Page 19 - OSCA Ethical Guidelines - 2009.pdf

With the increased importance of standardized testing
in areas such as student diploma requirements, career exploration, post-secondary planning, and supporting special-needs students, it has become essential that
the trained school counsellor be knowledgeable in the fundamentals of educational statistics (e.g., means, medians, percentiles) and of testing theory (validity, reliability, error of measurement).
Measurement and evaluation information referred to in this section is deemed to be that information which is stored in the Ontario Student Record. As such, all current O.S.R. regulations apply, (see Maintenance of Records, page 31) as well as regulations from the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.
1. Counsellors have a responsibility when sharing assessment information about counsellees with other professionals to follow procedures outlined in the current Ontario Student Record Guideline (2001).
Acceptable Cases
a) One of the counsellor’s clients has been referred to a psychologist. Once the appropriate release form has been signed, she ensures that the results of the diagnostic tests are forwarded to assist in the girl’s assessment.
b) Having obtained the necessary release forms, the counsellor forwards a career assessment report and an educational plan of an adult student to the community agency responsible for general welfare assistance.
c) A student has been hired by a company. The latter requests evaluative information, especially standardized test scores. The appropriate release of information has been granted. The counsellor contacts the company to inquire about the purpose and use of such data to ensure that it will be treated in a professional and correct manner.
Unacceptable Cases
a) A counsellor posts the individual results of a recently administered battery of tests for a special needs student in the Staff Room.
b) Upon the receipt of a request for O.S.R. information and a “release form,” the counsellor forwards to a prospective employer the relevant data including a personality assessment profile. This assessment had been used in the treatment of a problem the student had experienced four years previously.
Legally Speaking
As mentioned previously in relation to other ethical standards pertaining to confidentiality, potential legal actions resulting from non compliance with this ethical principle could be a basis for charges of libel or slander. The allegedly careless sharing
of evaluative information must lead to the counsellee being harmed to a serious degree in order for legal action to be taken. In addition, the counsellor could be prosecuted pursuant to the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.
2. In general, assessment instrument results represent only one factor in a variety of pertinent data for counselling purposes. It is the responsibility of the counsellor to supply adequate orientation which may be placed in proper perspective with other relevant factors. The counsellor must recognize that language, socio-economic, ethnic and cultural factors may affect the validity of assessment results.
Acceptable Cases
a) A father contacts his daughter’s counsellor concerning the parents’ intention of withdrawing her from school. The basis for this course of action is what the father describes as “gross underachievement.” An important factor in his thinking is the result of a single test administered three years previously. The counsellor arranges to see the girl and her parents. One of the aims of the session is to enable the counsellor to interpret the test result for them and to put the result in perspective. Subsequently, they can discuss available alternatives more effectively.
b) A relatively diligent and mature Grade 11 student, who achieves high marks in U courses requests aptitude testing
to assist in planning. The student is very disappointed with
the results and, after discussion with his parents, informs the counsellor that he must cease considering university as a possibility due to his test scores. The counsellor re-emphasizes that this is only one of many important factors and recommends a complete career and educational assessment.
Unacceptable Case
A counsellor routinely administers the Strong Interest Inventory to all grade eleven students without regard to their socio- economic, ethnic or cultural background or their potential career plans.
Legally Speaking
Negligence suits might result from gross inconsistency with this ethical standard. It may be shown that a student’s career
Ethical Principles, Illustrative Cases, and Legal Comments
Section C:
Measurement and Evaluation
Section C
OSCA Ethical Guidelines for Ontario School Counsellors 2010 • www.osca.ca ■ 19