Chapter 21: Transitioning To The Future: Helping High School Students Prepare for Higher Education

The American School Counselor Association (ASCA) has led the way in developing career development standards for students. The ASCA National Standards for Career Development help students acquire the necessary skills, attitudes, and knowledge to successfully transition into the world of work (ASCA , 2005). The career content standards for students will be used as a foundation for the career development activities described in this chapter. The content standards describe what students should know and be able to do (ASCA, 2005) within the career education curriculum in a school system. Within each of the three career content standards are competencies that outline specific expectations for students. Finally, there are specific indicators under the competencies that describe the knowledge, skills, and abilities students will need to demonstrate to meet the competencies and standards.