NOSCA National Conference

Destination Equity:Charting Bright Futures for All Students

April 13–15, 2008

Houston Intercontinental Airport Marriott

18700 John F. Kennedy Boulevard

Houston, Texas Sponsored by the

National Office for School Counselor Advocacy of the

College Board

A Message from the President

Welcome to the College Board’s first national conference for school counselors, Destination Equity: Charting Bright Futures for All Students. I am excited about being able to meet with counselors because I know how important you are to the futures of students and their families. Your work in schools is strongly linked to the future life options your students will have in an economy dependent on knowledge and lifelong learning.

Postsecondary learning in today’s economy has become as necessary for the economic security of families as a high school diploma was in the lives of our parents. School counselors have a profound impact on what young people know about the significance of postsecondary education and what information, knowledge, and experiences they must have for access to and success with educational options beyond high school.

The College Board’s mission is to connect students to college success and other substantial postsecondary opportunities. In order to achieve this mission, we recognize that many students will need a network of support systems that go far beyond the distribution of information. Students will need professional school counselors who nurture their hopes and dreams, help them develop plans to reach their goals, and advocate for their access to and success in the rigorous courses needed for college admission. Many of these students do not have parents, siblings, or community members who have made this journey before them, making your help vital to their successful transition from high school to college.

Over the last decade, the College Board has launched many strong advocacy initiatives that we feel are critical to opening doors to college for all students. We have launched advocacy efforts to support teachers, focused national attention on writing skills, and provided leadership with the membership on the CollegeKeys Compact™, focusing on gathering support for addressing the multiple needs of students from low-income backgrounds, and implemented advocacy initiatives to support school counselors. The National Office for School Counselor Advocacy (NOSCA) is one of our larger, sustained efforts for counselor support. NOSCA was founded in 2003 to provide leadership in establishing a national presence for school counselors in twenty-first-century education reform, highlighting the school counselor’s role as an advocate for equity, access, and college readiness for all students.

The sessions that the NOSCA planning committee has put together for this conference will allow us to explore our common ground, gain new ideas, and engage in deep and meaningful conversations about educating all students to higher levels. Over the next few days as you attend the sessions, I hope you are inspired to become formidable champions for educational equity for all your students, especially those who need you the most. I challenge you to step out of your comfort zones to become the leaders and advocates I know you can be—professionals who are committed to ensuring bright futures for all students.

Gaston

Welcome

Dear Colleagues:

On behalf of the National Office for School Counselor Advocacy, I welcome you to the College Board’s first annual conference for school counselors, counselor leaders, and counselor educators.

In schools across the country, counselors, when at their best, have been called many eloquent names—dream makers, nurturers of hope, guiding stars, agents for change, and anchors for those students finding it hard to hold on. These positive descriptors result from school counselors performing identifiable actions that illustrate their belief in students. At this conference we will offer you opportunities to further develop your attributes as student advocates by helping you sharpen your skills at ensuring that the future life options of your students are not limited by lack of academic preparation and information.

Our conference theme, Destination Equity: Charting Bright Futures for All Students, signifies a journey, a map, a compass, and a target for identified travelers. It is our hope that by the end of this conference, you will have concrete ideas and new information about the critical part you play in helping all students navigate the pathway to postsecondary learning. Knowledge is the ticket each student must have to construct bright futures for themselves and their families in the twenty-first-century economy. The need for school counselors to serve as navigators and supporters for academic equity and excellence for all students in this knowledge-based economy is greater than ever before.

For the next three days, we have assembled a dynamic group of speakers and presenters who are excited about delivering sessions designed to increase your capacity to make college a reality for all students, and especially those young people who have not traditionally seen themselves as part of the college-going equation.

You have the power to be leaders, advocates, collaborators, and innovators in schools today, as all educators strive to better prepare students for a future much more complex than the one we entered as high school graduates. We applaud you for taking this opportunity to focus on ways to help your students have access to brighter futures.

Sincerely,

Pat Martin and the NOSCA team

Pat Martin Vivian Lee LaTrisha Youngblood

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Gene Nichol

Gene Nichol teaches courses in constitutional law and civil rights at the College of William and Mary. He is co-author of Federal Courts: Cases, Comments, and Questions and a contributor to Where We Stand: Voices of Southern Dissent. Nichol has published articles and essays in the

Harvard Law Review, the Yale Law Journal, the University of Chicago Law Review, the University of Pennsylvania Law Review, the Michigan Law Review, the California Law Review, the Virginia Law Review, and an array of other leading legal journals. From 1998 to 1999, he was a political columnist for the Rocky Mountain News and the Colorado Daily. From 1999 to 2005, he was a regular op-ed writer for the Raleigh News & Observer. He has also written for The Nation and other periodicals.

