WISCONSIN SCHOOL COUNSELING PROGRAM OF EXCELLENCE
The Wisconsin School Counseling Program of Excellence is a joint collaboration between the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) and the Wisconsin School Counselor Association (WSCA) to recognize school counseling programs that demonstrate an exemplary data-informed and outcome-based comprehensive school counseling program. The application process is an all-inclusive collection of 10 components that align with the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) National Model, Wisconsin’s adopted comprehensive school counseling program model. Schools that earn the Wisconsin School Counseling Program of Excellence Award state recognition will be eligible for ASCA RAMP (Recognized ASCA Model Program), which is awarded by ASCA as the highest national recognition for a school counseling program.
Wisconsin School Counseling Program of Excellence Award Benefits
- Applications reviewed by Wisconsin reviewers with extensive knowledge of ASCA RAMP prior to your application being forwarded to ASCA for ASCA RAMP*
- Communication sent to your school’s principal and superintendent informing them of your exemplary school counseling program recognition
- Template press release to individualize and send to local press
- Certificate suitable for framing and displaying on your office wall
- School recognition at the annual WSCA Conference
- Recognition at a WSCA reception
- Recognition in the WSCA School Counselor Newsletter and on the WSCA website
- Recognition in the DPI Newsletter and website
- Invited to be on a panel during a sectional at the Wisconsin State Education Convention
- Additional opportunities may be available to present at conferences and events, or invitations for leadership roles related to ASCA Model Implementation and the RAMP process
* Note that recognition by ASCA is contingent upon ASCA’s receipt of the ASCA application fee payment. School applicants wishing to have RAMP reciprocity will need to submit the RAMP application fee to WSCA along with the POE fee. WSCA will forward payment directly to ASCA if the school is eligible for RAMP and return the ASCA application fee to the school if it is not.
If you have questions about the Wisconsin School Counseling Program of Excellence Award application, email ProgramOfExcellence@wscaweb.org.
Application Process for the Wisconsin School Counseling POE Award
The application deadline is Monday, November 17, 2025, at 11:59 pm.
Schools and school counselors applying for the Wisconsin School Counseling Program of Excellence Award must pay a $25 application fee and the ASCA RAMP application fee if interested in reciprocity.
Step One: Review and understand the overall requirements for each component of the application.
Review the Wisconsin School Counseling Program of Excellence Award scoring rubric (ASCA RAMP Rubric).
Download the ASCA application templates that must be used.
Step Two: Understand the scoring.
The online application includes ten components. Each component also requires reflection narratives for you to provide a rationale and explanation for the information submitted and a deeper understanding of the process (up to 250 words per item).
The application will be scored based on the requirements in the application and using the scoring rubric based on The ASCA National Model: A Foundation for School Counseling Programs (fourth edition). Schools might also want to consider utilizing The ASCA National Model Implementation Guides (Manage & Assess and ASCA Student Standards) to assist in model implementation; however, it is not required for scoring purposes.
Each application is scored by a multi-person review team overseen by a lead reviewer.
Recognition will be awarded to schools that receive a score of 54 or higher (out of a possible 60) on components 1 – 10. Schools that do not earn the Wisconsin School Counseling Program of Excellence Award by a small margin will be invited to resubmit based on the score and the components needing improvement.
The application must contain all 10 components. The application will not be reviewed if all required components are not complete or provided.
Following is a list of the individual sections that will be scored for your application submission. Only use the ASCA (fourth edition) templates provided in the application.
The application must include
1) Vision and Mission Statements
2) Annual Student Outcome Goals
3) Classroom and Group Mindsets & Behaviors Action Plan
4) Annual Administrative Conference
5) Advisory Council
6) Annual Calendar
7) Lesson Plans
8) Classroom Instruction Results Report
9) Small Group Results Report
10) Closing the Gap Action Plan/Results Report
By submitting your application, you are giving DPI, WSCA, and ASCA permission to share and reproduce your materials (with appropriate citation to your school provided). Per FERPA guidelines, we are unable to accept personally identifiable information about students, such as names or photos. If this information is found in an application, the application will be rejected and deleted. See the complete application rubric for details about what each section must address and include.
