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Abstract

School counselors underutilize three community entities within the Black American community: the Black Church, salons and barbershops, and Black Greek letter organizations (BGLOs). School counselors can use cultural wealth and multitiered systems of support (MTSS) as frameworks for making these connections to further cultivate Black American student achievement. This conceptual article provides information to aid school counselors in assisting students through data and SMART goals; bolstering student success; and closing the achievement, attainment, and opportunity gaps.

Keywords

BGLOs Black American students community involvement MTSS the Black Church

Black children comprise 15% of K–12 public school students across the United States (National Center for Education Statistics, 2020). Nevertheless, schools seem to have challenges regarding Black student achievement. Black students are suspended at 38.2%, compared to 32.9% of White students (USAFacts, 2023), and only 17% of Black eighth-grade students read at grade level (Lynch, 2016). First-generation, low-income Black students are underrepresented in college enrollment (Robinson & Roksa, 2016). Students at urban high schools, which tend to have high percentages of Black students, have less higher education information, and less access to such information, than students at more affluent schools (Shamsuddin, 2016; United States Census Bureau, 2022). School counselors significantly influence college applications and enrollment, especially for underrepresented minoritized students (Cholewa et al., 2015). School–family–community partnerships increase all students’ academic, career, and social/emotional development and assist the school counselor’s effort to close opportunity, attainment, and achievement gaps (Bryan et al., 2015; Clemons & Johnson, 2019). In fact, Bryan et al. (2015) noted that community partnerships led to improvements in achievement scores, discipline referrals, and attendance.

Black Americans’ sense of community is powerful: 81% believe community involvement is significant (Barroso, 2020). Although the Black community is not a monolith, shared experiences are the tie that binds (Clemons & Cokley, 2022). Black Americans have relied on each other for necessity and survival, and most feel a solid connection to the broader Black community (Agboola, 2018; Barroso, 2020). The Black American community developed during enslavement, and that community persevered through Jim Crow, the civil rights era, and today’s Black Lives Matter era. Clemons and Johnson’s (2019) study described the interwoven relationships between Black families and the Black community, underscoring how these relationships were born from survival. Douglas and Peck (2013) examined how and why people in the African diaspora access community-driven spaces outside of school settings, explicitly naming the Black Church and Black barbershops as spaces that serve and cultivate personal and academic achievement.

Rust (2019) discussed how school counselors can center Black student achievement: through multicultural competence, cultural/ethnic identity related to academic achievement, counselor-teacher collaboration and culturally relevant pedagogy, and school climate/sense of belonging. School counselors must be aware of their own racial and cultural identity, values, and biases in order to serve Black students effectively and properly, thus continually engaging in cultural competence activities (Rust, 2019). Cummins (1986) coined the term bicultural ambivalence, meaning Black students’ attitudes toward schools that do not honor their cultural identity and values, but instead enforce the status quo of the dominant culture. This bicultural ambivalence driven by cultural dissonance could cause Black students to have decreased academic achievement motivation (Rust, 2019). Research has shown that Black students learn better in school environments that foster culturally relevant values such as communalism (focus on interdependence and relationships) rather than pedagogy in the dominant cultural modes of individualism and competition (Coleman et al., 2021). A positive school climate and sense of belonging, due to the inclusion of culturally relevant values, enhance the academic motivation of Black students (Ezikwelu, 2020).

As described by the American School Counselor Association (ASCA, 2021), multitiered systems of support (MTSS) are a “culturally sustaining, evidence-based framework implemented in pre-K–12 schools using data-based problem solving to integrate academic and behavioral instruction and intervention at tiered intensities to improve the learning and social/emotional functioning of all students” (para. 2). MTSS provides a framework for comprehensive school counseling programs to meet the needs of Black American students (Goodman-Scott et al., 2019; Ziomek-Daigle et al., 2016). Further, cultural wealth theory suggests that people from historically marginalized communities possess unique cultural knowledge, skills, and experiences that are not always recognized and valued by mainstream society. Yosso (2005) developed this model to counter deficit-based models that focus solely on the deficits and challenges faced by marginalized communities, and it provides a theoretical framework for school counselors to employ solutions that are strengths based and can work well with MTSS interventions (Purgason et al., 2020). The Black American community is uniquely positioned in that existing groups within the community are poised to assist schools and school counselors regarding Black student achievement.