Nichol became the 26th president of the College of William and Mary on July 1, 2005. Before his tenure there, Nichol was Burton Craige Professor and dean of the law school at the University of North Carolina. He served as law dean at the University of Colorado from 1988 to 1995, and as James Gould Cutler Professor and director of the Institute of Bill of Rights Law at William and Mary from 1985 to 1988. Nichol was also a faculty member at the University of Florida and West Virginia University. He founded the Byron R. White Center for the Study of American Constitutional Law at the University of Colorado in 1990 and the Center for Civil Rights at the University of North Carolina in 2001.

Nichol has been significantly involved in public affairs. He has testified before a number of committees of the U.S. Congress and various state legislatures. In 1991, he was appointed special master by a three-judge federal court in Colorado to mediate a redistricting dispute between the governor and the legislature. The accord was ratified by statute. A year later he helped head the Colorado Reapportionment Commission. He has been elected to membership in the American Law Institute and the Fellows of the American Bar Foundation.

In 2003, Nichol won the American Bar Association’s Edward R. Finch Award for delivering the nation’s best Law Day address. Two years later, Governor Michael Easley inducted Nichol into the Order of the Long Leaf Pine, the state of North Carolina’s highest civilian honor, and the national judicial access organization, Equal Justice Works, named him outstanding law school dean of the year.

Nichol attended Oklahoma State University, where he received a degree in philosophy and played varsity football. He obtained his J.D. from the University of Texas, graduating Order of the Coif in 1976.

Keynote Speaker

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Special Guest Presenters

Mary Bacon

Mary Bacon’s journey from the projects in the South and tenements in the Northeast to the role of consultant was a varied and exciting one that makes her uniquely prepared both personally and professionally to address issues related to closing the achievement gap between those

who are racially, ethnically, and culturally different as well as those who come from the culture of poverty. An experienced teacher, university instructor, counselor, psychologist, and school administrator in a variety of educational institutions, Bacon has also served as a probation officer in juvenile halls and community-based programs, ending her career in juvenile justice as a field deputy in the California state attorney’s office.

For the past two decades, she has delivered keynote addresses and seminars to hundreds of thousands of educators throughout the country and internationally, primarily related to serving the most-challenged and challenging youth and families in our education systems. Most recently she has served as a consultant to major school districts working on professional and policy development in the area of closing the achievement gap between more-advantaged and more-challenged youth. Her firm, Images of a Culture, is currently involved in a three-year project with the Los Angeles Unified School District that was initiated by the Closing the Achievement Gap branch, which provides professional development for district staff on deconstructing negative beliefs, attitudes, and expectations about low-performing urban youth. Working with Puerto Rican and other Latino youth and families on the Lower East Side of New York and the National Conference of Christians and Jews, living with families in several Spanish-speaking countries, extensively traveling, and working in diverse communities such as California and New York provided another wealth of experiences that has contributed to a lifelong fascination with working with multicultural populations and experiencing the world from the perspectives of those who bring the rich cultural diversity that characterizes the American experience.

Bacon earned a bachelor’s degree in secondary education from Fordham University, majoring in Spanish and French, a master’s degree in guidance and counseling, and a doctorate in social psychology.

Maria Ferrier

Maria Ferrier has a long and varied career in education. She has recently been appointed as the executive director of Texas A&M University-Kingsville System Center-San Antonio. Ferrier currently serves as the Southwest Independent School District’s executive director

for external funding and grants, and of the Southwest Independent School District Education Foundation in San Antonio.

In 2002, she was appointed by President George W. Bush to direct the Office of English Language Acquisition, Language Enhancement, and Academic Achievement for Limited English Proficient Students in the U.S. Department of Education. During her tenure, she was promoted twice, first to deputy undersecretary and then to assistant deputy secretary.

She served as executive director of City Year San Antonio and was host of City Spirit, a weekly television program that featured the “Texas Pledge” and volunteer opportunities for people living in the San Antonio community. In 1999, she was appointed Our Lady of the Lake University’s first distinguished visiting professor.

In 1992, Secretary of Education Lamar Alexander appointed her to serve as director of bilingual education and minority languages affairs. In 1991, President George H. W. Bush appointed Ferrier to the Commission on National and Community Service.

Ferrier earned a bachelor’s degree in speech and a master’s degree in guidance and counseling from Our Lady of the Lake University, and an Ed.D. in educational administration from Texas A&M University.

Plenary Speakers

Special Guest Presenters

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Cheryl Holcomb-McCoy

Cheryl Holcomb-McCoy received her Ph.D. in counseling and counselor education from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. She is currently an associate professor in the Department of Counseling and Personnel Services at the University of Maryland, College Park, and is

the former director of the School Counseling Program at Brooklyn College of the City University of New York. Her areas of research specialization include multicultural school counseling, school counselor multicultural self-efficacy, and urban school counselor preparation. She has written more than 40 book chapters and refereed articles on issues pertaining to diversity in school counselor education. Her most recent scholarly contribution is School Counseling to Close the Achievement Gap: A Social Justice Framework for Success. Holcomb-McCoy is a former elementary school counselor and kindergarten teacher.

