​Research on perceptions of high school guidance departments

Aaron B. Kleinman has successfully defended his doctoral dissertation at the College of Saint Elizabeth to earn an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership.

The title of his dissertation is, "Designing Professional Development Training for Secondary

School Counseling Based on Perceptions of Teachers, Students, Parents and the American School Counselor Association National ModelâFRAMEWORKSCA Standards.” The primary focus of his research study was to look at perceptions of high school guidance department through the eyes of teachers, students, and parents.

In 1952, the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) was founded and the organization created a framework for school counselors to better understand the needs of students based on academic, personal/social, and college/career development counseling. Kleinman’s action research study asked teachers, students and parents’ questions regarding their perceptions of school counselors and the school counseling department in their Northern New Jersey high school. Based on the feedback from his action research, Kleinman designed a professional development program for school counselors in “District T” in an effort to determine if “District T’s” counselors align with the ASCA National Modelâframework.

Kleinman, who is currently the supervisor of counseling at Teaneck Public Schools in Teaneck, NJ, completed his bachelor’s degree at the State University of New York, College at Buffalo. He has two master’s degrees: one in school counseling from Long Island University and another in higher education administration from Teachers College, Columba University.

Within the educational leadership doctoral program, CSE offers two tracks: Pre-K to 12thgrade and higher education. The higher education track is part of CSE’s ED CHOICE program. ED CHOICE is a program, unique to the College of Saint Elizabeth, that allows students to choose whether to attend class on campus or complete coursework online depending on their individual schedules.

The doctoral program at CSE, which is dedicated to preparing leaders who are committed to social justice and ethical practice, began in August 2007. Integrated into all course work and learning activities are the central values and beliefs necessary for school leaders to function as morally purposeful stewards for their school communities. This philosophy of servant leadership represents a major shift from the traditional paradigm of school leaders as managers of resources, which is so prevalent in today's practices.

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