In terms of community partnerships, I propose that schools and school counselors tend to overlook three entities of the Black American community: the Black Church, hair salons/barbershops, and Black Greek letter organizations (BGLOs). These untapped resources can provide significant support to Black American students and invaluable collaborative support for school counselors. The purpose of this article is to provide school counselors with information regarding these three community entities and discuss how they can be beneficial in meeting Black students’ needs through cultural wealth and MTSS. This article fills a gap in the school counseling literature regarding Black students and their communities and validates the necessity of cultural wealth when choosing evidence-based interventions to support Black students. I use the parallel terms Black and Black American instead of African American for the following reason: “Due to centuries of institutional enslavement, many Black people face the harsh reality that their precise lineage is untraceable”; therefore, Black Americans are “individuals who identify as Black, African American, or descendants of people from the African Diaspora” (Wynter-Hoyte & Boutte, 2018, p. 375).

Community Partners

The Black Church

The Black Church is historically referenced as the cornerstone of Black American communities (Avent Harris & Wong, 2018). With 53% of Black Americans identifying as members of a historically Black Protestant denomination and 79% identifying as Christian (Masci et al., 2018), the Black Church stands as an important community entity. Katz (2019) noted that enslavers and overseers left enslaved people alone while engaging in church services. Civil rights leaders held strategy meetings in churches, and the most prominent leaders, such as Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Reverend Joseph Lowery, and Reverend Jesse Jackson, were clergy members (Gates, 2022). The Black Church provides educational opportunities, social and emotional support, and empowerment. The church is responsible for founding many historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), such as Virginia Union University, Bennett College for Women, Morris Brown College, Clark Atlanta University, and Morehouse College (Hawkins, 2012).

Many Black churches are in low socioeconomic areas, and children in these areas are part of the target population for closing achievement gaps (Clemons & Johnson, 2019). School counselors should look to these churches as a means to reach students and their families living in these areas. Douglas and Peck (2013) noted that most Black churches have outreach programs for families and schools, including after-school, daycare, and preschool programs. The outreach programs include parent education, financial literacy, summer camps/Vacation Bible School, GED programs, and youth development programs. Youth development and mentoring programs housed in Black churches are a proven tool to support college readiness among Black students (Buckley, 2017). Some schools must contend with low parental involvement for myriad reasons. Reaching out to Black church programs via parent education programs may increase parental involvement with schools and PTA participation (Latunde & Clark-Louque, 2016).

Research has shown that creating partnerships with local Black churches enhances Black student achievement, provides resources (e.g., school supplies, monetary donations, food/clothing), and can offer community input for school counseling programs (Clemons & Johnson, 2019; Gill, 2018; Mcintosh & Curry, 2020). Clemons and Johnson’s (2019) study examined the experiences of 10 African American pastors regarding school counseling, including referral, collaboration, and consultation. Three themes emerged: (a) school counseling experiences, (b) barriers to collaboration, and (c) clergy–school collaboration. Clemons’ (in press) follow-up study explored the experiences of nine school counselors regarding the Black Church. Four themes emerged: (a) Black Church experiences, (b) significance to the Black community, (c) partnership potential, and (d) barriers. Black Church experiences considered both positive and negative experiences. The results of these studies suggest that school counselors and Black pastors are willing to work together to meet the needs of Black American children.