Holcomb-McCoy was elected National Secretary of Chi Sigma Iota International in 2000 and was the recipient of the Chi Sigma Iota Outstanding Research Award in 1998. She was named Maryland Counselor Educator of the Year in 2001 and was awarded the Exemplary Diversity Leadership Award by the Association for Multicultural Counseling and Development in 2007. Holcomb-McCoy has served on the editorial boards of Professional School Counseling, the Journal of Counseling and Development, Counselor Education and Supervision, and the Journal of Multicultural Counseling and Development. She is currently serving as the American School Counselor Association Diversity Professional Network chairperson and is a consultant for the College Board’s National Office for School Counselor Advocacy and The Education Trust.

Carlos Hipolito-Delgado

Carlos P. Hipolito-Delgado is an assistant professor of counseling psychology and counselor education at the University of Colorado Denver. His research interests include ethnic identity development, the internalization of discrimination, the empowerment process, and training

of counselors for multicultural competence. Hipolito-Delgado has presented at numerous national conferences on training counselors for multicultural competence. He also serves as an ad hoc reviewer for the Journal of Counseling and Development.

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Special Guest Presenters

Jesus Jara

Jesus Jara is senior director of the College Board partnership office, where he oversees the Florida Partnership based in Tallahassee. Appointed to this position in July 2006, Jara is responsible for coordinating College Board programs and services to offer equity and

access to minority and underrepresented students in Florida. Jara guides state and College Board research units to develop, refine, and implement the data collection and evaluation process, and also serves as a liaison between the College Board and state-, district-, and school-level educators, lobbyists, and the governor’s office. Jara joined the College Board in 2005 after serving public school systems in Florida and Massachusetts as a teacher and administrator.

Immediately after college, Jara joined Miami-Dade County Public Schools, where he taught science for five years, then spent time as dean of students at Coral Gables Senior High School before moving to the High School of Science and Technology in Springfield, Massachusetts, as principal. During this time, he bolstered graduation rates, increased the number of college-bound seniors, and doubled the number of AP® courses offered. In 2005, the high school was a semifinalist for the College Board’s Inspiration Award, an annual honor recognizing the most improved secondary schools in the United States.

Jara grew up in Florida and attended Miami-Dade public schools himself before earning his associate degree from Miami Dade Community College, then moving on to Barry University in Miami Shores, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in sports medicine. He earned his master’s degree in science education from Nova Southeastern University and is currently working on his doctorate in educational policy from the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Courtland Lee

Courtland Lee is a professor and director of the Counselor Education Program at the University of Maryland, College Park. He is the author, editor, or co-editor of five books on multicultural counseling and two books on counseling and social justice. He is also the author

of three books on counseling African American males. In addition, he has published numerous book chapters and articles on counseling across cultures.

Lee is the president of the International Association for Counseling and Fellow of the British Association for Counseling and Psychotherapy, the first and only American to receive this honor. He is also a Fellow with the American Counseling Association, of which he is a past president. He has held multiple presidencies for organizations including the Association for Multicultural Counseling and Development and Chi Sigma Iota, the international counseling honor society, and is a charter member of Chi Sigma Iota’s Academy of Leaders for Excellence.

Lee is the former editor of the Journal of Multicultural Counseling and Development and the Journal of African American Men. He also holds editorial positions with the International Journal for the Advancement of Counseling and the Journal of Counseling and Development.

Lee has held faculty positions as a counselor educator at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the University of Virginia. A former teacher and school counselor, Lee has served as an educational consultant in both the United States and abroad.

Conference SessionsSunday, April 13, 2008

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8 a.m.–2:30 p.m.

Registration and Information Desk

9–10 a.m.

Opening Keynote Welcome and conference kickoff by Pat Martin, assistant vice president of the National Office for School Counselor Advocacy, and keynote address by Gene Nichol, law professor at the College of William and Mary and co-author of Federal Courts: Cases, Comments, and Questions and a contributor to Where We Stand: Voices of Southern Dissent.

10:15–11:30 a.m.

The Eight Components of College Readiness Counseling: A Comprehensive ApproachParticipants will learn about a large suburban district that has taken a comprehensive approach to college access, readiness, and planning. Beginning in middle school, students and parents are coached through eight components of college readiness counseling using a series of presentations, individual advisement sessions, family sessions, written materials, and a transition program partnership through the local community college that works with underrepresented populations on raising college aspirations. Workshop attendees will gain the skills needed to make decisions about their own college readiness counseling programs. They will receive copies of the written materials and descriptions of the activities involved in each of the eight college readiness components.

Presenters: Sharon Sevier, Director of Guidance and Counseling, Rockwood R-VI School District, Missouri; Beth Collier, College and Career Specialist, Rockwood Summit High School, Fenton, Missouri

Tried-and-True TRIO Tactics: Turning College Aspirations into Admissions From Aspirations to Action: The Role of Middle School Parents in Making the Dream of College a Reality, a national report, revealed that parents of middle schoolers have high expectations that their children will go to college, but parental knowledge about college preparation is low. The report made a strong call for early college intervention practices. TRIO programs—Upward Bound, Talent Search, and Educational Opportunity Centers (EOC)—are some of the oldest early intervention programs directed toward precollege and college early intervention programs for underserved students. Participants in this workshop will develop a working knowledge of the best practices developed over 40 years of experience working with parents and students.

