the Tk20 Field Experience Binder.

Submitted in TK20 through the Practicum Application BEFORE Practicum

Candidate Forms

Verification of Site Supervisor Qualifications Form

Completed and signed by either the campus principal or district human resources personnel.
A valid TEA ID number for the site supervisor is required

Field Experience Plan: School Setting

Completed and signed by the site supervisor and candidate.
Even though the Field Placement Contract is not due until the start of the practicum course, candidates should review that form with their site and
site supervisor prior to completing the Field Experience Plan for submission in their Tk20 Practicum Application. The contract will review basic roles, responsibilities, and expectations for all parties and inform the creation of the Field Experience Plan.

School Counseling Placement Ethics Agreement

Completed and signed by the candidate.
Read this form carefully. See also the section in this handbook on the dismissal and retention policy for the possible consequences of violating the code of ethics agreement.

Emergency/Crisis Management: School Setting

Completed and signed as indicated.
The candidate should work with the site and site supervisor to ensure that the information recorded on the form is thorough and correct.

Proof of Liability Insurance

Certificate of coverage or letter verifying coverage (copy only).
If the coverage date of the policy does not extend through the end of the practicum semester, the candidate will be responsible for renewing the policy in such a way that a gap in coverage does not exist.
Specific questions about acceptable liability insurance coverage can be directed to the school counseling program coordinator.

Proof of Background Check

Copy of background check evidence (usually letter from school district human resources for employed teachers/educators).
Specific questions about providing proper proof of background check can be directed to the school counseling program coordinator.

Retain a physical copy of each form. You may be asked by your COUN 551 course instructor to submit hard copies during the first course meeting.

Submitted in TK20 through the Field Experience Binder DURING Practicum

TK20 Binder Tab: Field Placement Forms
Form Name: Field Placement Contract: School Counseling Site
Directions:
- Review with the field site early (prior to applying for practicum) but do not turn in until the practicum course has begun.
- Upload the completed form in the Tk20 field experience binder.
- Must be signed by the candidate, site supervisor, and university field supervisor.
- Field supervisor signature can be obtained at the first course meeting.

TK20 Binder Tab: Field Placement Forms
Form Name: School Counseling Background Check
Directions:
- Certificate of coverage or letter verifying coverage (copy only).
- This may be the same document uploaded in the Tk20 practicum application if the date and details are still applicable to the practicum semester of enrollment.

TK20 Binder Tab: Field Placement Forms
Form Name: School Counseling Verification of Insurance
Directions:
- Copy of background check evidence (usually letter from school district human resources for employed teachers/educators).
- This may be the same document uploaded in the Tk20 practicum application if the dates of coverage and other details still pertain to the practicum semester of enrollment.
- If previous coverage expired between practicum application and practicum enrollment, upload a newer copy demonstrating insurance coverage.

TK20 Binder Tab: Video and Audio Taping Consent
Form Name: Counseling Trainee Consent for Video and Audio Taping
Directions:
- Completed within Tk20 electronically.
- Typically, due the first course meeting or the first week of class.

TK20 Binder Tab: Log Sheet
Form Name: TEA Hours Log – School Counseling
Directions:
- This form is also referred to as the Counseling TEA Practicum Log.
- Uploaded in TK20 at the end of the practicum semester.
- Must be signed by the candidate and site supervisor prior to upload.
- See form directions later in this document for additional details.

TK20 Binder Tab: Training Certificates
Form Name: Professional Program-Dyslexia Training
Directions:
- Before the end of practicum: upload your dyslexia training certificate.
- This is the certificate earned from the TEALearn training website

TK20 Binder Tab: Training Certificates
Form Name: Professional Program-Digital Literacy Training
Directions:
- Before the end of the practicum: upload the digital literacy training certificate.
- Note: Digital literacy training is completed during COUN 514, and the certificate is submitted in Tk20 during COUN 551.

TK20 Binder Tab: Site and Site Supervisor Evaluation
Form Name: Candidate Evaluation of Field Placement Site
Directions:
- Completed by the candidate electronically within Tk20.
- This should occur at the end of practicum.
- See field supervisor for specific due date

TK20 Binder Tab: TExES Practice Exam/Approval Process
Form Name: TExES 252 Practice Exam
Directions:
- The candidate will complete a practice TExES 252 exam during the COUN 551 course and upload a copy of their score report in TK20.
- Instructions are included in the TK20 practicum binder.
- See school counseling coordinator for more details and due date.

Most course instructors will require a physical copy of forms. Depending on the form, these are typically due at either the first class meeting or the last class meeting of the semester. Clicking on hyperlinks for forms will open an option to print them as a PDF. You can then print them and bring a copy to class.

The site supervisor and field supervisor can view their candidate's practicum binder items through their Tk20 login but are unable to edit them. It is the candidate's responsibility to ensure their documentation for certification is complete.