Salons and Barbershops

For Black Americans, hair is an essential way to express style and identity and links to the Black diaspora’s culture (King, 2018). As such, beauty salons and barbershops play a central role in the Black American community (National Museum of African American History & Culture, 2020). Popular films such as Barbershop and Beauty Shop highlight these spaces as sacred to the Black community (Rust, 2019). As such, barbers and hair stylists comprise the largest portion of Black American entrepreneurs (Douglas & Peck, 2013). Rowe (2019) noted how Black women have described their hair as having a direct influence on and correlating mental health and self-esteem. Mainstream White society has deemed natural Black hair unprofessional and unkempt and discriminated against those Black people who dared to wear their hair in dreadlocks, braids, or afros (Jones, 2020). Discriminatory school dress code policies also have targeted hair, disproportionately affecting Black children who choose to wear their hair naturally (Husband & Brown, 2018; Martin & Brooks, 2020). In particular, Battle (2021) noted that “Black girls as young as preschool and elementary school age are often stigmatized for their hairstyles and are labeled as defiant and viewed as a distraction” (p. 563). The CROWN (Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural hair) Act is legislation that protects Black people from targeted discrimination concerning hair (Donahoo & Smith, 2019). Salons and barbershops are cornerstones and safe spaces for the Black American community (Majors, 2015). Patrons discuss wide-ranging topics in this space: relationships, politics, religion, sports, popular culture, etc. (Mbilishaka et al., 2021). Shop Talk, a roundtable series launched by President Joe Biden’s 2020 presidential campaign, took place in barbershops and aimed to increase voter turnout among Black men (Adams, 2020). Gaines (2020) noted that barbershops are safe spaces for Black men to discuss critical issues such as racial profiling, police shootings of unarmed Black men, discrimination in the workplace, and politicians’ perceived racism. Children are often present in these spaces, listening and absorbing conversations.

Many Black hairstylists are keen to give back to the community in whatever way they can; salons and barbershops are often home to violence reduction and prevention programs (Baker et al., 2018; Dawson, 2014). Diseases such as HIV/AIDS, heart disease, diabetes, and cancer disproportionately affect Black Americans (Pillay, 2011). Although some Black Americans are reluctant to visit a doctor or clinic, they will willingly go to the hair salon or barbershop (Moore et al., 2016), and health professionals have recognized these spaces’ significance and utilized barber shops and salons to reach Black Americans (Moore et al., 2016; Pillay, 2011). However, schools and school counselors have overlooked this community resource. Black barbers and stylists are very invested in the education of their young clients. Smith’s (2020) news article profiling barbershops and hair salons in Columbus, MS, included an interview with a barber, who stated, “The shop I come from, we used to check the kids’ report cards, and if they’re doing good and want to work, then we would provide them a job after school.” Fresh haircuts proved to be an incentive for young Black American boys at a Wilmington, DE, elementary school. The principal, a former barber, Dr. Terrance Newton, implemented an in-school barbershop and watched the number of suspensions drop from 103 to 4 (Cruz, 2020). Baker et al. (2018) profiled the development of a barbershop-based violence intervention program for young Black men called Shape Up: Barbers Building Better Brothers. Set in barbershops, the program’s facilitators were barbers, who led the “two-session, one-on-one, age-appropriate, culturally tailored, and gender-specific intervention” (Baker et al., 2018, p. 764). Stevenson et al.’s (2021) study examined the efficacy of this violence-prevention program and found that participants reported significantly fewer physical fights after 3 months. Participants were also more likely to report fewer physical fights if they understood the plights Black men face, including increased risks of violence, discrimination, and financial issues (Stevenson et al., 2021). Although the program served only young men aged 18–24, it speaks to the general importance of barbershops to Black communities.

Black Greek Letter Organizations

BGLOs, known as the Divine Nine, include five fraternities and four sororities. These organizations began forming in the early 1900s due to Black students being ostracized and rejected by White social groups (Ross, 2001, 2016). The five fraternities, in founding order, are Alpha Phi Alpha, Kappa Alpha Psi, Omega Psi Phi, Phi Beta Sigma, and Iota Phi Theta. The four sororities, in founding order, are Alpha Kappa Alpha, Delta Sigma Theta, Zeta Phi Beta, and Sigma Gamma Rho. Eight of the nine organizations have been in existence for at least 100 years. Many members join undergraduate chapters while enrolled in college, while others become members via graduate chapters after obtaining a bachelor’s degree (Ross, 2001). Notable members of BGLOs include Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (Alpha Phi Alpha), U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris (Alpha Kappa Alpha), athlete Colin Kaepernick (Kappa Alpha Psi), surgeon and researcher Dr. Charles Drew (Omega Psi Phi), former U.S. Representative Shirley Chisolm (Delta Sigma Theta), former U.S. Representative John Lewis (Phi Beta Sigma), author Zora Neale Hurston (Zeta Phi Beta), actor Hattie McDaniel (Sigma Gamma Rho), and former U.S. Representative Bobby Rush (Iota Phi Theta).