Presenters: Pam Lamberth, Director, EOC, The College Board, Washington, D.C.; Jerrye Feliciana, Associate Director, EOC, The College Board, Washington, D.C.; April Bell, Educational Counselor, EOC, The College Board, Washington, D.C.; Melvin Brock, Senior Educational Counselor, EOC, The College Board, Washington, D.C.

Women of Color: Leadership for Change in Educational OutcomesAs data regarding racial, cultural, linguistic, and economic achievement gaps reveal rapidly changing school environments (NCES, 2005), educators have a duty to address challenges that arise in transitioning schools to serve students current instructional systems are not reaching. Research suggests that the capacity of adults in the school to form trusting relationships with and supportive learning environments for their students can greatly influence achievement outcomes. In this interactive session, attendees will obtain information on how to develop a leadership program for young women of color with the school environment. Participants will examine personal values and beliefs and the impact on students, parents, and community, and will learn ways to build and strengthen authentic relationships.

Presenters: Liliana Ballestas-Cuevas, Director of Student Support Center, Manchester High School, Connecticut; Angella Manhertz, School Psychologist, Manchester High School, Connecticut; Marie Michael-Rogers, School Social Worker, Manchester High School, Connecticut

Changing the Academic Culture by Opening Access to the Advanced Placement Program® In this session, participants will not only review data that support the elimination of barriers to increase AP participation, but also learn how this elimination has prompted students of all ability levels to challenge themselves in rigorous course work. Participants will learn how to use the data provided, as well as develop strategies and best practices to enhance course registration and support students in all levels of course work. This is a student-centered approach to high school course work that challenges students while providing the necessary support and understanding that is needed for success. Student testimonials will be examined.

Presenter: Patricia Mucenski, Professional School Counselor, Lisbon High School, Lisbon Falls, Maine

11:45 a.m.–1 p.m.

Leveling the College-Going Playing Field for Underrepresented and Economically Challenged YouthCollege is possible for many students who are underrepresented in the college-going ranks today. Data collected over time by the Upward Bound Program validate this circumstance and provide us with a tried and proven road map for outreach to students who need intentionally focused efforts to close the college opportunity gap. Upward Bound, a 46-year-old program that serves students from the District of Columbia, provides three to four years of support for students who are first-generation college students and/or from families with low incomes. During this session, Upward Bound national and D.C. data will be shared, and program components and best practices will be highlighted. Voices of actual students who have accepted the challenging pathway and made the leap to college will be heard.

Wednesday, February 2, 2005

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Conference SessionsSunday, April 13, 2008

Participants will acquire knowledge about how to analyze successful alternative programs promoting a college-going culture among disadvantaged youth. They will learn how to develop concrete methods for creating programs to increase college entrance for low-income and low-performing students and get information on available federal grants and established federal programs.

Presenters: Marlene Guy, Director, Upward Bound, The College Board, Washington, D.C.; Dominique Jones, Program Associate, Upward Bound, The College Board, Washington, D.C.

Steps to Inquiry: As Easy As 1-2-3Inquiry is not HARD statistical research. Inquiry is asking hard questions and letting data lead the journey. In this workshop, participants will engage in the interactive “practice” of addressing troubling data and using successful steps and strategies to inform their next steps. Participants will learn strategies for conducting effective inquiry while developing a better understanding of inquiry and how to make it user friendly.

Presenter: Vicki Brooks-McNamara, Senior Consultant, The Education Trust, and Central District Coordinator, Beaverton School District, Oregon

Empowered Youth Programs: Promoting and Supporting Rigorous Academic PreparationSchools, families, and communities are the sum total of how their members think and behave. If we are going to change the educational and life trajectory for ALL students, especially students of color and students from low-income backgrounds, we must have the courage to challenge the way adults think about, talk about, and behave with these students. More importantly, we must CHANGE the way these students think and behave regarding their own ability. This session will focus on how Empowered Youth Programs do this for adults and young people, thereby increasing enrollment in rigorous courses. Session participants will learn how to replicate this successful program and enroll more minority and economically disadvantaged youth in their own schools. Attendees will leave with practical strategies for overcoming the barriers and pitfalls of implementing this type of enrichment program. Program data will be presented to support the outcomes of Empowered Youth Programs.

Presenter: Deryl Bailey, Associate Professor, University of Georgia, Director of Empowered Youth Programs

Connecting the Dots: Giving School Counselors the Tools to Promote College Access and Success Among Urban Students Despite growing evidence that school counselors play a vital role in promoting college access and readiness, too few counselors have access to the research and literature generated by higher education scholars regarding college access and success, especially among first-generation, low-income, and minority students. Unfortunately, college access and retention research and findings pay little attention to school counseling practice, rather citing school counselors as central to the gap that exists in enrollment. This is particularly troubling in light of the complexities facing these underrepresented students in pursuit of

postsecondary education. In this session, participants will engage in activities designed to help bring about changes in their current work. Participants will gain an understanding of the overarching themes in college access and success literature, and will acquire the skills needed to apply this information in practice.

