The placement service

THE PLACEMENT SERVICE
WILLIAM L. HITCHCOCK
\

Copyright 1964 By Georgia State Department of Education Atlanta, Georgia 30303

GEORGIA STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION
JAMES S. PETERS, Chairman HENRY A. STEWART, Vice-Chairman CLAUDE PURCELL, Executive Secretary

MEMBERS

FIRST CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT

J. BRANTLEY JOHNSON

SECOND CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT

ROBERT BYRD WRIGHT, JR.

THIRD CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT

_ _ _ THOMAS NESBITT, JR.

FOURTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT

_

FIFTH CONGREE:SIONAL DISTRICT

DAVID F. RICE

SIXTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT

JAMES S. PETERS

SEVENTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT

HENRY A. STEWART

EIGHTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT NINTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT

_

LONNIE D. SWEAT

CLIFF C. KIMSEY, JR.

TENTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT

WILLIAM L. PRESTON

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

_

_________ 1

IMPORTANCE OF THE PLACEMENT SERVICE PRINCIPLES OF PLACEMENT ----------------

____ 2 ________ 6

1. Technological change will require more skills and more highly trained and educated people at all levels of occupations.
2. Personnel people in business and industry place individuals in jobs based on fitness with no thought of those who do not fit.
3. School counselors and teachers must place students in the highest level of which they are capable for the good of society.
4. The round peg - round hole theory of placement per se is becoming less important in today's world.
5. Students are frequently unrealistic in occupational choice when left on their own devices.
6. Educational placement of students should closely parallel their occupational goals.
7. Student placement in curriculum tracks may be complicated by various factors.
8. Academic placement of students where there is strong likelihood of success pays dividends.
9. StiUdents are apt to take the easy road in high school if left alone.
10. College entrance requirements are constantly changing, thus the implications for college placement increases for counselors and others.

ORGANIZING THE INFORMATION NECESSARY FOR EFFECTIVE PLACE-

MENT SERVICES

13

ADMINISTERING A PROGRAM OF PLACEMENT SERVICES

2.7

SUMMARY

34

BIBLIOGRAPHY

,34

REFERENCES

35

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
Form 1 Student Employment Form Form 2 Job Opportunities for lligh School Students Form 3 Business Track Form 4 Program of Study Form 5 Freshman Schedule Form 6 Social and Extra-Class Information Form 7 College Selections Form Form 8 Entrance Requirements Form 9 Personal and Social Qualities Rating Scale Form 10 Job Placement Form 11 Employer Request Form Form 12 Student Work Report Form 13 Club and Organization Information Form 14 Personal-80cial Resources

_ 14 _ 15 _ 17
18 19 20 _ 21 25 __ 26 28 _ 29 30 32 __ 33

FOREWORD
The mounting pressure on students and educators to get the most out of the education process has brought an awareness of the vital role which is performed by guidance programs in effective secondary education. With greater frequency than ever before, effective secondary education has come to mean the meeting of students' needs, needs which have been determined by analysis of individual skills and aptitudes and have then been correlated with. the demands of business.
Because the State Department of Education considers guidance basic to education and wishes to help school personnel do a good job in this area, we are publishing a series of booklets which have been prepared by Dr. William Hitchcock. These booklets deal with various phases of the guidance program: the principal and the guidance program, the classroom teacher and the guidance program, the organization of guidance programs, and others of similar nature. These will be released to Georgia schools over a period of time. Publication of this series has been made possible, in large part, through funds from Title V-A of the National Defense Education Act.
Usually publications of this nature are the cooperative product of a group. In this instance, this excellent series is the work of one person who is an expe.rt in his field. Dr. Hitchcock is Director of Counselor Education at Georgia Southern College in Statesboro.
Claude Purcell State Superintendent of SchoolS

PREFACE
Guidance has been defined by Dr. William Hitchcock, author of this series, as "a continuing process of helping boys and girls to help themselves through discovering, understanding, and using their potentials to the fullest." The State Department of Education recognizes guidance as being an integral part of the public school program. In an organized program of guidance services, there are six major services: orientation, informational, counseling, student analysis, placement and follow-up.
It is the objective of the Guidance, Counseling, and Testing Service of the State Department of Education to afford leadership and assistance to Georgia pubIc schools in organizing, maintaining, and improving local programs of guidance services.
The State Department of Education believes that guides in all areas of the school program should be made available for teachers and administrators. Guides have been produced in a number of areas, and this series of bulletins on guidance, counseling, and testing is being developed in an effort to outline for counselors, teachers, and administrators some guidelines for making the above mentioned services available to all students in the public schools of Georgia.
H. Titus Singletary, Jr. Associate State Superintendent of Schools Office of Instructional Services

TH E PLACEMENT SERVICE
INTRODUCTION
Placement is the service in the organized program of guidanc~ services which is concerned with getting the student in a situation in order for him to execute the plans that were made in the counseling session. "The counselor cannot assume that just because a decision has been made concerning the pupil's difficulty, the pupil knows where and how to place the decision into operation (1, 10)." Through counseling, the student is led to make a decision as to "what" he should do. Through placement, the counselor assists him in the "where" and "how".
The present concept of placement in the guidance process includes many facets. In the beginning of the guidance movement, placement was thought of only as placing an individual in a job suitable to his qualifications. Today, placement includes all the next steps the individual makes as he attempts to adjust to the concerns he is experiencing in his environment. In addition to job placement this service is concerned with educational, social, personal, leisuretime, and other types of placement. This present day emphasis in the placement service has added strength and meaning to guidance programs in that school and community resources are being tapped and utilized in the guidance process. Involving these resource people and organizations in the guidance of students narrows the gap between the school and community.
The services of placement are not just guidance functions confined to the high school level. Placement in the public schools of today begins with the entry of the student in the school, and continues throughout the period of his formal education and into his next step following the completion of high school.

2 . THE PLACEMENT SERVICE
IMPORTANCE OF THE PLACEMENT SERVICE
The changing nature of the placement service in the program of guidance services has led many counselors to place additional emphasis on this service as they administer their school's guidance program. The increasing complexities that are emerging in practically all areas of living demand a thorough understanding, on the part of counselors, of the possible next steps that are available for students they counsel.
Many of the placement activities which counselors and teachers utilize in the guidance of students with whom they work are confined to in-school situations. Course selection, for example, is becoming more and more a major problem for youngsters. This does not only apply to the elective courses, but the varying levels of basic or required courses which are prevalent in many of our schools today. The great variety of elective courses that are available in many of the schools requires that counselors have a thorough understanding of course content in order to help students effectively select the appropriate courses. Placing students in basic or required courses where there is a strong likelihood of their being successful is a placement function in which counselors are actively assuming a major responsibility. The counselors, in cooperation with the subject teachers and the administraters, assess various qualities of the student and then make a judgmental recommendation in light of the course requirements. This placement approach of using selective criteria in some of the required courses leads to a higher caliber of instruction at all levels.
The effectiveness of the many exceptional programs in our schools today can, in part, be attributed to adequate placement of students in these programs. The educationally accelerated, academically talented, or whatever name is given to these special classes, must be carefully selected and placed if the students are to reap the greatest benefits from such programs. At the other end of the scale, the effectiveness of the mentally retarded classes are likewise affected by selection and placement. In both of the areas above, a continuous study of the students involved must be effected in order to maintain their adequate placement when change does occur. In both of these special class groupings, it is felt that the "once-always" policy should not prevail. For example, if a student selected for the educationally accelerated class is not coming up to expectation, he should not remain in this group. On the other hand, a student in the mentally retarded group should have the opportunity of moving up if circumstances warrant it. The services of adequate placement in the area of exceptional students would thus become a continuing process.
Another important program gaining in popularity, that has implications for placement in our high schools, is the Advanced Placement Program. This program was initiated a decade or so ago to