Youth programs and initiatives are critical to the central tenets of each one of these organizations (Clemons et al., 2022). In a recent ASCA School Counselor Magazine article, Clemons et al. (2022) discussed the various youth programs of each BGLO. These programs focus on significant issues that affect Black students, such as reading proficiency, college admissions and enrollment, and mentorship. Ford (2014) described how BGLO members give back to the community via mentoring and volunteer service. The College Admissions Process (#CAP), a signature program of Alpha Kappa Alpha from 2018–2022, focused on assisting high school students with the college application and enrollment process (Alpha Kappa Alpha, 2019). The #CAP program helped thousands of students attain college admission and enrollment (Tennessee Tribune, 2022). Brown (2018) found that students who participated on a BGLO-sponsored, culturally relevant step team had higher rates of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation and academic success than nonparticipants. Thousands of BGLO members serve in K 12 systems as school counselors, teachers, social workers, and administrators (Clemons et al., 2022).

ASCA’s Charge to School Counselors

ASCA’s (2018) stance on student equity addresses the achievement gap between White and Black students. Moon and Singh’s (2015) study examined the lived experiences of Black American boys regarding the achievement gap. Their findings indicated these students “felt it was challenging to compete academically against their White counterparts when there was an uneven playing field and factors such as economics, neighborhoods, schools, and support” (p. 22), thus highlighting the need for school counselors to implement interventions targeting Black students and show a commitment to their success.

School counselors are ethically bound to respond to the needs of underrepresented and minoritized students. Standard A.3.d mandates that school counselors “use data to determine needed interventions, which are then delivered to help close the information, attainment, achievement, and opportunity gaps” (ASCA, 2022a). Several ASCA (2022a) ethical standards speak to school counselors’ responsibility to provide effective, responsive interventions to address student needs, including the involvement of support networks and wraparound services. Standard B.2.o. (ASCA, 2022a) directs school counselors to use community resources to endorse student equity, which speaks to forming partnerships with Black community entities.

Similarly, the ASCA (2019b) Professional Standards and Competencies discuss the importance of collaboration with community stakeholders. Standard B-SS 5.a. discusses gathering student information to assist with achievement. Many Black K–12 students are involved with at least one of the aforementioned Black community organizations, and interaction with these groups can provide much helpful information about the students (Ansong-Depass, 2022; Clemons & Cokley, 2022; Powell & Coles, 2021).

Frameworks for Connection

Cultural Wealth Theory

Yosso’s (2005) cultural wealth theory is an important theoretical framework for understanding the experiences and assets of marginalized students, including Black K–12 students. This theory expands on traditional notions of cultural capital and recognizes various forms of capital that Black students and their communities bring to their education. Yosso (2005) theorized that individuals from marginalized communities possess six different forms of cultural wealth: (a) aspirational capital: the ability of individuals to maintain hope and dreams for their future despite structural barriers and systemic discrimination; (b) linguistic capital: knowledge of multiple languages and dialects; (c) familial capital: strong ties within families; (d) social capital: connections and relationships that individuals have with others in their communities; (e) navigational capital: the ability to navigate complex systems and institutions such as schools, government agencies, and healthcare systems; and (f) resistance capital: the ability to challenge and resist dominant narratives and systems of oppression.

Aspirational Capital

The Black community has survived and thrived due to hopes and dreams. Through various programs and initiatives, the Black Church has helped to develop the aspirational capital of its members, including children. BGLOs offer Black students something to look forward to regarding higher education; membership in these organizations has its privileges. Hair salons and barbershops can provide students with entrepreneurial aspirations all while making them feel and look good.

Linguistic Capital

African American Vernacular English (AAVE) is a phenomenon that has been well-documented in linguistic research (Baugh, 2021; Eilers, 2019; King et al., 2022). AAVE code-switching refers to the practice of alternating between AAVE and Standard English, typically based on the context and situation of communication (King et al., 2022). Black children who grow up in households where AAVE is spoken may use code-switching as a way to adapt to different social situations, such as when interacting with teachers or peers who do not speak AAVE. Nilep (2020) notes that code-switching is a complex linguistic strategy that allows speakers to navigate multiple cultural identities and languages. Black communal spaces allow children a linguistic safe space where they are free to speak the language most comfortable for them without condemnation.

