TPC-Journal-V4-Issue5

The Professional Counselor \Volume 4, Issue 5 486 their communities to the current authors for potential participation in the study. To select the participants, the authors previewed a convenience sample of 18 secondary school counselors from urban, suburban and rural public schools. They chose specific participants based on differences in age, ethnicity, gender, number of years of experience as a high school counselor, and those who hold master’s degrees from both CACREP and non- CACREP programs. In an effort to diversify the sample, the authors did not select participants with similar characteristics. The authors directly contacted the identified school counselors, and the nine participants agreed to participate in the study (see Table 1 for identifying characteristics). Each participant and school name was changed to protect identity. Table 1 School Counselor Participant Information and School Information Participant Name Participant Description Graduate Program Years of Experience School Description Jane White female in her late 20s CACREP 1 Shermer High School: urban; public; 2000 students; 45% F/R lunch*; 41% White, 31.8%Asian, 18.8% Hispanic, 7.4% Black, .8% American Indian; 6 other counselors Diane White female in her mid- 40s CACREP 9 Shermer High School: urban; public; 2000 students; 45% F/R lunch*; 41% White, 31.8%Asian, 18.8% Hispanic, 7.4% Black, .8% American Indian; 6 other counselors Alan White male in his late 50s NON-CACREP 20 High Bridge High School: suburban; public; 2301 students; 18.4% F/R lunch*; 65.7% White, 16.3% Hispanic, 10.3% Asian, 5.7% Black, 1.8% Multiracial, .1%American Indian, .1% Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander; 11 other counselors Christine White female in her early 50s NON-CACREP 20 High Bridge High School: suburban; public; 2301 students; 18.4% F/R lunch*; 65.7% White, 16.3% Hispanic, 10.3% Asian, 5.7% Black, 1.8% Multiracial, .1%American Indian, .1% Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander; 11 other counselors Noah White male in his early 30s NON-CACREP 6 High Bridge High School: suburban; public; 2301 students; 18.4% F/R lunch*; 65.7% White, 16.3% Hispanic, 10.3% Asian, 5.7% Black, 1.8% Multiracial, .1%American Indian, .1% Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander; 11 other counselors Tom White male in his early 60s NON-CACREP 40 Mayfield High School: urban; public; 2058 students; 27% F/R lunch*; 45% White, 39% Black, 12% Hispanic, 2%Asian, 2% American Indian; 5 other counselors Kimberly Hispanic female in her late 30s CACREP 4 Ridgemont Jr./Sr. High School: rural; public; 222 students; 54% F/R lunch*; 65% Hispanic, 31% White, 3%Asian, 1% American Indian, 0% Black; no other school counselors in building Vivian White female in her early 30s CACREP 6 Bedford High school: rural; public; 645 students; 10% F/R lunch*, 85% White, 12% Hispanic, 2%Asian, 1% American Indian, 0% Black; one other counselor Vanessa Hispanic female in her early 30s CACREP 1 Hill Valley High School: rural; public; 401 students; 52% Hispanic, 45% White, 2%American Indian, 1% Black, 0% Asian/Pacific Islander; no other counselor in building Note . All participant and school information has been changed to protect identities. *Students receive free or reduced-fee lunch based on household income.