THE PLACEMENT SERVICE ... 3
aid the more able students to develop their talents and abilities. The students selected to participate in such a program will take advanced courses while still in high school and receive college credit, or be placed in more advanced courses at the time of entrance into college. It is evident that the students who have met with the greatest success in these programs are those who have been adequately screened. Faculty recommendations, high intelligence and achievement level, and a genuine interest are some of the screening devices which have been used in the past. Counselors and teachers are assuming a major role in selecting and placing students in these programs. There are many variations of advanced placement in addition to the one described above. Some colleges administer examinations in certain subject areas immediately prior to entrance of the student, and credit or advanced placement is given the student on the basis of the score he makes. In this way, the student does not have to take a course while still in high school. Another variation, somewhat similar to the Advanced Placement Program, is carried out through university extension. Here, an agreement is made with high schools, colleges, and state departments of education to have a college professor teach college courses to selected students while they are in high school. At the time of matriculation in these colleges, the students who have satisfactorily completed these courses may register as a second quarter freshman. These courses are usually taught after the regular school day and do not interfere with their high school program of study. A great amount of thought should go into placing students in a program of this nature, since it would constitute an overload for them.
Acceleration and promotional practices in some schools today place additional responsibilities in the placement activities participated in by counselors and teachers. Although the trend seems to be away from moving a student too rapidly gradewise or skipping grades, some of the larger schools, which are flexible and can care for the course scheduling, continue to promote semiannually. The importance of the placement services in this situation and in making the decision at the end of the year to promote or not to promote a student cannot be overemphasized. In both situations, the basic consideration should be: What is best for the student? In reaching a desirable and workable decision, it is important that many factors be considered by those who are responsible for the placing of the student in this important next step. Some of these factors are his mental level, chronological age, emotional and social development, academic achievement, educational and vocational goals, aspirations, and attitudes. Only after carefully weighing these factors and assuming positive cooperation of parents and others concerned can effective placement be assured.
Counselors and teachers regard the extra-class placement ot their students as an important job in the placement service of guidance. In many situations, possibly the best and only available possibility for a student to adjust to a problem he is experiencing is through this approach. It is probable that concerns of a personal or

., . . . THE PLACEMENT SERVICE
social nature lend themselves better to extra-class placement. This does not mean that these areas of concern are the only situations in which extra-class placement would be utilized. There are many ways in which the counselor or teacher may utilize extra-class placement in the vocational, educational, and academic areas. Club participation, for example, may serve a very useful purpose for a student to develop a quality that would further enhance his chances of success in one of these areas. Through extra-class placement, a student has an opportunity to participate in certain occupational exper.iences within the school. The student who is interested in teaching a parti cular grade or subject could be placed in the selected situation as helper and receive some valuable experience. In many schools this is coordinated through the F.T.A. or similar clubs. Social adjustment, accomplished through extra-class activities, would be reflected in the student's total environment.
Other similar experiences may be provided through cooperative agreements with community youth serving agencies or organizations. such as the Y.M.C.A., Y.W.C.A., and the recreational departments. These try-out experiences afford the student the opportunity for .iob training that will lead to part-time job employment, and possibly full-time employment in later years.
There are many of the schools, particularly those in urban areas, who maintain a part-time job and vacation job placement service for the students who are in school. These programs may be part of the part study-part work curriculums in the school, or a service offered through the school's guidance program. In either case, close cooperation and coordination are essential for best results. Job placement programs of this nature provide the student with the gradual transition from the school environment to the world of work.
Another important part of this service has to do with the placement of students in classroom situations due to physical handicaps, behavior concerns, personal difficulties, and social reasons. Placement in situations of this nature may seem to be incidental and not a part of this service in the guidance program. However, if one thinks of guidance as helping the student to help himself, one can see that placement in these situations is as important as in any other situation.
The hard-of-hearing student presents a special problem for the classroom teacher. A student experiendng a handicap of this nature should be placed in the classroom situation in which he may be enabled to realize and take full advantage of the instructional program in his grade. Placing the student in the front of the room or in close proximity to the front of the room will enable the hard-ofhearing student to realize these advantages. Those students with visual handicaps should receive the same consideration as the students with hearing difficulties. Adequate placing of these students is definitely a function of guidance.
Students who misbehave often present a situation of challenge

THE PLACEMENT SERVICE ... s
to the classroom teacher. Occasionally teachers seek help from counselors for students in this category. In many instances, these students are separated from other students or placed under the "thumb" of the teacher in order to better control their behavior.
Personal difficulties of students often call for counselors and teachers to resort to the services of placement in order that adjustment may be achieved. From diagnosing a personal difficulty the student may be experiencing, the counselor or teacher, for example, may place the student in a selected committee to help bring about a desired adjustment. When personality clashes occur between the student and teacher, it is possible that the only workable solution would be complete separation. In such situations, the counselor or teacher would place the student under the supervision of another teacher. This is done only as a last resort. There are many avenues, similar to the above, that are open for counselors and teachers to utilize in placing a student in opportune situations which are conducive to personal adjustment.
Students frequently are in need of assistance in developing social skills, understanding social standards, and maintaining social relationships. In helping with these concerns, counselors and teachers involve students in varied situations so that these goals may be realized. Many of these activities in which students participate may be considered to be in-school placement. Placement in certain classes, clubs, organizations, and school activities would fit into this category. There are many placement resources outside the school which lend themselves to concerns in this area. These would vary with the size of the community, but practically every community is fortunate enough to have some of these. Prominent among these would be the youth programs of the church, recreational departments, civic and service organizations, Y.M.C.A., Y.W.C.A., and other youth serving agencies. Placing students in these situations and following them closely has proven to be very effective in the area of social concerns.
Post-school placement has and will continue to have a prominent place in the school's program of organized guidance services. Adequately placing students in further education, training, or in a job is becoming more and more complex with the changes that are emerging in these areas. The admission requirements of institutions of higher education are presently in a state of flux as a result of the increasing numbers seeking further education. The changes taking place in the world of work, plus the increasing emphasis of business and industry to weigh significantly the qualities of the individual prior to initial emp10:'ment, have placed further importance on counselors and others charged with these responsibilities in the school. The increasing efforts of the states to afford vocational opportunities for students to equip themselves with a sClleable skill places additional responsibilities of a placement nature on counselors and teachers as they work with their students.
One may now see the importance of the placement activities in which counselors and teachers are involved in the process of guid-

