What is the purpose of the school's annual counseling program plan?

• A. To provide a budget summary for the counseling department.
• B. To align counseling services with school goals, ensure accountability, and guide implementation.
• C. To designate classroom placement for counselors.
• D. To list every intervention the counselor will do weekly regardless of data.

Answer: (B)

The main idea being tested is that the annual counseling program plan serves as a strategic, data-driven blueprint that connects counseling services to school goals and provides the framework for how the program is carried out and assessed. This plan ensures that what counselors do is purposeful and coordinated, aimed at improving student outcomes and supporting the school's improvement targets. It typically includes objectives, the data sources used to monitor progress, planned actions and timelines, responsibilities, and clear measures of success so that staff can track impact and make adjustments as needed. Because of this, the plan is about alignment with goals, accountability, and guidance for implementation and evaluation. It’s not merely a budget summary, nor is it a tool to designate classroom placements for counselors, nor a fixed list of interventions to be carried out weekly regardless of data.