Comprehensive Program Evaluation Report 2005-2006

School Counseling and Community Mental Health Counseling
M.S. Counselor Education

1. The Alumni Survey was mailed during the 2005-2006 academic year to 17 graduates of the school and community mental health counseling programs one year following graduation. Below is a summary of the findings:

a. 100% of school counseling graduates indicated that overall the program prepared them for their current professional position as a school counselor. These graduates are employed as school counselors in Miami-Dade and Broward County. Their salaries range from $37,000- $45,000 per year. They are serving a culturally and linguistically diverse population of students including gifted students and those with disabilities.
b. 100% of community mental health graduates indicated that overall the program prepared them for their current professional positions are in the area of mental health. These graduates reported working in community mental health agencies in Miami-Dade County and other setting that provide counseling services such as Children’s Home Society and New Life Health Care Center. Salaries range from $40,000- $50,000 per year.
c. Strengths cited by all graduates include: the faculty, the clinical supervision, variety of courses offered, good education in group and cultural diversity, and the internship experience. Specific course content that were cited as particularly helpful include: vocational assessment, research, mental health interventions, and individual and crisis counseling. Areas of weaknesses included: identification of needs of exceptional students, identification of needs of students with disabilities, case management, group counseling.

2. Site supervisors conduct an evaluation of our students at the end of each of their field experiences.

School counseling site supervisors rated our students as follows:

• Academic year 04-05: 100% of site supervisors rated our interns performance as excellent.

Mental health counseling site supervisors rated our students as follows:

• Academic year 04-05: 80% excellent; 20% very good

3. Florida Teacher Competency Exam and Guidance and Counseling Subject Area Exam: 100% passing rates (latest passing rates available 2004-2005 data). This is consistent with a policy that was passed during the 2002-2003 academic year that school counseling students must now show proof of passing the Florida Teacher Certification exam, the subject area exam in guidance and counseling, and the new General Knowledge exam prior to graduation.

4. Other results from the Alumni Surveys are summarized below:

There were no negative comments related to university and program services.

Strengths of the program include: the cross cultural classes, group counseling lab, practicum and internship experiences, affordable education, consultation class, rapport/relationship with professors, professionalism, excellent instruction, being able to practice intervention learned, excellent faculty (experienced in the field), foundational skills and knowledge, organized curriculum, and good advising.

Weaknesses of the program: More reality based school counseling, information related to the paperwork involved in school settings, students need to have more access to information, availability of required courses, scheduling of classes not practical, identification of disability/exceptional education students, more feedback during internship, and unpaid internship creates financial hardship.

5. The faculty discussed the results of the alumni survey during the October and November Counselor Education Program Meetings. In an effort to remedy areas that were rated weakly by the respondents, the faculty has taken the following actions:

· Ensure that all students are signed up for the list serve. Since 2004-2005, was the first year the list serve was implemented, not all students may have been active. Presently, all professors are asked to secure the e mails of the students in their classes and alumni will be asked to submit their e mails when completing future alumni surveys.

· Discuss the issues of the Research Methodology course with Department chair, who oversees the faculty responsible for teaching this course.

· As the Measurement and Assessment course is typically taught by adjuncts, a meeting with all Counselor Education adjuncts will be held to discuss feedback from their courses. Their course evaluations from the 2004-2005 year will be examined for areas to improve. All adjuncts will be invited to the monthly program meetings.

· For School Counseling students, someone from the Miami-Dade Public School District office (i.e. student services staff) will be invited to come out and talk to them about the paperwork requirements. This can take place during the clinical experience courses. In addition, recent alumni who are working in school settings will be invited to come and talk to the students about their experiences in the school system.

· The faculty also voted to implement a Comprehensive Counseling Exam, required for students admitted to the program Fall 2006 and beyond. Students will complete the exam during their field experience class. A pass rate of 70% is needed.