6 . THE PLACEMENT SERVICE
ing students in their next steps. The service of placement in the organized program of guidance services is presently an important ingredient in the guidance process requiring the untiring efforts of counselors and others in its effective execution.
PRINCIPLES OF PLACEMENT
The vastness of the program of placement in the schools of today is sufficient evidence to indicate the growing concern of school personnel for the welfare of its products-the students. The skills involved in getting the student in the "right place" reflect many competencies of those charged with these responsibilities. Assessing the student's characteristics in relation to available next steps is a task demanding these skills and competencies on the part of those charged with these responsibilities.
School counselors and teachers involved in the school's placement services should find the following principles to be of assistance in this important phase of the guidance process. These understandings on the part of the counselors and others may serve as guideposts in the placement process.
1. TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGE WILL REQUIRE MORE SKILLS
AND MORE HIGHLY TRAINED AND EDUCATED PEOPLE AT
ALL LEVELS OF OCCUPATIONS.
Changes are occurring in the occupational world at the rate that approximately a third of the present jobs are obsolete each decade. With these highly automated developments in business and industry, many of the jobs on the lower rungs of the occupational ladder are disappearing from the world of work. From all indications this implies that the future has opportunity for those who have a saleable skill, the education necessary for higher level jobs, or the training which parallels the requirements of the demands of the jobs that are emerging in our occupational world.
To assist youngsters in adequate placement in the world of work and in additional training to better equip themselves to enter their life's work has many implications for counselors and teachers. They must keep in close touch with the changing developments in the occupational opportunities available for students who initially enter the labor market after high school graduation. Keeping up with the requirements of specific jobs will also place additional responsibilities on counselors and teachers as they work with students in the service of placement. The problem of motivating, as well as educating, students to pursue highly technical and scientific jobs is a task requiring the cooperative efforts of the school and the home. To the extent that all rise to the challenge of matching our technical "KNOW-HOW" with intelligent "KNOW-WHY", we can usher in, with a minimum of confusion, a new era in this area of change.

THE PLACEMENT SERVICE . .. 7
2. PERSONNEL PEOPLE IN BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY PLACE
INDIVIDUALS IN JOBS BASED ON FITNESS WITH NO
THOUGHT OF THOSE WHO DO NOT FIT.
This places a major responsibility on those in schools charged with placement responsibilities. School people may feel that this principle is a bit brutal. Nevertheless, what can school people expect? Business and industry cannot afford to place a person in a job who seemingly would not be capable of performing on said job. They cannot afford to place an individual in a job or on a machine requiring certain competencies when these competencies are not present. A machine, for example, that costs a million dollars cannot be turned over to a person who is unfit for the tasks involved in: the machine's operation.
In performing adequate placement responsibilities, counselors and tearlIers in this area should ('reate and maintain a favorable relationship with businesses and industries. This is imperative in order that school counselors and others in the school may understand the qualities that are desired for the available job in which students are normally placed.
3. SCHOOL COUNSELORS AND TEACHERS MUST PLACE STU
DENTS IN THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF WHICH THEY ARE CAP
ABLE FOR THE GOOD OF SOCIETY.
For the good of the society of which we are a part, individuals entering the world of work must be placed on the highest rung of the occupational ladder of which they are capable. Students possessing the scientific-technical aptitudes should certainly be encouraged by counselors and teachers to go the limit. If they have the capabilities, placement persons must go all out in attempting to lead these students in seeking educational and occupational levels commensurate with their special aptitudes. To do less is a dereliction of their duties and responsibilities. The major function of the school counselors and teachers in placement, as in the total area of guid ance, is to help the students to make the most of their potentialities.
The United States is presently engaged in a struggle for its very survival with countries having populations far in excess of ours. To win this strug~le means that we will have to develop our manpower potential to the fullest. One approach to reaching this goal is to lead students to select, train for, and enter fields of endeavor that are challenging. This would help the student in making the greatest contribution to himself and to society-a goal of every responsible citizen.

8 . THE PLACEMENT SERVICE
4. THE ROUND PEG-ROUND HOLE THEORY OF PLACEMENT
PER SE IS BECOMING LESS IMPORTANT IN TODAY'S WORLD.
There are many opportunities available to students in today's world that were not available two decades ago. Many additional opportunities will emerge as we move into the future. In the occupational world, for instance, a single occupation twenty years ago has grown to the extent that it now represents many specialties. Medicine, for example, is a field in which such developments have taken place. Similar developments are taking place in other fields as a result of new discoveries.
An individual may initially enter the world of work and be adequately placed. However, the horizontal and vertical opportunities that were present at the time of initial placement, and those that will develop due to many factors will normally necessitate some departure from the beginning job on the part of the individual. Experts in the world of work have predicted that the average worker will be involved in a minimum of five different jobs during his lifetime in the occupational world. This in all likelihood is due to the horizontal and vertical opportunities that are available as the individual seeks satisfaction in his work.
The fact that the many abilities one possesses can be employed in a wide variety of occupations further emphasizes the importance of this principle in placement. As Hitchcock (2, 3) has stated, "in helping a student to relate his characteristics to his future, one must be aware that there are many possibilities available that would be equally satisfying in both his educational and vocational pursuits." In many of the past job satisfaction studies, it was found that quite a lot of mobility was present; but usually this was confined within the same occupational field and in closely related jobs. As we move into the latter part of this century, with the predicted changes in the occupational world, it is possible that job mobility will increasingly move outside a particular field and into unrelated jobs.
Although initial placement of the student in a satisfying job still holds to the round peg-round hole theory, specialization within an occupation, horizontal and vertical opportunities, and the possibilities that one's aptitudes fit into a number of occupations should be given ample consideration by counselors and teachers as they work in this area.
5. STUDENTS ARE FREQUENTLY UNREALISTIC IN OCCUPA.
TIONAL CHOICE WHEN LEFT ON THEIR OWN DEVICES.
The typical high school student is more than likely divorced or out of touch with the occupational world. This lack of job understanding on the part of students points up the need for assistance by one who is familiar with the many facets associated with the occupational world. Without the benefit of this basic understanding, students are prone to lean heavily on subjective information in mak-

THE PLACEMENT SERVICE ... 9
ing a vocational decision. Adequate professional counseling plus effective placement assistance would, to a degree, alleviate this situation.
Surveys of students' occupational aspirations show that less able students tend to choose occupations far in advance of their capabilities. On the other hand, many of the more able students are more conservative in their occupational choices and tend to choose their future work far out of harmony with their capabilities. In both instances, the counselor or teacher in counseling and in placement must assist students in facing the future in a realistic manner.
Fantasy of occupational choices is prevalent on the part of the student as he begins to think of his future in the early stages. The glamour attached to a particular job, the personal association the student has experienced with people in a job, as well as other values that students place on occupations, are factors related to the future occupational choices of students in this stage of their d(~velopment.
The experiences in many of the schools in which students normally participate provide an opportunity for a more realistic choice of their occupational future. As a result of these experiences and the maturity of the student, some initial or tentative choices are formulated. In many instances, these initial choices are followed by the student into actual practice and placement seems adequate. If these results are not attained, the time and effort expended by the schools in affording these experiences to students cannot be considered to be wasted. The aftereffects of such experiences for students will be much in evidence when realistic choices are finally made.
The professional help offered by the school will certainly cut down on the number of students who choose their occupational future unwisely.
6. EDUCATIONAL PLACEMENT OF STUDENTS SHOULD CLOSE
lY PARAllEL THEIR OCCUPATIONAL GOALS.
Counselors and teachers assisting students in education pro gramming should give ample thought and attention to their occupational aspirations as they counsel and place students in this phase of their work. Adequate placement at this stage in the student's training will be reflected positively in many ways. One of the major values that will accrue as a result of employing this principle is the motivational effect it will have on students. If they can see the positive relationships of what they are doing in school to their future plans they will utilize their time to a much greater advantage. The meaningfulness of the instruction, plus wiser use of time, will also result in quality work on the part of the student.
Employment of this principle in educational placement should serve as a proving ground in testing the student's occupational choice. Assuming that a majority of the occupational choices at this

