Welcome Back to a New School Year!
August 2026 – VOL. 4
As school doors open across the country, a fresh academic year brings both renewed energy and familiar demands. School counselors, educators, and leaders are once again stepping into the vital work of supporting students’ academic growth, social-emotional well-being, and postsecondary aspirations.
At ISCAR, our commitment this year remains centered on bridging research with actionable advocacy. You deserve to have your daily impact clearly recognized, valued, and sustained. From defining programmatic goals to strengthening leadership partnerships, we are dedicated to equipping you with the evidence and tools necessary to champion your profession.
Here’s to a purposeful and impactful year ahead. Thank you for the dedication you bring to your school communities every single day.
Sarah Whipp, Ed.D.
Executive Director, ISCAR
Announcments
Exciting news from this month at ISCAR
New Research Partnership with the California Association of School Counselors
ISCAR has partnered with the CASC to conduct a study examining how state educational policies and mental health funding impact counselors at the site level. The initiative officially launches this October at the CASC Annual Convention on October 7th to turn practitioner insights into actionable advocacy frameworks for district leaders.
August Highlights from ISCAR
In case you missed them, here are the three articles published on our blog this month
Research Spotlight: Four Studies for Counselors & Educators
To help bridge the gap between empirical research and day-to-day practice, here are four peer-reviewed studies published in recent years that offer valuable insights for practitioners, district leaders, and counselor educators:
School Counseling District Leaders’ Experiences with Anti-DEI Laws and Policies
Why it matters: Offers practical leadership and advocacy strategies for navigating restrictive state legislation while steadfastly protecting student equity and ethical counseling standards.
Wearing Many Hats: The Lived Experience of Professional School Counselors
Why it matters: Validates the daily friction counselors face with inappropriate non-counseling duties and provides empirical backing for setting healthy professional boundaries.
“We Still Find a Way to Smile”: Black School Counselors Reclaiming Black Joy and Resistance
Why it matters: Centers practitioner well-being by illustrating how cultivating community and cultural joy serves as a powerful, transformative act of resistance against systemic fatigue.
Utilizing a Telementoring Model to Promote the Evidence-Based School Counseling Model
Why it matters: Demonstrates how low-cost virtual peer-mentoring networks can bridge the gap between academic research and everyday, data-informed counseling practice.
In the News: Perspectives on the School Counselor Role
Here are notable national news features shedding light on the state of the profession:
Someone You Should Know: School counselor writes “Kindergarten Prep”
Dakota News Now
August 2026
Why read it: Highlights how an elementary school counselor created an accessible transition book to ease kindergarten anxiety for both young children and their families.
PA School Counselors discuss impact of social media on students in wake of Meta settlement
WJAC-TV (6 News)
August 2026
Why read it: Explores how substantial legal settlements over youth social media harm are being directed toward state-level youth mental health resources and student well-being initiatives.
Revere counselor receives national award
ScripType Publishing
August 2026
Why read it: Celebrates a veteran high school counselor honored nationally for championing youth mental health and navigating modern adolescent challenges in school communities.
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