In Fulfilling the Promise, Mandy Savitz-Romer shows what is possible when schools and districts draw upon the talents of their counselors and put them at the center of students' school experience.

Savitz-Romer offers a strategic approach to school counseling that enables educational leaders to draw on existing staff to create supportive contexts and programs for students. In this model of the “academic home,” counselors serve as the first point of contact for student support, connecting and coordinatingservices much like primary care physicians coordinate patient care in medical settings. They serve as the hub of a network of supports to prevent students from falling between the cracks.

By highlighting promising practices in schools, districts, and states, and the efforts of individual school counselors and leaders, Fulfilling the Promise presents a conceptualization of school counseling that is relevant for all educators, as well as policy makers and funders. In order to create the conditions for school counselors to be most effective, however, systemic barriers must be addressed. This book brings together research, practical experience, and policy recommendations to envision a focused and practical role for school counselors in the twentyfirst century.