10 THE PLACEMENT SERVICE
time are tentative choices, the student has an opportunity to fully explore the pros and cons of his choice. Experiences other than course content should and could be provided in accepting the choice as valid, or rejecting the choice and moving in another direction. In both instances, the student would profit immeasurably from having had the experience. Those students fitting in the former situation would have a distinct advantage in that an adequate foundation would have been achieved at the time they entered specialized training. In the latter situation, the economical factor of both time and money would be in evidence.
Adherence to this principle of correlating the educational place ment with occupational goals should not interfere with the genera] or basic education of the student. It is felt that it would enhance it.
7. STUDENT PLACEMENT IN CURRICULUM TRACKS MAY BE
COMPLICATED BY VARIOUS FACTORS.
The greater majority of the concerns created through this phase of the placement service are of a personal or social nature. It is possible, however, that lack of understanding on the part of the student and/or his parents may account for some of the prob lems that may arise in this area. In any event, great care must be exercised by the counselor or teacher in placing students in the school's curriculum tracks.
Prestige, for example, may cause a great deal of confusion in placihg a student in a particular track. To illustrate the point, a boy whose parents decided long ago that a college education was a must will be used. The school offers the general, college prep, commercial, and vocational curriculum. At the time placement is to be effected, the information that is available about the boy indicates eventual failure if placed in the college prep track. The parents are insistent and refuse the recommendations of the school staff.
Attitude of the student and his parents is another factor that must be dealt with in this type of placement. The problems involved here are very similar to those that develop as a result of prestige attached to following a particular curriculum in school, regardless of the student's fitness.
The student's thinking concerning his educational, as well as his occupational, future is greatly influenced by the educational and occupational levels of his family. So, we may see that family status is another factor that must be faced by placement personnel in the schools. The student's aspirations should, however, be given careful consideration in the placement process by school counselors and teachers.
The basic understandings of students and parents concerning the school's curriculum tracks will serve as buffers for these complications that may arise as a result of this type of placement. Both parties, mentioned above, should have thorough understandings of each track in the curriculum offerings plus an understanding of the

THE PLACEMENT SERVICE . 11
consequences and alternatives of each choice. This is a very important aspect of this principle.
8. ACADEMIC PLACEMENT OF STUDENTS WHERE THERE IS
STRONG LIKELIHOOD OF SUCCESS PAYS DIVIDENDS.
It is futile to place students in courses where failure is clearly imminent. There is the tendency for greater numbers of the schools of today to incorporate placement practices in their programs to eliminate much of this waste. Possibly, the school's desire to better meet the intellectual differences and specific needs of their students is the reason for the special emphasis in this area at the present. In an attempt to attain this goal, instruction in each academic subject is offered on varying levels (usually three). Level one, for example, is designed for the student who is in need of developing basic skills, acquiring basic principles, and increasing his competencies in the fundamentals relating to the particular course. Level two may be developed to fit the needs of the "average" student. Students fitting into this instructional level would be those who have developed the basic concepts and background sufficient for normal progress, but would not "burn the woods down" as it were. In level three, the more advanced students would be placed. Through their ability, past records, and interest, it is indicated that instruction of more depth and breadth would fit their needs.
Through the records and information on students available in the student's guidance folder, counselors and teachers have significant data to perform such a placement function as would be necessary in carrying out this principle. In addition to this information on students, the addition of a special aptitude test would possibly afford sufficient data for school personnel to make adequate choices in this important placement endeavor. Constant study and research using past grades; ability, achievement, and special aptitude test results; and teacher judgements will increase the effectiveness of placement in this area. Over a period of time it would be possible to arrive at sound and valid criteria on which the school could place considerable dependence.
9. STUDENTS ARE APT TO TAKE THE EASY ROAD IN HIGH
SCHOOL IF LEFT ALONE.
It has been said that if high schoolers are left on their own, they will choose the path of least resistance. True or not, this situation presents a major problem that must be faced by school personnel in the placement process. We do not know that an inabllity, on the part of some students, exists to make wise educational choices. Therefore, constant professional help by one or ones in a position to give adequate assistance to the student is essential in the public schools of today.
The aim of placement, even the existence of adequate guidance

12 . . . THE PLACEMENT SERVICE
services, rests on the willingness of counselors, teachers, and ad ministrators to assume a responsible role in assisting students to choose courses that challenge their ability levels.
The national government, realizing the enormity of the problems of discovering and nurturing student talent for the good of the Nation, included in the National Defense Education Act of 1958 one Title (Title V) devoted strictly to the guidance of talented students in high schools. This Act, its implications, has special meaning for the placement services in that the effective results of counseling and guidance is realized only when the person is satisfactorily placed in a situation conducive to the discovered talents of the student.
Counselors, teachers, and others must be sure that students are not sacrificing their abilities for an easy road in the selection of an academic program. Effective placement plays a major role in this realization.
10. COLLEGE ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS ARE CONSTANTLY
CHANGING, THUS THE IMPLICATIONS FOR COLLEGE
PLACEMENT INCREASES FOR COUNSELORS AND OTHERS.
In helping students to choose their future education courses in higher institutions of learning, counselors and teachers need a thorough understanding of all aspects of the various types of colleges and universities. The college and university requirements vary and are constantly in a state of change due to the number applying and the available facilities.
Although high school averages seem to be the best indication of college success, there is increased emphasis on the personal qualities, the social qualities, the sense of purpose, and the seriousness of the student. One, however, cannot discredit the value of a high scholastic high school average as an asset for gaining entrance into colleges. The liberal trends in entrance requirements for colleges, as evidenced in the immediate past, have many implications for counselors and others in the placement process. Knowing these requirements would, in part, eliminate the rigid college-prep curriculum found in many of our high schools. It is also possible that some of the highly traditional courses may be questionable as equipping the student with an advantage to perform effectively at the college level. Another implication along this line is the emphasis being placed on the present competence of the student to do college work rather than merely completing certain units at the high school level. This ability is evidenced by the showing the student makes on the psychological tests that are administered for college entrance.
Keeping up to date and disseminating the changing requirements to students present a challenging situation for counselors, teachers, and others who assist students in college placement.

