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The most widely recognized standards for school counseling programs come from the American School Counseling Association (ASCA).  Developed by ASCA, the National Model for School Counseling Programs provides a mechanism with which school counselors and school counseling teams can design, coordinate, implement, manage and evaluate their programs for students' success.

Most states have standards for school counselors, outlining the skills, knowledge and dispositions or attitudes that professionals holding the title of "school counselor" or "professional school counselor" should possess. 

All students, including those with disabilities, are held to high expectations and have equitable access to educational opportunities that enrich their lives and prepare them for future success.

Self-harm is a behavior and not an illness. People self-harm to cope with distress or to communicate that they are distressed. It includes self-poisoning and overdoses, minor injury, as well as potentially dangerous and life-threatening forms of injury.

The annual performance evaluation of school counselors should accurately reflect the unique professional training and practices of school counselors working within a comprehensive school counseling program. These written evaluations should use forms and tools specifically designed for school counselors, based on documents such as the School Counselor Competencies and the School Counselor Performance Appraisal from the ASCA National Model.