CPS Partners with Broward County Schools

Associate Professor Mercedes TerMaat and Assistant Professor Diana Formoso, along with students, are participating with Broward Schools on a grant designed to demonstrate how supportive services such as counseling can positively impact student academic performance. The tremendous growth of the district has brought with it many problems and challenges to meet both the academic, social and career development of its diverse student body. To meet these challenges, the district will establish an elementary school counseling model program (Absolute Priority), entitled Broward’s Comprehensive School Counseling Project (CSCP). Four of Broward’s most diverse elementary schools have been selected as model sites to implement the program.

The schools were selected based on the need for guidance counseling services, school grades, as well as high percentages of exceptional education students, students on the free/reduced-price lunch program, and students with limited English proficiency, participation of parents in the academic and behavior needs of their child; teachers being unable to rely on parents to help when problems occur with their child in school; the perception on the part of students, teachers and parents that harassment in the selected schools far exceeds that in the district on average; students’ lack of confidence in their personal safety at school.

CPS is providing extensive parent training and other interventions for low income ethnic minority families, as well as teachers and counselors, in the designated schools. CPS school guidance practicum students are assigned to participating schools.