THE PLACEMENT SERVICE 13
ORGANIZING THE INFORMATION NECESSARY FOR
EFFECTIVE PLACEMENT SERVICES
Effective placement of the student in the next steps with which he is faced is dependent on many factors. Adequate placement services are very closely related to the student analysis, informational and counseling services in the organized guidance process. Th~ results of the student analysis service, the informational service, and the counseling service determine to a great extent the effective placement of the student in any endeavor. For example:
Significant information concerning the student's characteristics is needed in order to place the student in the next step. The data concerning the student's abilities, achievements, special aptitudes, interests, ann person31 characteristics are needed as a first step in performing the service of placement. So, we may see the importance and the significance of the student analysis service in placement. .
Secondly, in order to know where the student may be placed to carry out his plans, he must be appnsed 01 the available opportunities for him in the areas of the occupational, educational, personal, and social worlds. Through the informational service, the "where" of the placement comes to the fore.
Next, in the process of guidance, the student must be assisted to look at himself and relate his characteristics to the opportunities available for him. One may see that out of the counseling situation comes a need for placement. The plans coming from this process must be placed in action. It is evident then in the guidance process that, in order for placement to take place, the student must first be counseled and plans made as to the next steps.
Data, that is a part of the student analysis service, may be used in the placement service. Nevertheless, for effective placement, this information should be organized in such a manner as to be readily available and in usable form for this service. Possibly a special placement questionnaire would be needed for occupational placement. In the other pla:ement areas, it is doubtful whether a special questionnaire would serve any particular need since much of the information that is normally needed in these areas has already been included in the questionnaire such as was suggested in the "Student Analysis Service" booklet (2,21-25). Even though one section of this questionnaire is devoted to the occupational future of the student, a short supplementary placement questionnaire designed specifically for accumulating data of past and present work experiences plus future desires for part-time and vacation job experiences would serve a useful purpose.
Test results should prove useful in the areas of occupational and educational placement. The student's test profile for placement purposes would be similar to profiles in the student's guidance fold-

14 . . . THE PLACEMENT SERVICE

er. A possible difference may be the addition of a number of special vocational aptitude test results which could be included on a supplementary profile, or just added to the student's regular test profile.
From the supplementary questionnaire and the additional test results, plus the information already available in the student's guidance folder, a student employment form may be completed to send to employers for selection and placement purposes. Such a form would be very valuable for the counselor and the employer in occupational placement. The student employment form on each student registered in the school's placement service may be similar to the following:

FORM I

STUDENT EMPLOYMENT FORM

IDENTIFYING DATA JIm Jones is a sixteen year old eleventh grader at Podunk High School. He has two sisters older than he, and one brother in the seventh grade. His father is a salesman for a hardware company and his mothel' is a full-time homemaker. Both parents and sisters finished high school. Jim plans to continue his education after high school graduation.
ACADEMIC RECORD In high school Jim selected and has followed the college preparatory curriculum track. In addition to the required courses, he has concentrated his elective courses in the math and science areas. He has a G.P.A. well above the average in all courses to date with superior grades in all math courses.
STANDARD TEST RESULTS Jim's ability as measured by two paper and pencil mental ability tests indicate high average ability. From the basic and subject achievement tests, it is indica',ed that he uses his ability to a good advantage since the achievement test results are on par with his mental ability test results. The interest inventory indicates significant ir..terests in the computational and scientific fields. Average interests were noted in the mechanical, clerical, persuasive, literary, and outdoor fields.

EXPRESSED INTERESTS His expressed interests seem to point

in .the ?irection of the engineering field. In interviews dealing

prImarIly WIth the future of students at Podunk High SChOOl

Jim feels that this is the field for him.

'

~AST WORK EXPE~IENCES Part-time work experiences durmg the sch?ol ~ear mclud~ grocery store work, soda jerk, and yard work m hIS commuruty. Summer vacation work includes lawn mowing service and work with the state highway department in miscellaneous jobs.

PERSONALITY CHARACTERISTICS Jim relates well with fellow students, and is described by his teachers as a very personable student.

THE PLACEMENT SERVICE . 15

Information related to the occupational, educational, social, and personal opportunities available for the student should also be organized in such a manner as to become readily accessible for placement purposes. As with the student analysis information, much of this information is already available but has to be organized in a different way to effectively serve the placement function.
First, the occupational information for placement lJurposes will be considered. To adequately place a student in a part-time or full-time job, counselors and other school placement personnel must know and have at their fingertips the available plar:ement op portunities they may use in placement. How should this information be accumulated and organized for use in this service? The technique most commonly used by schools in obtaining this information is through the use of a survey of occupational opportunities in the school-community. In smaller communities a personal interview with employers would be most advantageous; however, in larger cities other methods of securing this information would have to be used. Through the use of the telephone, mails, or the personal interview, the questionnaire could be completed and the information made a part of the placement service. Such a qnestionnaire should elicit the following information:

FORM 2

JOB OPPORTUNITIES FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

A. NAME OF FIRM

_

ADDRESS________ B. JOBS AVAILABLE:

TELEPHONE NO.

.

_

C. DOES YOUR FIRM EMPLOY mGH SCHOOL

GRAD UATES?

_

D. DOES YOUR FIRM OFFER PART-TIME EMPLOYMENT FO

HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES?

_

E. REQUIREMENTS:

1. AGE

_

2. SEX PREFERRED

_

3. PERSONAL QUALIFICATIONS:

_

4. SCHOOL COURSES IMPORTANT FOR THIS WORK:

16 .. THE PLACEMENT SERVICE

F. NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES YOU HIRE EACH YEAR? -

G. PROCEDURES IN EMPLOYMENT ----------

_

H. IS MEMBERSHIP IN UNIONS REQUIRED? -------------------

1. W0 RKING H0 DRS -----------------------------------------------------------------

J. ADVANCEMENT POSSIDILITIES ---------------------------------------

K. EMPLOYEE BENEFITS. PLEASE LIST:

_

L. REMUNERATI0 NS

-------------

M. PERSON TO WHOM APPLICATIONS MAY BE MADE _

N. WHEN SHOULD A PERSON APPLY?

_

The information gained through such a questionnaire may be
used directly from the questionnaire, and filed in a folder or loose
leaf notebook. Better still, the information may be transferred to a
5x8 index card, and housed for easy reference in the placement
service.
The information secured by the above method lends itself very well to securing occupational information from businesses, and industries in the school-community. If the school's placement service decides to include job placement services in such part-time jobs as baby sitting, lawn mowing, other yard work, farm work, etc., other means of recording this type of information would have to be employed. In both situations, this employment information should be at the fingertips of the counselor and other placement personnel of the school.
Organized educational information for placement purposes places the school's placement personnel in a position to perform a more adequate job in this endeavor. First, consideration will be given to the needed information for in-school educational placement. Of valuable assistance to school personnel engaging in course placement is a schedule guide. This guide may be mimeographed and kept in a loose leaf notebook. It would give a brief summary of the instructional program offered in the school, plus requirements for graduation. In the description of the various instructional programs, some forms should be available on which the required courses would be listed; plus those courses that are recommended for a student following a certain curriculum track. Form 3 is such a form.

THE PLACEMENT SERVICE 17
FORM 3 BUSINESS TRACK

FRESHMAN

SOPHOMORE

Required
English 1
Math or
Algebra
General Science
Civics

Recommended
Spanish
General Business
Geography Home
Economics

Required
English 2 Typing 1 Health &
Phy. Ed.
Biology

Music Band

Recommended
Advanced Algebra
Spanish Latin Music Band

JUNIOR

SENIOR

Required
English 3 U. S.
History Shorthand
Health & Phy. Ed.

Recommended
Bookkeeping Journalism
Art Business
Law

Required
English 4
World History
Secretarial Training

Recommended
Speech
Physical Science
Typing 2
Journalism
Office Machines

A form such as Form 3 for each curriculum. track would enhance the scheduling and placement of a student to a marked degree. The school person charged with this responsibility could very easily assist the student to complete his program of study for the entire four years. Many schools work with the students in completing their programs of study, and have parents to approve of such in the following way:

18 . . . THE PLACEMENT SERVICE

FORM 4 PROGRAM OF STUDY

NAME

CLASS STANDING

_

ADDRESS

TELEPHONE NO.