Presenter: Mandy Savitz-Romer, Faculty Director, Risk and Prevention Program, Harvard Graduate School of Education, Massachusetts

1–2 p.m.

Buffet Luncheon at CK’s Restaurant in the Tower

2–3:15 p.m.

Colloquium—Plenary Session

Making Schools Work for African American Students One of the most pressing challenges that this nation faces is helping all of America’s children meet the standards needed to live, work, communicate, and be productive citizens in a highly technological and global community. Our very future depends on how quickly we can end the inequalities that produce inevitable achievement gaps among African American students and their white and Asian peers. Participants will learn about the many challenges and critical issues that school counselors and other educators face when working with African American students. African American achievement will be discussed within an institutional and cultural context in which the participants can then analyze their existing policies, practices, and programs. Institutional barriers that often keep African American students from achieving will be delineated, and the presenters will offer specific examples of what can be done to remove them. Key issues in education reform, including the processes involved in reforming school counseling programs and whole schools, will be covered from a perspective of strategies that have been proven to work for African American students. Participants will be exposed to important new ideas and will revisit ideas of the past from a new perspective.

Presenters: Courtland C. Lee, Director of Counselor Education Program, University of Maryland, College Park; Cheryl Holcomb-McCoy, Associate Professor, University of Maryland, College Park

3:30–4:45 p.m.

Take the Leap to College Success: A Model for All SeniorsTo ensure that all students receive an opportunity for additional support required to attend college, McAllen Independent School District (MISD), in conjunction with South Texas College, the University of Texas Pan American, and Texas A&M University,

Conference SessionsSunday, April 13, 2008

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launched the Take the Leap to College Success initiative. This intensive program was designed to make certain that every senior at all of McAllen high schools applied for college and financial aid. Attendees will learn how to collaborate with postsecondary institutions to establish programs that facilitate every student in a school district applying to college.

Presenter: Glenda McClendon, Coordinator of Counseling and Guidance, MISD, Texas

Sowing the Seeds of Greatness: Reculturing Urban SchoolsTeacher expectations, the hidden curriculum, and self-fulfilling prophesies can impact student achievement. Learn how an urban high school went from not making adequate yearly progress (AYP) to being nominated for the U.S. Department of Education Blue Ribbon Award through an inquiry of the school’s practices, exploration of research-based ideas, and staff development. Participants will learn how to identify issues hindering urban students from enrolling in AP and IB classes; develop practical solutions to reculture a school to provide open access to college-prep classes; and build academic strategies that significantly increase test scores and promote scholarship for all students.

Presenter: Regina Ellis, Director of Guidance and Counseling, Kansas City School District, Missouri

Legislation and School Counseling: Examining the Link Between Policy and EquitySchool counselors are receiving a boost in their efforts to gain political support for their profession at the state level. Several state-level counseling associations and the College Board have helped organize grassroots support in state capitals on issues near and dear to the heart of what school counseling is all about. These efforts include training on legislative advocacy, and learning about education and higher education issues and funding, affirmative action, student financial aid, and school improvement. Join us in a discussion with a panel of state-level counselor leaders who have been involved in these efforts in various states including California, Georgia, New York, and Texas. Participants will develop strategies for advocacy by using models and following the advice and examples from school counselors who are themselves successful advocates.

Panel: Eileen Doctorow, College Counselor, Project STEPS, North Hollywood High School, California; Brian Petraitis, Director, New York State Office, The College Board, Albany; Angela Reformato, Chapter Leader, United Federation of Teachers, New York, New York

Difficult Conversations: Using Data to Begin the JourneyThis session will explore the use of data, disaggregated by race, and the journey the staff at Benson Polytechnic High School in Portland, Oregon, are undertaking as they look objectively at the learning needs of all students. Participants will examine changing student demographics, district initiatives, and staffing ratios, as well as day-to-day expectations. Counselors at Benson will lead this journey as participants analyze how to impact student achievement in the classroom. An interactive discussion about the tasks associated with putting together professional development will address both the racial inequities highlighted by the data and the learning needs of all students at Benson.

Presenters: Ginger Taylor, Professional School Counselor, Benson Polytechnic High School, Portland, Oregon; Vicki Brooks-McNamara, Senior Consultant, The Education Trust, and Central District Coordinator, Beaverton School District, Oregon

5:30–9:30 p.m.

Opening ReceptionExperience the Tastes of Texas at our welcome reception. Live music, dancing, and some good ol’ Texas treats will be on hand for your enjoyment.

Wednesday, February 2, 2005

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Conference SessionsMonday, April 14, 2008

7:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m.

Registration and Information Desk

8:30–9:30 a.m.

