Val Verde USD · School Counselors

Which Category Is It?

Five questions that identify the right ASCA category. You do not need to recall what “appraisal and advisement” means — simply describe what you were doing.

Why this matters
80% with students

ASCA recommends at least 80% of your time in direct and indirect services to students, and 20% or less in program planning and school support. Non-counseling duties should trend toward zero. Producing that figure is the only reason these categories exist.

All five questions, and where each answer lands

Work down the questions in order. The first one you can answer yes to is your category.

Activities that are commonly confused

Taken from ASCA’s list of appropriate and inappropriate activities. In each pair the work appears identical and the category is opposite — the distinction is whether you are exercising professional judgment about a student, or performing the administrative task that surrounds it.

Two principles that resolve most questions

A meeting about a student is indirect, not direct. Direct service means the student was present. An IEP meeting, a call to a parent, a consultation with a teacher — all indirect, however entirely they concern that child.

Advocating at a meeting is counseling. Administering the process is not. ASCA is explicit: advocating for a student at an IEP, 504, SST or SARB is appropriate. Coordinating those processes schoolwide is a non-counseling duty.

Open the Use-of-Time tool →
How to log your time