School Counselors and Information Literacy from the Perspective of Willard Daggett. (Special Issue: Career Development and the Changing Workplace)‪.‬

The central leadership role to be played by school counselors in 21st century schools focuses on growth and success for all students. The American School Counseling Association National Model: A Framework for School Counseling Programs emphasizes closing the academic, career, and personal/social development achievement gaps among disparate groups of students (American School Counselor Association [ASCA], 2003). Within the National Model context, school counselors take on greater significance, assuming leadership and change agent roles within the school community. Yet, with the tremendous expansion of school counselor responsibilities, there is a lack of data regarding the knowledge base of school counselor preparation in relation to actual practice (Holcomb-McCoy, Bryan, & Rahill, 2002). As a result, expecting school counselors to be leaders in creating and nurturing a school vision that effectively prepares students for the future and supports classroom teachers, administrators, and the school community challenges the status quo at many levels. To initiate such a change process, school counselors must alter their basic understanding of what education means. Expanding school counselor leadership requires questioning current definitions about literacy and learning and expectations about student achievement and success.