Submitted in TK20 through the Field Experience Binder DURING Practicum

Note: Tk20 may refer to the site supervisor role as “cooperating teacher.” This verbiage is part of the Tk20 program, and we are unable to edit it. We apologize for any confusion that this term may cause but assure you that the forms below are the correct ones for the school counseling program

Site Supervisor Forms

Site Supervisor Training Checklist – School Counseling Program

Completed by the site supervisor in TK20 within the first three weeks of the practicum start date.
The site supervisor will download and view both the program handbook and the site supervisor training PowerPoint from the links provided.
Enter the date of completion.
Enter the first and last name of the site supervisor.
Ignore the “Grade” field if it appears. This is a Tk20 software item that cannot be removed from certain places and is not an intentional part of the
form.

Site Supervisor – Midterm Evaluation of School Counselor Candidate

Completed by the site supervisor in TK20 at the mid-point of the practicum.
See information from university field supervisor for exact due date.
Review results with the candidate for coaching purposes.

Site Supervisor – Final Evaluation of School Counselor Candidate

Completed by the site supervisor in TK20 during the final week of the practicum.
See information from university field supervisor for exact due date.
Review results with the candidate for coaching purposes

Site Supervisor – Professional Program Recommendation for Certification

Completed by the site supervisor in TK20 during the final week of the practicum.
See information from university field supervisor for exact due date.
Selecting “Yes” for the recommendation for certification means that the candidate has met or exceeded the minimum expectations to be certified as
school counselor.
Selecting “No” for the recommendation for certification means that a candidate is NOT eligible for certification as a school counselor and will need to successfully repeat the practicum semester to obtain certification.
If selecting “No,” evidence documenting the reason why the candidate should not be certified must be uploaded in Tk20. Supporting evidence should include any growth plans, observations, coaching, or feedback that was attempted (yet ultimately unsuccessful) to improve the school counselor candidate's performance.
The Educator Certification Office will not process recommendations for certification in the TEA system unless “Yes” appears on this form.

Forms completed by your site supervisor within TK20 can be opened by clicking on each blue hyperlink. You will have the option to print them as a PDF for better formatting. You can then print them and bring a copy to class if requested by your COUN 551 instructor.

Site supervisor forms are visible to both the candidate and the field supervisor through their Tk20 login; however, the only person with access to edit the forms is the site supervisor. Candidates should monitor the completion of their site supervisor's forms during the semester and work with them to ensure the completion of all forms by the end of the practicum experience.

Submitted in TK20 through the Field Experience Binder DURING Practicum

These forms are completed by the field supervisor electronically in Tk20. Once entered and saved, the site supervisor and candidate can click on the blue hyperlinks to view the data. The only form that is not visible to the site supervisor and candidate is the field supervisor visit data log, which is retained for TEA data reporting purposes. Note: Forms submitted to the Counseling Department in hardcopy can be printed from Tk20 after completion.

University Field Supervisor Forms

Field Supervisor Contact Log

Completed with dates/times/observation modalities/methods of contact for the semester per TEA requirements for documentation.
Pre- and post-conference dates for all 3 formal observations.
Post-conference dates for all 3 informal observations.
Date of initial contact with the candidate must be recorded.
Date of training the site supervisor must be recorded.
Dates for at least 1 additional collaborative contact with the candidate and site supervisor must be recorded and are not satisfied by otherwise required observations, post-conferences, or pre-conferences.

Field Supervisor-Counselor Observation Form (1, 2, and 3)

Completed for the candidate's 3 required formal observations.
One observation is completed during each third of the practicum.
The field supervisor coordinates with the Educator Certification Office to establish due dates for each semester.
Each formal observation will include a rating for all school counselor educator standards.
Each formal observation will include written evidence of the educational practices observed.
Each formal observation will be preceded by a pre-conference and followed by a post-conference.

Field Supervisor-Informal Observation School Counselor Program (1, 2, and 3)

Completed for the candidate's 3 required informal observations.
Due dates for informal observations are established by the course instructor and/or university field supervisor.
Each informal observation will include a rating for two targeted skills.
Each informal observation will include written evidence of the educational practices observed.
Each informal observation will be followed by a post-conference.

Field Supervisor – Professional Program Recommendation for Certification

Completed in Tk20 during the final week of practicum.
Selecting “Yes” for the recommendation means that the candidate has met or exceeded the minimum expectations to be certified as school counselor.
Selecting “No” for the recommendation means that a candidate is NOT eligible for certification as a school counselor and will need to successfully
repeat the practicum semester to obtain certification.
If selecting “No,” evidence documenting the reason why the candidate should not be certified must be uploaded in Tk20. Supporting evidence
should include any growth plans, observations, coaching, or feedback that was attempted (yet ultimately unsuccessful) to improve the school
counselor candidate's performance.
The Educator Certification Office will not process recommendations for certification in the TEA system unless “Yes” appears on this form.

Field Supervisor-Counseling Student Competency Evaluation (CSCE)

Faculty in the counseling department complete this form for specific courses taken by students, including COUN 551.
This form is completed electronically in Tk20 but may be printed afterward for submission to the counseling department in accordance with departmental policies for retaining records of CSCEs.