Step Three: Complete the online application.
Even though you will work on the application components throughout the school year, the deadline for applying is Monday, November 17, 2025.
In addition to the 10 scored sections, the application also contains information and payment verification sections.
The information section includes the following:
- Contact information for the primary person who will receive email correspondence regarding the application process. Make sure the email address is correct.
- Contact information for your school, principal, superintendent, and school board chair.
- ASCA member number unless you opt out of having your application submitted to ASCA for the prestigious national RAMP recognition. At least one school counselor at the school must be an ASCA member to get the ASCA member application rate when forwarding your application to ASCA, which is half the rate of non-members.
The payment verification includes the following:
- Uploaded receipt from WSCA as proof of payment for the $25 WSCA application fee and ASCA application fee (if applicable).
- If your program wants to be considered for ASCA RAMP reciprocity, the ASCA application fee must be prepaid to WSCA:
- $250 for schools with an ASCA member on staff
- $500 for schools without an ASCA member
- If you receive the POE, WSCA will forward your payment to ASCA. If you do not receive the POE, your ASCA application fee will be refunded to you.
Step Four: Upload the signature page.
All who sign this document must have seen and approved all components of the application.
Provide evidence that the Wisconsin School Counseling Program of Excellence Award application has been presented to your local school district’s board of education or a local board of education member through an original signature by a school board representative. Scan the page and upload it with the other application materials. This happens at the end of the application process.
Step Five: Review the online submission and submit
- Schools and school counselors applying for the Wisconsin School Counseling Program of Excellence Award will need to pay a $25 application fee. Please email admin@wscaweb.org to request an invoice which will provide you with a link to pay online and an address if you prefer to pay by check. Applicants should be sure they will complete the application by the Monday before Thanksgiving deadline prior to submitting payment.
- Make sure all required materials are included and all fields are complete.
- Click the final “Finalize” button when finished.
- All online applications must be submitted by midnight Central Time the Monday before Thanksgiving.
- Save a copy of all the files in either electronic or paper format. Once you upload your documents and click “Finalize,” they are no longer accessible.
Be sure to select the Wisconsin Program of Excellence for your district after logging into the portal at https://districts.schoolcounselor.org/login.
You will be notified via email by December 19, 2025, regarding the final status of your Wisconsin Program of Excellence application.
If your program receives the POE recognition, WSCA will send a press release with the announcement on the same day you are notified to school administration, local newspapers, and elected state legislators. No queries will be answered regarding application status before December 19, 2025.
Some schools that fail to earn POE in the first scoring will be invited to resubmit based on the score and components that require improvement. If your school is invited to resubmit, you will be notified of the required improvements on Monday, December 8, 2025, and will have one week to submit the revisions.
Schools that resubmit and still don’t attain a 54 or higher score are eligible to become a Program of Excellence and receive mentoring to potentially be eligible for the POE the following year.
POE winners will be acknowledged at the WSCA National School Counseling Week Breakfast on February 6, 2026, as well as at the 2026 WSCA Conference.
WSCA and DPI offer resources to support counselors wishing to apply for the POE award.
ASCA RAMP Benefits-
- Free ASCA membership for all school counselors in the school for current RAMP schools
- An engraved plaque
- Communication sent to your school’s principal and superintendent informing them of your exemplary school counseling program
- Template press release to individualize and send to local press
- School recognition at ASCA’s Annual Conference
- Two tickets to the RAMP awards celebration at ASCA’s annual conference
- Free conference registration for RAMP school principal the year RAMP is awarded
- Recognition in ASCA School Counselor magazine and on the ASCA website
* Note that recognition by ASCA is contingent upon ASCA’s receipt of the application fee payment. School applicants will be responsible for the ASCA RAMP application fee to ASCA. If your school is eligible for RAMP reciprocity, details about the process and payment details will be shared via email.
