Individual Counseling Program of Islamic Vocational High School in Indonesia W. N. E. Saputra & Syamsudin Universitas Ahmad Dahlan, Yogyakarta, Indonesia P. S. Rohmadheny BAN PAUD & PNF, Jakarta, Indonesia ABSTRACT: This study is an evaluation research using discrepancy model, which aims to describe the discrepancy of level in the aspects of planning, implementation and evaluation in implementing individual counseling programs in schools with defined standards and criteria. This research uses mixed method design with concurrent triangulation model. The collected data is analyzed by quantitative technique through comparative constant and comparative modified test and qualitative technique with the meaning of data. The results showed that the implementation of individual counseling programs in four schools studied was at the level nearly meet the standards. In particular, the combined profile results also indicate that the individual counseling program planning aspect is at the level nearly meet the standards. Moreover, the aspect of individual counseling program implementation is also at the level nearly meet the standards. However, the evaluation aspect of the individual counseling program showed that it is at the standard level. Keywords: counseling, Islamic Vocational School 1 INTRODUCTION Guidance and counseling program in Indonesia is carried out through comprehensive patterns. It is designed in four fields, those are guidance curriculum, individual planning, responsive services, and system support (Gysbers& Henderson, 20014; Gysbers, 2008; Gysbers et al., 2008). Counseling service is the core of comprehensive guidance and counseling services (Gibson & Mitchell, 2011), especially individual counseling. Therefore, counselors need to design a program to meet the requirements of the individual counseling services. Sherwood (2010) concludes that counselors have the understanding of the purposes of the individual counseling program at school, which is to fulfill the needs of the school and the students, thereby giving positive changes to students’ behavior. In this program, counselors need to design a program that covers planning, implementation, and evaluation of the program (Winkel, 1991). As the core of guidance and counseling services, the quality of the individual counseling program relies on the implementer. Counselors are those who have the abilities and skills to carry out individual counseling services. School counselors, as professional in implementing guidance and counseling services, should carry out the program professionally. The research findings of Mellin, Hunt, & Nichols (2011) showed that counselors need to have a professional identity. Counselors should be able to distinguish counseling profession from psychology or any other social works. The ideal condition cannot be fully implemented. In general, Saputra (2015) concludes that the implementation of the counseling program in Junior High Schools in Malang has not met the standards. The evaluation conducted by Saputra (2016a) in one of the Junior High Schools in Malang mentions that the individual counseling program has not reached the standards. Saputra (2016b) founds similar results in his further evaluation of group counseling program at the same schools in Malang. The phenomena show the disparity between the standards as well as the criteria and the real condition. Thus, counselors need to take some efforts to anticipate the gaps, especially in the individual counseling program. One of them is by evaluating the program to improve the quality of individual counseling program professionally. One of the evaluation models to be applied in evaluating individual counseling program is the discrepancy model. Provus explains that discrepancy model aims to know the appropriateness level between the standards and the actual performance (McKenna, 1981). The standards and the criteria are in accordance with the Guidelines for Performance-Based Professional School Counselor Evaluation (Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, 2000). The standard evaluation of counseling services is in standard 3 criteria 5, stating that “professional school counseling carries out the services to students whose needs and problems have been identified, both individually and in a group.” This study attempts to evaluate individual counseling program of Islamic vocational high school in Indonesia. Despite it’s the core of guidance and counseling program, individual counseling should be identified in effect of changes in the behavior of the counselees. 2 METHOD This study belongs to evaluation research using discrepancy model in order to describe the disparity level on the aspects of planning, implementation, and evaluation of individual counseling program at schools, according to particular standards and criteria. The process of this study includes (1) an agreement on particular standards; (2) the disparity between the performance and several aspects of the program and the standard devices for the performance; and (3) the use of the information about the disparity in the decision to develop, to continue, or to stop the whole program or one of the aspects of the program (Fitzpatrick, Sanders, &Worthen, 1st International Conference on Education Innovation (ICEI 2017) Copyright © 2018, the Authors. Published by Atlantis Press. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/). Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research, volume 173 349