_

EDUCATIONAL PLANS AFTER HIGH SCHOOL

_

PRESENT OCCUPATIONAL PLANS

_

BUSINESS COURSE OF STUDY

FRESHMAN

SOPHOMORE

1. English 1 2. Math or Algebra 3. Gen. Science 4. Civics 5. Gen. Bus.

1. English 2 2. Typing 1 3. Biology 4. Health and P.E. 5. Adv. Algebra

JUNIOR
1. English 3 2. U.S. History 3. Shorthand 4. Health and P.E. 5. Journalism

SENIOR
1. English 4 2. World History 3. Secretarial Training 4. Speech 5. Office Machines

SIGNATURE OF SCHOOL PERSON:

_

UNITS REQUIRED FOR GRADUATION

Eighteen (18) units are required for graduation. All students must complete:

4 units in English 1 unit in Mathematics 1 unit in U.S. History 1 unit in World History

1 unit in Science 1 unit in Social Studies 1 unit in Math or Science 1 unit in Health and P.E.

PARENT APPROVAL The school official whose signature appears above assisted your child in planning his course of study for the four-year period. This program may be changed if necessary at any time. If you have questions, please contact the school person whose signature appears on this form.
I APPROVE OF THE COURSE OF STUDY.

PARENT'S SIGNATURE

_ DATE

_

THE PLACEMENT SERVICE . 19
From this form, the yearly schedule of the student may be transferred to a 3x5 card for easy reference. This would enable the placement office to know where students are, and they would not be lost in the shuffle. If changes in the program are necessary, they could be made and the records kept up to date with a minimum of effort. Included in such a form, the following information would be needed:

FORMS FRESHMAN SCHEDULE

NAME Subjects

Teacher

Room

GRADE Changes Date

Reason

Possibly, additional information is needed in the placement office on students relating to the social and extra-class activities of the student. A record of these activities would be very valuable for the placement person to have at his disposal. The information for this purpose could take the following form:

20 .. THE PLACEMENT SERVICE

FORM 6

SOCIAL AND EXTRACLASS INFORMATION

ACTIVITY

ACTIVE PARTICIPATION

BAND CRAFTS CLUB DRAMA CLUB F.F.A. F.H.A. GLEE CLUB HI-Y HISTORY CLUB INDUSTRIAL ARTS CLUB LIBRARY CLUB MATH. CLUB ORCHESTRA SCHOOL ANNUAL SCHOOL PAPER SCIENCE CLUB STAMP CLUB STUDENT COUNCIL OTHERS (Please list)

PARTICIPATION PREFERRED

This includes some of the information that could be very valuable to school personnel in the in-school placement of students. It is possible that additional information would be needed in schools emphasizing placement to a greater extent.
Helping students with college placement and other educational and training next steps beyond the high school level is a definite responsibility of this service in the school. As college enrollments are increasing, this placement task is mushrooming in many of the high schools. Rendering an effective service to students in this endeavor requires much time, effort, and organization on the part of high school placement personnel.
Initially, students have a number of colleges in mind that may serve the purpose for which they are aspiring. Narrowing the number of colleges down in order that serious negotiations may begin is a first step that must be accomplished. To do this, the college selections form could be completed by the student with the assistance of the counselor and/or teacher, and may prove valuable.

FORM 7 COLLEGE SELECTIONS FORM

A. BASIC AND GENERAL INFORMATION

NAME OF COLLEGE

YES

NO

NAME OF COLLEGE

YES

NO

NAME OF COLLEGE

YES

NO

1. College offers training in which I am interested.

2. My high school program of work fits well with admission requirements of college.

3. College requires examinations for

-of

entrance.

m::I:

4. College requires physical examination.

."V-
n>

5. College is co-educational. 6. College is state supported.

m
~m
Z

-of

7. College is private. 8. College is fully accredited. 9. College enrollment is (list number).

e;man
nm<

-""

B. FINANCIAL OUTPUT
(EXPENSES PER YEAR) 1. Lodging 2. Food 3. Tuition 4. Health Fees 5. Activity Fees 6. Books (Approximate) 7. Other Expenses (Please List)
8. TOTAL EXPENSES (YEARLY)
C. CAMPUS ACTIVITIES 1. Sororities and fraternities 2. Intercollegiate athletic programs 3. Intramural programs 4- Band

''""
...
X m
r'V-
n m
3m:
.Z..
(I)
m
~
n
m

YES

NO

YES

NO

YES

NO

5. Glee Club 6. Recreational facilities 7. Others (Please list)
D. AVAILABLE FACILITIES
1. Available donnitories for men 2. Available dormitories for women 3. Freshmen can live off-campus 4. May choose own roommate 5. College dining facilities available 6. Adequate library available
E. AIDS AND SERVICES FOR STUDENTS
1. Available scholarships 2. Part-time jobs available

YES

NO

YES

NO

YES

NO

-4 :J: m
:m'rnrU>3m
Z -4
emn
nm~
~

~

YES

NO

YES

NO

YES

NO

3. Placement services for graduates

-4

4. Vacation placement services

% m

5. Health services

.r"-

6. Student hospitalization plan

~
m

7. Student group insurance plan

m~

Z

8. Guidance and testing services

-4

9. Special tutoring services 10. Orientation services for freshmen

mfit
nm::!

F. OTHER PERTINENT INFORMATION (List)

I

THE PLACEMENT SERVICE 25

Students completing Form 7 are in better positions to objectively evaluate the special features of colleges, and arrive at a realistic decision.
To further facilitate the help that school placement officials may render to students in their choosing of a college is the compilation of the basic college entrance requirements so this important information may be at the fingertips of the counselor and/or teacher. Such information could be abstracted from college catalogs, and placed on 5x8 index cards for easy reference. A reference card with this information may take this form.
FORM 8
ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS

COLLEGE: GEORGIA SOUTHERN COLLEGE STATESBORO, GEORGIA

OFFERINGS
BACHELOR OF ARTS Art, English, French History, Sociology, and Music
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE Biology, Chemistry, Business Education, Business Administration, Industry, Mathematics, Medical Technology, Physical Science, and Secretarial Administration
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN RECREATION
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN EDUCATION Elementary, Junior High School, and Secondary Education

BASIC REQUIREMENTS

16 units as follows:

English

4

Math (1 in Algebra) 2

Science

1

Social Science

2

Other Academic units 3

Others

4

The College Entrance Examination Board's Scholastic Aptitude Test is required. Physical examination required.

