So much is expected to prepare today’s students for success—academic achievement, career and college readiness, emotional and social competency, just to name a few. At least one in 5 children in the United States has some mental disorder, but few schools have the infrastucture in place to help these children. School counselors can make an enormous positive difference in children’s lives. Yet, school counseling programs are in crisis because of undefined roles, skyrocketing student-counselor ratios, and decreasing budgets.

Leaders and counselors must move away from outdated roles and embrace school counseling programs that ensure readiness for ALL students. In a succinct question and answer format, the authors provide affordable solutions to the increasingly complex systemic issues facing K-12 schools, students, and school counseling programs.