Plenary SessionWelcome: Tom Rudin, Senior Vice President of Advocacy, Government Relations, and Development, The College Board

Plenary Speaker: Maria Ferrier, Executive Director of Texas A&M University-Kingsville System Center-San Antonio

9:45–11 a.m.

Session V

CollegeKeys Compact™: Partnering for College Access for Students from Low-Income BackgroundsThe Trustees-appointed College Board Task Force on College Access for Students from Low-Income Backgrounds invites participants to learn about research-based findings related to preparing students for higher education and reducing the barriers to college access and success these students face. The result of the task force’s work, the CollegeKeys Compact™, asks member institutions to partner with the College Board to implement new programs and policies that will increase the number of low-income students who enroll in and graduate from a college or university. Attendees will learn how their school can become a member of the CollegeKeys Compact and strategies for assisting low-income students to prepare for, enroll in, and graduate from college.

Presenter: Jacqueline Woods, Project Manager, CollegeKeys Compact, The College Board

The Ethics of Accountability in College Readiness CounselingThe nature and function of schools pose competing legal and ethical complications and responsibilities as well as opportunities to create brighter futures for all students, especially those traditionally underserved. Through discussion of case studies, participants will increase their understanding of the ethics of equitable school counseling programs in promoting college for all students, especially those traditionally underserved. Participants will explore such topics as malpractice in academic advising, legal requirements governing educational records, the legal and ethical practice of writing letters of recommendation, the impact of dual relationships, the complications of confidentiality, and minors’ rights to privacy.

Presenter: Carolyn Stone, Assistant Professor and Co-Program Leader, University of North Florida

Enhancing Student Achievement Through Family and Community PartnershipsDo you want to enhance the opportunities for your students to be successful? Having meaningful and positive partnerships with families and the community will definitely help. Participants will gain the knowledge and skills needed to create effective and meaningful partnerships, and learn how families can advocate for their children and become more involved in their children’s education. Come willing to learn and share information on having successful partnerships that help ensure students’ academic success.

Presenters: Karalia Baldwin, Supervisor of Guidance, Pinellas County Schools, Florida; Doretha Jackson, Supervisor, Family and Community Relations, Pinellas County Schools, Florida

School Counseling/Math Collaborative: Supporting Access to Rigorous Course WorkThe School Counseling/Math Collaborative is a districtwide initiative to promote collaboration between school counselors and math teachers in increasing access to rigorous math courses for all students and increasing success in math initiatives. The collaborative is based on data showing the impact middle school math placement has on access to rigor across subject areas in high school and college. The ASCA National Model for school counseling was used as a guide for the discussion of challenging issues related to equity in access to rigorous courses as well as in the creation of a plan to increase the number of minority students in advanced courses. Participants will develop the skills to use data and collaboration work to improve student achievement in math.

Presenter: Eric Sparks, President, American School Counselor Association and Director of Counseling Services, Wake County Public School System, North Carolina

11:15 a.m.–12:30 p.m.

Colloquium—Plenary Session

Si Se Puede: The State of Latina/o Students in Education and Interventions for EquityThis combined general session addresses the achievement gap that haunts the Latina/o community; its children live a nightmare of low test scores, increased risk of dropping out, and decreased college-going rates. Professional school counselors are charged with promoting educational equity for all, including Latina/o students. To awaken Latina/o students from their nightmarish reality of educational inequity, school counselors must be well versed in the state of Latina/o students in education, understand the unique risk and resilience factors of this community, and possess culturally appropriate intervention strategies. This colloquium will arm participants with the knowledge and skills needed to make a direct and immediate impact toward educational equity for Latina/o students.

Presenters: Carlos Hipolito-Delgado, Assistant Professor, University of Colorado Denver; Jesus Jara, Senior Director of the Florida Partnership, The College Board, Florida

Conference SessionsMonday, April 14, 2008

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12:30–2:30 p.m.

NOSCA Awards Luncheon Intercontinental Ballroom B, Lobby Level

Keynote AddressGaston Caperton, President, The College Board

Facilitator: Vivian Lee, Higher Education School Counselor Specialist, The College Board

2:45–4 p.m.

Earning an Associate Degree While Completing High SchoolDo you have students who are ready for college after their sophomore year? Richland Collegiate High School (RCHS) is a two-year program focusing on mathematics, science, and engineering and is intended for junior-level high school students who desire a rigorous college-level academic experience. RCHS students attend Richland College as full-time college students with the intent of completing high school graduation requirements while earning college credit toward an associate degree, college core completion, or transfer of university degree requirements.

Presenters: Lea Ann Munkres, Senior Academic Advisor, RCHS and Richland College, Texas; Gloria Palomeque, Senior Academic Advisor, RCHS and Richland College, Texas

Ensuring College and Career Readiness for All StudentsThis session will focus on the role of the transformed school counselor in ensuring that all students are ready for success in both college and career. Participants will learn about new tools to help focus equity and academic achievement efforts. Characteristics of high schools that are successful with students who enter ninth grade as low performers will be shared. In addition, participants will learn about The Education Trust’s new Equity Audit, a suite of tools designed to uncover educational equity and opportunity gaps through analysis of master schedules and student transcripts.