Familial and Social Capital

Black people have historically had to rely on their familial and social capital to overcome the systemic barriers they face in society. The idea of fictive kinship includes both biological and chosen family; Black families tend to rely as much on fictive kin as on biological kin (Curry & McIntosh, 2020). Church members, BGLO members, and hair stylists/barbers are all considered fictive kin in the Black community. For Black people, familial capital includes emotional support and resilience provided by extended family members and financial assistance and access to housing and job opportunities. Social capital for Black people is often built through community organizations, such as cultural groups, social clubs, and advocacy organizations. Stamps et al. (2021) named prayer groups and BGLOs as community groups that offer familial and social capital to Black families and students.

Navigational Capital

In the context of Black communities, navigational capital is particularly important due to historical and current systemic barriers and inequalities that limit access to resources and opportunities. Black people have developed unique forms of navigational capital such as relying on familial and social capital to overcome these challenges. Churches, BGLOs, and hair salons/barbershops formally and informally teach things like networking, accessing and navigating various institutions and systems, and adapting to changing circumstances (Miller & Bryan, 2020; Stephens et al., 2020; Tolbert Smith, 2022). These lessons naturally pass along to the children in these spaces, providing education that the traditional school system may not deliver.

Resistance Capital

Ortiz et al. (2019) discussed the idea that resistance capital “occurs in opposition to dominant ideologies or tasks and refutes subordination” (p. 319). Yosso (2005) recognized a significant aspect of this form of capital: Ways of resisting are passed on to members within cultural groups. Historically, the Black community is centered on its resistance to the status quo, and its prominent community groups have facilitated this throughout the years. Lyles (2020) highlighted BGLOs’ original purpose of fighting racism in higher education, while Park et al. (2020) named the Black Church as a hub for resistance. Black people have long expressed resistance to the status quo through hairstyles not deemed fit for the dominant culture (Hines, 2021). Salons and barbershops are spaces that cultivate cultural pride, dignity, and strength, which in themselves are resistance; children in these communal spaces are buoyed by the support and love of their communities.

Multitiered Systems of Support

Incorporating Black community involvement into an MTSS framework is a culturally sustainable and effective way to meet student needs. Goodman-Scott et al. (2019) blended the ASCA National Model (American School Counselor Association, 2019) with the MTSS pyramid to describe how all students can receive equitable access to resources and assistance necessary for success. Black churches, salons/barbershops, and BGLOs have programs and resources to support students in all three tiers (see Table 1).

Table 1.

MTSS and Community Partnerships/Interventions.

Tier 1	Tier 2	Tier 3
• School supply drives • Adopt-a-school • Church programs and youth groups • School counseling program advisory council	• Various BGLO youth programs • Mentorship • In-house barbershop/hair salon small groups	• Mentorship/peer mentorship • One-on-one tutoring • Salon/barbershop interventions

Tier 1

Tier 1 programming provides opportunities for these community groups to impact all students. Community members comprise part of a comprehensive school counseling program’s advisory council (Granello & Zyromski, 2018). Pastors of Black churches, BGLO graduate members, and salon/barbershop stylists would be valuable additions to the advisory council, providing perspective and insight that a school counseling program might not otherwise receive. These community members would also provide a source of social and familial capital as part of the community networks and families of the students served. They would also serve as examples of resistant, aspirational, and navigational capital. Considering that Black people are the only demographic whose access to higher education has been historically, legally, and systemically denied (Clemons & Cokley, 2022), the presence and involvement of educated Black folk within K–12 schools can show students the realm of possibilities despite challenges. School counselors can invite salon/barbershop stylists and BGLO members of various professions (e.g., medicine, law, education) to participate in College and Career Day, and ask Black churches to sponsor school activities such as Field Day. Participants in Clemons and Johnson’s (2019) study on Black Church pastors’ perceptions of school counseling reported initiatives such as school supply drives and scholarships taking place at their churches. Some BGLOs have financial literacy and health and wellness programs. Asking these organizations to provide workshops during PTA meetings may increase parental involvement and engagement. All nine BGLOs can help ease the financial burdens of higher education by providing scholarship opportunities (Clemons et al., 2022).

