Which organization sets standards for a unified set of principles guiding school counselor preparation programs?

• A. American Counseling Association
• B. American Psychological Association
• C. American School Counselor Association
• D. Illinois Counseling Association

Answer: (C)

The organization that sets a unified framework for guiding school counselor preparation programs is the American School Counselor Association. It specializes specifically in K-12 school counseling and provides the ASCA National Model, which outlines the core competencies, program structure, and delivery methods that school counseling programs should follow. This model helps ensure consistency across programs by defining how curricula, field experiences, supervision, and assessment align with the goals of promoting academic, career, and social-emotional development for students. While other groups focus on counseling more broadly or on state-level issues, ASCA is the organization dedicated to standardizing preparation for school counselors, making it the best fit for establishing a unified set of principles.