Presenter: Peggy Hines, Director, National Center for Transforming School Counseling, The Education Trust, Washington, D.C.

Leadership That Counts: School Leadership for Excellence and EquityParticipants will learn strategies to develop a school climate conducive to both equity and excellence. The presentation will focus on learning how race and ethnicity shape school interactions, the importance of mining school data, the need for continued professional development in cultural competence, and how to integrate this information to improve the achievement of all students.

Presenter: Mark Matthews, Senior Educational Manager, Florida Partnership, The College Board; Robert Sheffield, Educational Manager, Florida Partnership, The College Board; Yasmeen Leon, Educational Manager, Florida Partnership, The College Board; Jesus Jara, Senior Director, Florida Partnership, The College Board

The Power of Assessment: Getting to Know the SAT®

Using standardized assessments to improve the academic achievement of students can make a difference. This introductory workshop is for counselors that have been in the profession for less than three years. The topics covered are: What is the SAT®? Why is it important? How is it made? How do students prepare? How do students register? What help is available for low-income students? What online resources are available? How is it scored? What performance feedback is produced? Participants will leave this session with practical strategies, tips, and handouts to help them use the SAT as a counseling tool. Time will be allotted for a Q&A session.

Presenter: Margo McCoy Howe, College Counseling Consultant, The College Board

5–9:30 p.m.

Houston Galleria TripMeet us in the lobby at 5 p.m. and board the buses for a trip to the legendary Houston Galleria mall. Enjoy a couple of hours of shopping and dining at this facility with an assortment of restaurants, shops, and activities. Buses will return to the hotel at 9:15 p.m.

Wednesday, February 2, 2005

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Conference SessionsTuesday, April 15, 2008

8:30–9:30 a.m.

Closing Plenary SessionRemarks: Pat Martin, Assistant Vice President, the National Office for School Counselor Advocacy

Keynote Address: Mary Bacon, Education Consultant and owner of Images of a Culture in Los Angeles, California.

Successful culturally responsive educational practices are those that take into consideration the sociocultural backgrounds, prior experiences, world views, and learning, behavioral, and communication styles of students in all aspects of the teaching/learning process. This presentation addresses the interpersonal and institutional impediments that must be removed to ensure success in eliminating disparities in access to educational opportunities between those young people who come to us differentially prepared to profit from what the system has to offer, and shares a strength rather than a deficit model for meeting the needs of the populations we serve.

9:45–11 a.m.

We Need to Be the Change We Want: A Conversation with Mary BaconThis interactive session with the keynote speaker will explore in greater depth some of the themes from her thought-provoking opening presentation. Participants will develop strategies for working with challenging and challenged students, as well as a framework for addressing the unique needs of students in general and challenged and challenging populations in particular. Come prepared with your questions, challenges, and real-life situations that you encounter and get insights from the presenter as well as your colleagues that are consistent with a culturally responsive counseling service delivery system.

Presenter: Mary Bacon, Education Consultant and Owner of Images of a Culture, Los Angeles, California

Minnesota’s Advising and College Counseling Program for Underserved PopulationsThis session will provide an overview of Minnesota’s new initiative to improve college advising and counseling for underserved areas of the state and for schools serving high proportions of students traditionally underrepresented in higher education. Up to $2.5 million will support programs that focus on innovative college advising and counseling efforts for students in the first year of high school. Minnesota has about one school counselor for every 812 students, a ratio that makes one-on-one student meetings and advising sessions impossible. Program implementation goals and strategies from some 25 projects will be shared. Attendees will analyze the challenges and issues related to implementing a program to address the diversity of college counseling and advising needs in Minnesota’s 339 school districts. Participants will also examine project-specific initiatives that fund rural, suburban, and urban project sites in order to address college counseling for high school freshmen.

Presenter: Nancy Walters, Program Manager, Minnesota Office of Higher Education

TI MathForward: Improving Student Achievement in MathematicsThis session highlights a systemic model for math improvement developed in a collaboration between Texas Instruments and urban districts across the country. The program responds to a pressing need for middle school algebra readiness and high school algebra success. Attendees will learn about the genesis of the program and review assessment results that show the positive correlation between program implementation and student growth in all demographics. The presentations will focus on eight research-based components vital to the success of the program. Attendees will participate in a discussion related to improving schools from within using best practices in the model.

Presenter: Carrie Tracy, Implementation Specialist, TI MathForward

Giving Back PSAT/NMSQT® Scores with Dignity: Interactive Role-PlayWith many districts giving the PSAT/NMSQT® to whole grade levels of students, the question often surfaces about how you deliver results back in a classroom setting when some students in the room have very high scores, others have low scores, and others are somewhere in between. This interactive session will allow participants in a group setting to put themselves in the role of a student and experience the shock, joy, or contentment of receiving PSAT/NMSQT scores. Participants will learn how to be empathetic to students’ expectations and disappointments when receiving PSAT/NMSQT scores. Attendees will leave this session with a clear and applicable understanding of the roles that cultural competence and sensitivity play in their interactions with students, and an experiential base for further sharing with colleagues at their schools. In the role of a student, participants will answer the questions, “What do these scores mean?” and “What do I do now?”