Tier 2

Tier 2 interventions target those students who need more academic, behavioral, and social/emotional support. Many Black churches and BGLOs offer tutoring services and many BGLOs house youth programs. Clemons et al. (2022) named specific programs in certain BGLOs, like Kappa Alpha Psi’s (2023) Kappa League and Delta Sigma Theta’s (2023) GEMS (Growing & Empowering Myself Successfully), that are age/grade specific. Some Tier 2 students and their families may be economically challenged and need community assistance. Many Black churches in low socioeconomic areas offer resources such as clothing closets and food banks (Clemons & Johnson, 2019). Some Black students may be struggling with mental health issues, and salons/barbershops are considered safe spaces for Black people and mental health due to the inaccessibility of traditional mental health practices (Battle, 2021; Curry et al., 2022). Battle (2021) noted that Black girls and women still seek hair salons for emotional/psychological rejuvenation regardless of accessible mental health services. Facilitating mentorship with the students’ hair stylists and barbers can help provide a culturally sustainable and safe space. As at the Wilmington, DE, school profiled by Cruz (2020), an in-house barbershop and/or hair salon can also serve as small-group spaces for students. Cruz (2020) reported that the in-house barbershop allowed students to get to know each other in a safe space and allowed the barber (the school principal) to mentor small groups of students regularly; as a result of these encounters, grades increased and negative behaviors declined.

Tier 3

Students in Tier 3 require more intense and individualized interventions, which usually call for referrals for outside services. Consultation and collaboration with community resources are paramount. Some of the BGLOs, such as Alpha Kappa Alpha (2023) and Omega Psi Phi (2023), have programs that target mental health awareness in the Black community. These groups are likely to have connections to Black mental health professionals in the surrounding areas who are willing to serve students and families. Tier 3 students will benefit from interventions like mentorship: Students with adult mentors are 55% more likely to enroll in college, 78% more likely to volunteer, 90% more likely to become a mentor, and 130% more likely to hold leadership positions (Harper, 2018). Sánchez et al. (2018) noted that young Black and brown boys greatly benefit from peer mentorship; those who participated received fewer discipline referrals, improved their grades, developed an increased connectedness, and developed positively. School counselors can implement peer mentorship programs within the school with the assistance of Black community leaders in BGLOs and churches. BGLOs have mentorship programs for students who need more concentrated attention (Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., 2023). Brown (2018) found that young men who participated in BGLO-sponsored school step teams reported higher self-esteem, higher GPAs, and a more positive cultural identity. Some Black churches offer mentorship programs for adolescents, and salons/barbershops also have personalized interventions to ensure the success of their young patrons. Clemons and Johnson (2019) reported that many Black churches have tutoring services for young congregants, and BGLOs also have programs in place for K–12 tutoring (Clemons et al., 2022).

School counselors must also engage with families, community organizations, and agencies to address social determinants of health (SDOH; Johnson et al., 2022), which the underlying factors that influence a person’s overall well-being and health outcomes (WHO, 2020). School–community partnerships can have a significant impact on addressing SDOH, which include economic stability, social and community context, health/health care, education, and physical environments; all of these greatly impact student achievement (Johnson & Brookover, 2021). Working with Black community groups will assist school counselors in addressing individual SDOH issues with students and families.

Data and SMART Goals

Because MTSS is an evidence-based framework (ASCA, 2021), school counselors must examine the school’s quantitative data (e.g., grades, discipline referrals, test scores). Quantitative data will not only show which students need to be placed in Tiers 2 and 3, but will also highlight which interventions to prioritize. Once the school counseling program integrates community organization involvement, qualitative data (e.g., student/teacher interviews, student focus groups) and quantitative data will demonstrate the effectiveness of the interventions. Dafoe (2018) named three types of data that will be most useful here: process, perception, and outcome. Process data examines numbers (e.g., number of students served, community groups involved, interventions implemented); outcome data examines percentages (e.g., rate of increased grades, decreased discipline issues, increase in community involvement). Perception data uses both qualitative and quantitative data to examine thoughts, beliefs, and feelings. Data reports are necessary to demonstrate concretely what is inherently known: Black American students’ success depends on the involvement of the community in which they are nurtured and loved.