A similar form may be developed which would be suitable for vocational-technical schools, business, trade, and other educational opportunities available for the youth in our schools.
Placement information of a social and a personal nature, which would be useful in helping students experiencing concerns in these areas, is very much needed. The information obtained in Form 6 is useful in both of these areas. In addition to these sc;hool activities, the out-of-school clubs and organizations available in the schoolcommunity for students should be surveyed. The form suggested

26 THE PLACEMENT SERVICE
for recording referral sources in "The Informational Service" bOOklet should serve adequately as one source for placing students in situations where they may be placed to carry out decisions that were made in the counseling session (3,22).
It is possible in certain placement situations that information on the students in these two areas would be desirable. Possibly, counselors and other school placement personnel would find it desirable to supply employers and others with information on students of a personal and/or social nature. A form such as the following may be prepared and used for this purpose:

FORM 9 PERSONAL AND SOCIAL QUALITIES RATING SCALE

FACTORS
HONESTY DEPENDABLE ENTHUSIASM COOPERATIVE EMOTIONALLY STABLE RELIABLE ADAPTABLE SOCIABLE TACTFUL LEADERSHIP ABILITY CITIZENSHIP OTHERS (List)

Very Poor Poor Average Good Superior

This personal-social rating scale form may be sent in its present form, or the pertinent information may be abstracted and included in a form such as the "Student Employment Form". The information gathered with the use of this form on students will be extremely helpful to placement personnel in both verbal and written recommendations in the student's "next steps".
For adequate placement services to emerge in the school, the aforementioned information would be very desirable if not absolutely necessary. This information will enhance as well as facilitate the placement of students in their "next steps". Accumulating this information and organizing it in usable form will require a great amount of time, but it is felt that it will payoff in dividends.

THE PLACEMENT SERVICE . 27
ADMINISTERING A PROGRAM OF PLACEMENT SERVICES
Of tremendous assistance in the administration of the placement services available in the school is the knowledge and understanding of this service by those who will be most affected. To effectively publicize this phase of the program of guidance services, students, school personnel, employers, and the community must be apprised of the placement services available in the school. Through the guidance newsletter, the school paper, talks to students and faculty, the students and school personnel may gain this understanding. The use of local news media, talks to civic and fraternal organizations, interviews with employers, and letters to parents and employers should enable parents and employers to fully understand the placement service available for students in the school.
Effective public relations with other placement agencies in the school-community is essential on the part of the school. The school must cooperate with the employment service, for example, and not encroach on their services in job placement. Close personal liaison between the school counselor and the employment service or other placement agencies must be created and maintained in order for an exchange of ideas and information to take place.
Assuming that the placement services available for the students are understood by all concerned, and the information mentioned in the preceding section of this booklet is in an organized state, the school may proceed with this assistance. Administering the various phases of placement for students will require differential approaches for the placement personnel in the school. A brief description of the administration of placement in the occupational, educational, and personal-social areas will be dealt with separately.
First, the placement activities of school personnel in helping students with their next steps in the part-time or full-time occupational world will be considered. To know the students who are interested in part-time, vacation, or full-time work must be known by the placement personnel in the school. A form such as the one that follows should be completed by each student interested in employment of any kind.

28 THE PLACEMENT SERVICE

FORM 10

Name

JOB PLACEMENT

Grade

_

Address
1. I want permanent work after graduation. 2. I want vacation employment for the summer. 3. I desire parttime employment during s'chool. 4. Type work desired

Telephone No. _ _ Yes No
_

5. Time and/or hours desired for work

_

6. Do you desire the assistance of school placement in securing employ1

ment? Yes

No _

This form may be completed by students in group situations. However, it is recommended that, if it is feasible, counselors interview each student and complete the form during this time. In this way the counselor will have the opportunity of discussing the occupational plans, some of the possible job opportunities, the laws per taining to youngsters working in the state, and other pertinent information. It is also possible during this interview to do some realistic counseling if the student's aspirations for a certain type job are out of harmony or completely out of line with his qualities to adequately do the work required for the job.
After completing this form, the student may then be classified as to the kind or type of job he fits, and the card may be filed according to the job classification. To have the Job Placement card readily accessible when employer requests are made, it is desirable to have separate files for full-time, vacation, and part-time applicants.
To expedite the placing of students in jobs, a form should be available for recording employer requests. Not only will such a form save time, but it will afford the counselor an opportunity to do a top-notch job of recommending to the employer the type of student who will do an effective job. This is very important to the well-being and future of the placement service in the school. Haphazardly recommending students to employers (without first match ing the student's qualities with the job requirements) will soon create ill will between the school and the employer. A form may be constructed on index cards to include the following information:

THE PLACEMENT SERVICE ... 29

FORM 11 EMPLOYER REQUEST FORM

A. NAME OF FIRM

ADDRESS _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ TEL. NO.,

_

B. JOB AVAILABLE

C. NATURE OF WORK

D. HOURS OF WORK

E. DAYS OF WORK

F. SEX DESIRED _ _ _ _ _ _ AGE DESIRED

_

G. WAGES PER HOUR _ _ _ _ DAY

WEEK

_

H. PERSON TO CONTACT

_

1. TIME TO APPLY

_

J. STUDENT EMPLOYMENT FORM DESIRED _ _Yes _ _ No

After completing this form via telephone or personal interview, the counselor would pull the cards of the students desiring jobs of this nature and select the one he felt would adequately fill the request. This student would then be contacted and apprised of the request. If interested, the counselor would then forward the Student Employment information to the employer and assist the student in scheduling a time for an interview. Assuming that the student has some knowledge of how to apply for a job, it would be well to briefly review some of the important points. The counselor may have quite a bit of information about the firm that would be helpful for the student to know. Proper dress, etc. may be mentioned as well as how the student should conduct himself during the interview. A list of questions the student would like to ask of the employer may be discussed. Any other pertinent information may be given on points to be discussed during the interview. The counselor would want a report from the student as to the outcome of the job interview, so these plans are also made. When employers desire to interview a group of students, the same procedure is taken on the part of the school counselor.
Another important placement responsibility of the school in occupational placement consists of an evaluation of the effectiveness of placement. Following up the student on the job indicates to a degree the effectiveness of the school's placement services in the occupational area. In addition to the incidental checking through casual conversations with the employer, more organized methods of evaluations should be made. One method consists of having the

30 . . . THE PLACEMENT SERVICE

employer to periodically complete a rating scale on various characteristics.

FORM 12 STUDENT WORK REPORT

A. NAME OF STUDENT

_

B. GRADE

AGE

_

C. JOB TITLE

_

D. WORK PERIOD REPORTED

_

E. USING THE SCALE 1-5, WHERE 5 IS mGHEST OR BEST, RATE THE STUDENT ON THE FOLLOWING CHARACTERISTICS, IF APPPLICABLE:

1. QUALITY OF WORK 2. QUANTITY OF WORK 3. ABILITY

----

7. PERSEVERANCE 8. COOPERATIVENESS 9. CHEERFULNESS

4. DEPENDABILITY

--

10. PROMPTNESS

5. RELIABILITY 6. LOYALTY

---

11. EAGERNESS 12. UNSELFISHNESS

F. REMARKS:

FffiM

RATER

_

Checking with the employer, incidentally and through employer ratings, will enable the school to effect changes and improve the occupational placement services. This continuous evaluation will result in better relations between school and employer. In placement, this is very important.
Second, academic and educational placement possibly consumes a greater amount of the school counselor's time than any other phase in this service. Administering this portion of the placement service involves both in-school and post-school activities. The inschool placement activities consist of course selection and program planning, exceptional and advanced placement programs, promotional activities, and remedial programs. The post-school placement activities are usually of an educational and job training nature.
The administration of the in-school placement service would require, on the part of the school placement personnel, a thorough