Presenter: Sandra Rawlings, College Counseling Consultant, The College Board

11:15 a.m.–12:30 p.m.

Grass Roots Professional Development for School Counselors and College CounselorsThis session will outline the Brown Bag seminars and yearly professional development conferences implemented by the College Counselors in the Los Angeles Unified School District. Veteran counselors have organized a format for new and seasoned counselors to share their best practices and materials through sessions presented at local high school college offices. Brown Bag seminars such as “Setting up the College Center,” “Financial Aid Basics,” “Working with College Reps and Inters,” “Planning College-Related Events,” “Working with Large Caseloads,” etc., have been utilized and will be discussed. The panel will share effective techniques and best practices for organizing counselor professional development and advocacy in a large school district.

Presenters: Eileen Doctorow, College Counselor, Project STEPS, North Hollywood High School, California; Rachel Livingston, College Counselor, Taft High School, Los Angeles, California; Mary Jane London, College Counselor, Los Angeles Center for Enriched Studies

Conference SessionsTuesday, April 15, 2008

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Special Thanks

NOSCA National Conference Planning Committee

The Houston Airport Marriott at George Bush Intercontinental

Gaston Caperton

Tom Rudin

Dominique Jones

April Bell

Melvin Brock

Pat Martin Assistant Vice President The National Office for School Counselor Advocacy of the College Board

Vivian Lee School Counselor Specialist The National Office for School Counselor Advocacy of the College Board

LaTrisha Youngblood Program Associate The National Office for School Counselor Advocacy of the College Board

Providing Support for AP® StudentsThis session will inform participants of a collaborative project developed between a school district and community agencies. The purpose of the collaboration was to inform parents/guardians from underrepresented populations about the benefits of participating in enrichment programs such as the Advanced Placement Program®. This session will provide tangible examples of how educators can use parent meetings, community awareness activities, and student support activities to support underrepresented students in AP programs.

Presenter: Lesli Myers, Assistant Superintendent for Student Services, Ithaca City School District, New York

Mentoring Toward Bright Futures: Career Development for Urban Eighth-GradersThis session highlights an innovative partnership between the University of North Florida (UNF) and two high-need urban middle schools in Florida. Students in the UNF school counseling program mentored more than 40 at-risk students, with a focus on their career and academic development. UNF students developed and implemented activities and experiences designed to nurture the aspirations, career development, and self-efficacy of their mentees. Session attendees will learn about the unique academic and career needs of urban and minority youth. Participants will leave this session with the knowledge

and skills needed to design career and academic development activities that are culturally appropriate and effective in the school setting.

Presenter: Christopher Janson, Assistant Professor, University of North Florida

ACCESS: Tackling Invisible Access IssuesParticipants will leave this session with new concepts of the invisible roadblocks that first-generation and low-income students have to go through to go to college. The information is based on visiting 65 College Summit high schools. Five categories of barriers that have surfaced will be discussed, and participants will learn a method to evaluate their own school’s access issues. Through facilitation of the whole group, best practices for problem-solving will be identified.

Presenter: John Happs, Coordinator of Counseling Services, College Summit, Denver, Colorado

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Special Thanks

Earn CEUs at the NOSCA National Conference

Continuing education credits (CEUs) are available for most sessions. Please bring the CEU form to

the designated person for certification at the end of each session, and either drop off your completed form at the registration desk after the conference

or fax it to 202 741-4743.

Note: CEUs are not available for plenary sessions. If you have questions, please see the staff at the registration desk.

The College Board is an authorized Continuing Education Unit (CEU) provider by the International Association for Continuing Education and Training (IACET). IACET, 8405 Greensboro Drive, Suite 800, McLean, VA 22102, is a nonprofit organization established by the National Task Force on continuing education commissioned by the Bureau of Education (now the Department of Education) in 1968. One (1) IACET CEU is equal to ten (10) contact hours of participation in an organized continuing education experience offered by an organization

that has met strict criteria and guidelines (detailed at www.iacet.org).

© 2008 The College Board. All rights reserved. College Board, Advanced Placement Program, AP, SAT, and the acorn logo are registered trademarks of the College Board. CollegeKeys Compact and connect to college success are trademarks owned by the College Board. PSAT/NMSQT is a registered trademark of the College Board and National Merit Scholarship Corporation. All other products and services may be trademarks of their respective owners. Visit the College Board on the Web: www.collegeboard.com.

Destination Equity: Charting Bright Futures for All

Students

Presented by the National Office for School Counselor Advocacy (NOSCA)

of the College Board

Thank you for your attendance at the first NOSCA national conference.