Setting SMART goals after interpreting data is essential to a comprehensive school counseling program (Taylor, 2018). Derivative of student behavior, attendance, and academic outcomes, the acronym SMART means specific, measurable, action-oriented, realistic, and timely (Hertsyk, 2016; Taylor, 2018). Creating SMART goals about Black community involvement will help to focus the community groups’ efforts to meet the specific needs of the student population. When considering strategies for partnerships, consider situating them within the SMART goals listed in Table 2. These goals should be developed and implemented in close collaboration with the Black community groups, who are the experts in understanding their unique needs and aspirations.

Table 2.

SMART Goals for Black Community Involvement.

Specific	Measurable	Action-oriented	Realistic	Timely
What are the specific goals for involving Black community entities?	Which types of quantitative and qualitative data will be used to evaluate the integration?	• What steps will be taken to reach out to churches, BGLOs, and salons/barbershops? • What steps will be taken to integrate them into the school counseling program?	Are your specific goals attainable?	What is the timeline for reaching these goals? A semester? A school year?

Specific: What Are the Specific Goals for Involving Black Community Entities?

Before collaborating with Black community groups, school counselors must first know the partnership’s particular goals. Data will show the areas where interventions are necessary. For example, reading scores for Black students may be lagging behind those of their contemporaries of other ethnicities/races. A specific goal could be working with BGLOs within their existing literacy programs.

Measurable: Which Types of Quantitative and Qualitative Data Will Be Used to Evaluate the Integration?

Just as school counselors use data to decide what interventions are necessary, they must use data to determine if said interventions are effective. Grades, attendance, discipline rates, etc., are all necessary to evaluate the effectiveness of the interventions. Equally necessary are the thoughts, feelings, and beliefs of the students and their families. Surveys and informal conversations are both effective ways to collect qualitative data with students, families, and community members.

Action-Oriented: What Steps Will Be Taken to Reach Out to Churches, BGLOs, and Salons/Barbershops? What Steps Will Be Taken to Integrate Them Into the School Counseling Program?

Speak with students about the hair salons and barbershops they frequent. Visit area Black churches throughout the academic year and request meetings with youth ministry leaders. Contact local BGLO chapters (both undergraduate and graduate) via their websites and/or social media accounts. Contact Black parents and guardians for assistance. Some of them may be members of at least one of the community groups, if not two or three. Finally, being present and listening is crucial. As stated earlier, many of these groups have existing programs in place to help students and families. School counselors can work with them to integrate the existing programs into the school counseling program.

Realistic: Are Your Specific Goals Attainable?

The first task of setting a SMART goal is to decipher whether or not the goal can be achieved. Is it feasible to raise reading scores? Is a goal of decreasing discipline issues within reach? Once a realistic goal is set, assess the necessary resources, skills, and capabilities to accomplish the goal within the given timeframe.

Timely: What Is the Timeline for Reaching These Goals? A Semester? A School Year?

Different goals relating to community involvement may require different timelines. For example, some BGLO initiatives take place once a semester, and others may take place over the course of a school year. Sigma Gamma Rho (2020) holds an annual Youth Symposium every March, while Phi Beta Sigma (2023) provides STEAM-related (science, technology, engineering, arts, and math) experiences throughout the school year via Adopt-a-School.

Discussion

Implications for Practice

Creating partnerships and interventions with Black community groups requires school counselors to be visible in the community. School counselors must also show initiative in forming relationships with Black community leaders and ensure good relationships with Black students and families. School counselors should reach out to Black colleagues, but must not ask those colleagues to make the connection themselves; they are not responsible for providing access to the Black community. Rather, non-Black school counselors taking the initiative to make connections and cultivate relationships show cultural humility and a genuine desire to truly collaborate. Cultural humility, defined as “an attitude of lifelong learning, a commitment to developing cultural awareness and questioning assumptions, respect, and an other-oriented stance to be open to new cultural experiences” (Zhu et al., 2021, p. 74), is essential to make genuine connections in the Black community.