THE PLACEMENT SERVICE . . . 31
knowledge and understanding of the nature and requirements of each activity. In each of the in-school educational placement activities listed above, printed information concerning the general and specific characteristics would normally be available in the school. This information, along with the data included in the student's guidance folder, would possibly supply sufficient indications to make sound placement decisions in each activity. Individual test results may be used to supplement the basic information already present in some of these placement activities in order that better judgements may be made. It is also possible that additional placement forms may be required in certain of these in-school placement activities to facilitate the administration of said program.
Administering the out-of-school educational activities would range from initial exploration to actual placement in the next educational endeavor. The initial exploratory activities were discussed in "The Information Service" booklet (3,1-52). Such guidance activities as career conferences, college days, field trips, and units of instruction in educational and occupational planning would have relevance in this phase of the out-of-school education placement.
Assisting the student to get into his next educational endeavor would require such assistance as getting the student to take the entrance examinations, and helping him to make application to the college or training school of his choice. In administering this phase of the out-of-school placement service, the school counselor would make certain that all interested students would take the required examinations to be eligible for admission to the next educational step. Through special announcements in classes, the school paper, the bulletin board, and the guidance newsletter, students may be apprised of the dates and places of the examination. Usually, the counselor's office takes care of the applications for such examinations. The counseling and planning, prior to taking the examination, reveals the institution to which the test results will be sent.
Submitting applications for admission to chosen colleges or training schools requires many duties on the part of school counselors. They must have applications available for the most popular colleges and training schools. Accompanying the applications for admissions, a transcript of the high school records plus, in many instances, a letter of recommendation must be sent to the next institution of training. These are some of the in-school and out-ofschool administration responsibilities of school placement personnel in this area of placement.
Third, the administration of the services of placement in the personal-social area is somewhat similar to administering educational and academic placement. This area of placement is carried on both in and out of school. To alleviate some of the conditions of a personal or social nature existing among students requires the combined resources in the school and throughout the community.
Many of the available resources for placement personnel con-

32 THE PLACEMENT SERVICE
sists of the clubs and organizations in the school-community. There are other personal-social placement resources available for counsel ors to use in this area. A unit of instruction of a personal-social nature is an example. An individual teacher or a person adept at dealing with concerns in this area may also be used as a placement resource.
Familiarity with the services of each of these possible resources is a must for counselors. Many of the clubs and organizations have special education and academic requirements of which counselors and other placement persons must understand thoroughly. Close cooperation between the counselor and the club adviser is certainly recommended. In addition to the close personal contacts that are maintained, the administration of this phase of placement is enhanced with the accumulation of specific information recorded on 5x8 cards. The basic information on all clubs and organizations as illustrated on Form 13 should result in more efficient placement in this area.

FORM 13 CLUB AND ORGANIZATION INFORMATION

CLUB:

SPANISH CLUB

PURPOSES: (1) To promote an informal and easy atmosphere for the study of Spanish.
(2) To stimulate interest in Spanish speaking countries and their people.
REQUIREMENTS: (1) Must have a "C" average in all subjects.
(2) Must be enrolled in a Spanish class.

FEES: $1.00 per year.

For more effective utilization of teachers and other individuals who are competent in certain personal-social areas, a 5x8 card re-
cording their special service should be completed on each resource
person. Form 14 should prove very valuable in this endeavor.

THE PLACEMENT SERVICE . 33
FORM 14 PERSONAL-SOCIAL RESOURCES

NAME ADDRESS SPECIAL PLACEMENT SERVICES

_

TEL. NO.

_

_

TIME AVAILABLE FOR INTERVIEWS OR SERVICE

_

FEE

OTHER INFORMATION

_

A thorough study of the services these resource people can render will enable the counselor to know and understand the opportunities available for placement in this area. This understanding, plus the information that may be gain~d through personal contacts with these resource persons, places the counselor in an excellent position. He can adequately place the student under a person to receive the most efficient assistance in the problem being experienced.
To be of greater assistance to the students in these concerns, these resource cards may be filed in the different categories relating to personal-social concerns. For example, the resource cards may be filed under the broad areas of personal, social, moral, religious, marital, etc. This would enable the counselor to make referrals on the spur of the moment, and get the student into a "next step" with a minimum of confusion and loss of time.
These are some of the administrative responsibilities involved in the personal-social areas of placement. After getting involved in this phase of placement, other responsibilities will become evident as placement activities progress..

34 THE PLACEMENT SERVice

SUMMARY
The actual fruition of guidance may be realized through adequate placement services. If the student is placed effectively, it is an indication that the work of the counselor in the preceding services (student analysis, informational, and counseling) has paid dividends. To effect adequate placement in the program of guidance services requires a lot of work on the part of school placement personnel. Gathering the needed information and organizing it in usable form necessitates much clerical responsibility on the part of counselors. It is felt, however, that the additional responsibilities involved in the total administration of the placement service will be minor when the results are critically evaluated.
In this booklet, the importance of the placement service was treated from many points of view. A number of important principles of placement were discussed to serve as points for consideration of counselors and others as they assist students in their next steps. Organization of the pertinent information necessary for adequate placement is of primary importance in the services of guidance. The basic elements of this phase of the placement service were spelled out in this booklet with illustrated forms that may be used to better administer this program. The administration of this important service in the program of guidance services was outlined as suggestions that counselors and others may follow in carrying out their responsibilities in the services of placement to students.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

1. Hitchcock, William L., Guidance: Functions and Services. Atlanta: Georgia State Department of Education, 1962. 14p.

2.

, Student Analysis Service. Atlanta: Georgia

State Department of Education, 1963. 40p.

3.

, The Information Service. Atlanta: Georgia State

Department of Education, 1963. 53p.

THE PLACEMENT SERVICE .. 35
REFERENCES
Burchill, George W., Work-StudY Programs for Alienated Youth. Chicago: Science Research Associates, 1962. 265p.
Burckel, C. E., College Blue Book. Yonkers, N.Y.: Christian E. Burckel, 1956. 688p.
Erickson, Clifford E., and Glenn E. SmIth, Organization and Administration of Guidance Services. New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company, Inc., 1947. 276p.
Feingold, Norman, Scholarships, Fellowships, and Loans. Boston: Bellman Publishing Company, 1955. 471p.
Fine, Benjamin, American College Counselor and Guide. New York: Prentice Hall, Inc., 1955. 413p.
Froehlich, GIfford P., Guidance Services in Smaller Schools. New York:McGraw-Hill Book Company, Inc., 1950. 352p.
______________________________________, Guidance Services in Schools. New York: McGrawHill &ok Company, Inc., 1958. 383p.
Hatch, Raymond N., and Buford Stefflre, Administration of Guidance Services. Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, 1958. 499p.
Kough, Jack, Practical Programs for the Gifted. Chicago: Science Research Associates, 1960. 192p.
Lovejoy, Clarence, and Theodore Jones, LovejoyJones College Scholarship Guide. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1957. 123p.
Lovejoy, Clarence, Lovejoy's Vocational SC'hool Guide. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1955. 216p.
Roeber, Edward C., Glenn E. Smith, and Clifford E. Erickson, Organizatio,n and Administration of Guidance Services. New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company, Inc., 1955. 294p.
Shertzer, Bruce, Working with Superior Students. Chicago: Science Research Associates, 1960. 370p.
Super, Donald E., Appraising Vocational Fitness. New York: Harper JIInd Brothers, 1949. 727p.