What is a common outcome measure used in data analysis for school counseling?

Improvement in test scores is a widely recognized outcome measure in data analysis for school counseling as it reflects academic performance and is often directly influenced by counseling interventions. School counselors aim to enhance students' academic success, and measuring improvement in test scores allows for a quantitative assessment of the effectiveness of counseling strategies and programs. By observing changes in test scores before and after implementing counseling initiatives, counselors can evaluate the impact of their work on students' academic trajectories.

While the other options are valuable in understanding different aspects of a student's experience, they typically do not provide the same direct link to academic outcomes. For instance, the number of sessions attended can indicate engagement or access to counseling but does not inherently measure academic progress. Similarly, student satisfaction surveys capture subjective feedback about the counseling experience but do not directly correlate with academic achievement. Behavior referrals are important for understanding student discipline and well-being, yet they focus more on management than on academic outcomes. Thus, improvement in test scores stands out as a clear, measurable metric for success in a school counseling context.