For school counselor collaborations with Black community entities to be effective, school counselors must ensure these efforts are rooted in antiracism (Bryan et al., 2021). Bryan et al. (2021) offer an antiracist school–family–community partnership process model. Further, Edwin and Daniels’s (2022) work on college and career outcomes provides questions for each step of that model that will guide school counselors to effective antiracist partnerships. Using the guidance from these researchers, school counselors have the tools necessary to ensure that collaborations with Black community groups will be effective within the school counseling program.

Implications for Research

Some existing research related to the Black Church, BGLOs, and hair salons/barbershops speaks to their importance in the Black community and with Black students (Allen & Butler, 2018; Clemons & Johnson, 2019; Cruz, 2020; Lamar, 2021; Mcintosh & Curry, 2020). However, research into school counselors’ work with these specific community entities is lacking. Future research might examine how collaboration with these entities could address SDOH. For example, a case study examining how school counselor collaboration with BGLOs effectively addresses SDOH issues such as food insecurity could be useful. Quantitative research that gathers process, outcome, and perception data would assess the validity of partnerships. Qualitative research examining perceptions of school counseling held by members of BGLOs and hair stylists/barbers, similar to Clemons and Johnson’s (2019) study on Black pastors, could shed light on the effectiveness of the partnerships from the community perspective.

Limitations

The most obvious limitation to forming partnerships with Black community groups would be in areas with a sparse Black population. Building trust and establishing cultural sensitivity can be a challenge when forming partnerships with community groups because historical and systemic factors have created a lack of trust between schools and the Black community (Clemons & Cokley, 2022). Further, if school faculty lack diverse representation among staff, educators, and administrators, forming partnerships with Black community groups might pose challenges due to lack of cultural understanding. Addressing and overcoming these limitations is crucial to ensure meaningful and effective partnerships between school counselors and Black community groups, because these partnerships can foster positive educational outcomes, social cohesion, and empowerment.

Conclusion

School counselors must familiarize themselves with the Black community and three of its crucial entities: the Black Church, BGLOs, and salons/barbershops. Douglas and Peck (2013) stated that ignoring the impact of these spaces is to ignore significant moving parts in the history, progress, and sustenance of Black identities, Black cultures, and Black education. Effective community partnerships increase students’ academic and social/emotional success (ASCA, 2022b). School counselors are ethically responsible for incorporating community partners into a comprehensive school counseling program and must work to close achievement, attainment, and opportunity gaps for Black students (ASCA, 2022a). The joint statement by ASCA (2023) and the National Association for College Admission Counseling regarding the recent Supreme Court ruling gutting affirmative action in college admissions indicates a commitment to students from minoritized communities in their pursuit of education. In light of this ruling, school counselors’ engagement in antiracist actions, including school–community partnerships, is more important than ever. “In the end, we believe that to help Black and other minority youth improve academically, school stakeholders must respect and show a willingness to embrace the culturally grounded, educational traditions of African peoples” (Douglas & Peck, 2013).

Footnotes

Declaration of Conflicting Interests

The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Funding

The author(s) received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

ORCID iD

Krystal L. Clemons

Author Biography

Krystal L. Clemons, Ph.D., is an assistant professor at Denver Seminary in Littleton, CO.

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It Takes a Village: A Conceptual Model for Black American Community Partnerships

Abstract

Keywords

Community Partners

The Black Church

Salons and Barbershops

Black Greek Letter Organizations

ASCA’s Charge to School Counselors

Frameworks for Connection

Cultural Wealth Theory

Aspirational Capital

Linguistic Capital

Familial and Social Capital

Navigational Capital

Resistance Capital

Multitiered Systems of Support

Tier 1

Tier 2

Tier 3

Data and SMART Goals

Specific: What Are the Specific Goals for Involving Black Community Entities?

Measurable: Which Types of Quantitative and Qualitative Data Will Be Used to Evaluate the Integration?

Action-Oriented: What Steps Will Be Taken to Reach Out to Churches, BGLOs, and Salons/Barbershops? What Steps Will Be Taken to Integrate Them Into the School Counseling Program?

Realistic: Are Your Specific Goals Attainable?

Timely: What Is the Timeline for Reaching These Goals? A Semester? A School Year?

Discussion

Implications for Practice

Implications for Research

Limitations

Conclusion

Footnotes

Declaration of Conflicting Interests

Funding

ORCID iD

Author Biography

References