Boundary Spanning in State Education Agencies: How State Officials Support School Counseling
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| Title: | Boundary Spanning in State Education Agencies: How State Officials Support School Counseling |
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| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Mandy Savitz-Romer, Heather T. Rowan-Kenyon, Tara P. Nicola, Stephanie Carroll |
| Source: | Education Policy Analysis Archives. Number 44 2025 33(44). |
| Availability: | Colleges of Education at Arizona State University and the University of South Florida. c/o Editor, USF EDU162, 4202 East Fowler Avenue, Tampa, FL 33620-5650. Tel: 813-974-3400; Fax: 813-974-3826; Web site: https://epaa.asu.edu/ojs/index.php/epaa |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 25 |
| Publication Date: | 2025 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Research |
| Descriptors: | State Departments of Education, School Counseling, State Officials, Staff Role, Responsibility, Government School Relationship |
| ISSN: | 1068-2341 |
| Abstract: | The purpose of this paper is twofold; first, we seek to understand the professional roles of officials from state education agencies (SEAs) charged with overseeing school counseling. Second, the study examined how SEA officials carry out their work supporting school counselors. We interviewed 34 counseling representatives from 30 distinct states, exploring the lived experiences of these state education professionals (Kvale & Brinkmann, 2008). We further analyzed how SEA school counseling officials understand their professional responsibilities and drew on boundary spanning theory to analyze how they perform their roles despite having limited positional authority. We found SEA school counseling officials acted as bridges between their state department of education and districts, schools, other state leaders, and external organizations, strengthening school counseling within their state in the process. Our analysis revealed that SEA counseling officials' primary responsibilities included information dissemination, professional development, advocacy, and policy implementation. However, due to unique tensions they face, they fulfilled these duties by embodying boundary spanning roles, such as reticulist, interpreter, coordinator, and entrepreneur. These roles afforded SEA officials the ability to enact their professional responsibilities despite multiple constraints. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 2025 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1481185 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| Abstract: | The purpose of this paper is twofold; first, we seek to understand the professional roles of officials from state education agencies (SEAs) charged with overseeing school counseling. Second, the study examined how SEA officials carry out their work supporting school counselors. We interviewed 34 counseling representatives from 30 distinct states, exploring the lived experiences of these state education professionals (Kvale & Brinkmann, 2008). We further analyzed how SEA school counseling officials understand their professional responsibilities and drew on boundary spanning theory to analyze how they perform their roles despite having limited positional authority. We found SEA school counseling officials acted as bridges between their state department of education and districts, schools, other state leaders, and external organizations, strengthening school counseling within their state in the process. Our analysis revealed that SEA counseling officials' primary responsibilities included information dissemination, professional development, advocacy, and policy implementation. However, due to unique tensions they face, they fulfilled these duties by embodying boundary spanning roles, such as reticulist, interpreter, coordinator, and entrepreneur. These roles afforded SEA officials the ability to enact their professional responsibilities despite multiple constraints. |
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| ISSN: | 1068-2341 |
