Date of Conferral

4-30-2025

Date of Award

April 2025

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Counselor Education and Supervision

Advisor

Ariel Harrison

Abstract

The role of school counselors in K-12 education is critical to fostering student success; however, their effectiveness is frequently undermined by role ambiguity, administrative misperceptions, and the misalignment of duties with the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) National Model. Few studies have explored the lived experiences of K-12 school administrators and how these experiences shape perceptions of counselor roles and responsibilities. This qualitative, hermeneutic phenomenological study examined how administrators' perceptions influence school counselors’ deployment, responsibilities, and collaboration within school settings. The research was guided by two questions: (1) How do K-12 administrators make meaning of their lived experiences with the roles and responsibilities of school counselors? and (2) How do K-12 administrators perceive these roles and responsibilities in daily school practice? Grounded in Schein’s Organizational Culture Theory, the study explored how cultural norms and institutional structures inform administrator expectations and counselor utilization. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 13 K-12 administrators across diverse educational contexts and analyzed using the application hermeneutic circle, iterative thematic coding, and reflective synthesis. Findings revealed five emergent themes: (a) collaboration and communication, (b) emphasis on social-emotional learning, (c) crisis management and reactive roles, (d) data collection and alignment with the ASCA National Model, and (e) counselor roles and responsibilities. The implications for social change include informing educational leadership preparation programs and district policy by promoting greater awareness of the school counselor’s professional roles.

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