Date of Conferral

5-22-2025

Date of Award

May 2025

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Counselor Education and Supervision

Advisor

Wynn Purvis

Abstract

School principals are the primary hiring authorities in U.S. K-12 public schools when employing school counselors. Despite the expansion and diversification of schools’ qualifications, characteristics, and roles, there is a gap in knowledge about principals’ hiring perspectives, priorities, and specific criteria. These elements provide vital information for school counseling educational programs and organizational advocacy for hiring school counselors based on current standards and qualifications. The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to understand the perceptions of school principals regarding the hiring of school counselors. Targeting the research question “What are the perceptions of principals interviewing and hiring school counselors in U.S. K-12 public schools?” eight principals participated from U.S. K-12 public schools who had been in their roles for 5 years and had hired and supervised a school counselor for 2 years. Using semi-structured interviews and following Braun and Clarke’s six-step thematic analysis, the findings identified two key qualifications: that school counseling candidates were former teachers and had strong references. Three characteristics were identified: compassion, empathy, and flexibility. Findings suggest that principals’ hiring practices are based on traditions, experience, and on-the-job training from other colleagues. Implications for social change can inform policies and practices to enhance inclusivity and diversify factors in hiring decisions for qualified individuals entering the school counseling profession. Implications for positive social change include more equitable and inclusive hiring practices and continuity between school counselors and principals in hiring requirements.

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