Virginia School Counselor Association

What Virginia School Counselor Association does

Virginia School Counselor Association (VSCA) is a non-profit professional membership association founded on April 18, 1962, and organized as the exclusive Virginia state chapter of the American School Counselor Association (ASCA). Headquartered in Manassas, Virginia with a mailing address in Chesapeake, the organization serves certified school counselors working in Virginia K-12 public schools, alongside school counselor educators, graduate students, and school administrators as secondary segments. VSCA provides professional development, networking, advocacy, awards recognition, scholarships, and member resources to its membership base, which historically peaked at over 1,300 members in 2007 and recovered modestly after the organization became independent from the Virginia Counselor Association in 2012.

The organization's core product is membership enrollment, delivered through tiered annual dues (First Year Professional $25, Member $50, Retired $25, Student), administered via Wild Apricot membership management software. Adjacent products include an annual conference (2026 event at Embassy Suites & Hampton Roads Convention Center in Hampton, VA), the SCOPE podcast on Buzzsprout, the VOICE newsletter, the Virginia Professional School Counseling Manual, RAMP (Recognized ASCA Model Program) recognition support with subsidized $200 application fees for up to 15 schools annually, an awards program (Counselor of the Year, Leadership Award, Tamara E. Davis Graduate Student of the Year, Principal of the Year), and $1,000 student scholarships. The technology stack is deliberately minimal — third-party SaaS for membership and event management, with no proprietary platform or API surface.

VSCA's revenue model rests on three streams: recurring annual membership dues (primary), conference and event registration fees, and merchandise/transactions. Approximately one-third of dues are earmarked for legislative lobbying through David Bailey Associates. Distribution is direct and self-serve through vsca.org, with no enterprise or institutional sales motion. The organization is governed by a 9-person Board of Directors (Chair DeLisa Joseph, Assistant Chair Sarah Ritchie, and seven Directors) and is currently seeking a permanent Executive Director via RFP, indicating a transition from volunteer-led to staffed operations.

Name

Virginia School Counselor Association

Legal name

Virginia School Counselor Association

Website

https://vsca.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1962

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Virginia School Counselor Association is a 1962-founded non-profit membership association and the exclusive Virginia state chapter of ASCA, providing professional development, advocacy, awards, and scholarships to school counselors across Virginia via tiered annual dues.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Manassas

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership dues collected from school counselors at various levels including First Year Professional ($25), Standard Member ($50), Retired, and Student categories. This is the primary recurring revenue stream.
2. Conference and Event Fees: Revenue generated from annual conference registration, professional development events, and Summer Academy with discounted rates for members.
3. Member Discounts and Merchandise: Deals and discounts on professional development opportunities and VSCA merchandise sales.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

VSCA is a non-profit professional membership association that sells annual memberships to school counselors in Virginia at tiered prices ($25 First Year Professional, $50 Member, $25 Retired, and Student categories). The membership unlocks access to networking events, annual conferences, professional development workshops, awards and recognition programs, student scholarships, the SCOPE podcast, the VSCA Voice newsletter, RAMP program support, and legislative advocacy services provided through external lobbyists at David Bailey Associates.

Product overview

The Virginia School Counselor Association operates as a unified membership organization providing professional development, advocacy, and recognition services to school counselors in Virginia. The core offering is membership access (with First Year Professional, Member, Retired, and Student tiers) which unlocks integrated services including the Annual Conference, SCOPE Podcast, VSCA Voice Newsletter, Professional Development Workshops, Research and Graduate Student Engagement, and Legislative Advocacy Services. Supplemental programs include the RAMP recognition program, Awards and Recognition Program, and Student Scholarships. The organization was founded in 1962 as a state chapter of the American School Counselor Association.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SCOPE: School Counselor Opportunities and Professional Engagement - VSCA's official podcast for school counseling professionals.

Products and services

• VSCA Membership Professional association membership providing access to networking, professional development, advocacy support, awards recognition, scholarships, and member-only resources for Virginia school counselors. Tiers include First Year Professional ($25), Member ($50), Retired ($25), and Student categories.
• Annual Conference Annual professional development conference featuring keynote speakers, breakout sessions, and networking opportunities for school counselors across Virginia. The 2026 conference is scheduled for October 14-16 at Embassy Suites and Hampton Roads Convention Center in Hampton, VA, with keynote speakers Lisa King and Dan St. Romain.
• Professional Development Workshops and Summer Academy Multiple professional development opportunities throughout Virginia including workshops, the Summer Academy, and Meet and Greet events offered at reduced member rates for school counselors.
• Legislative Advocacy Services Advocacy program funded by membership dues (approximately one-third), employing two lobbyists at David Bailey Associates to represent school counselor interests at the state level, including legislative updates and annual Legislative Day.
• SCOPE Podcast School Counselor Opportunities and Professional Engagement podcast hosted on Buzzsprout, providing updates and professional content for school counselors across Virginia.
• VSCA Voice Newsletter Periodic newsletter providing updates, resources, and information to VSCA members.
• Research and Graduate Student Engagement Program Monthly research recruitment calls distributed to members. IRB-approved studies aligned with VSCA Ends Policies; lead authors must be current VSCA members.
• RAMP (Recognized ASCA Model Program) Support Support program for schools pursuing RAMP recognition, including free RAMP training and consultation for school divisions and scholarships for the $200 RAMP application fee (up to 15 applications annually). Over 50 Virginia schools have achieved RAMP distinction.
• VSCA Awards and Recognition Program Annual recognition program including Elementary and Secondary School Counselor of the Year, Middle School Counselor of the Year, VSCA Leadership Award, Graduate Student of the Year (Tamara E. Davis), Counselor Educator of the Year, Counselor Supervisor of the Year, Principal of the Year, and Spirit Award.
• Student Scholarships $1,000 scholarships awarded annually to Virginia graduating seniors pursuing post-secondary education at two- or four-year colleges, trade or technical programs, or military enlistment, based on essays about a school counselor who made an impact on their life.

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 15 RAMP applications supported annually with $200 application fee covered per school
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• David Bailey AssociatescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDavid Bailey Associates provides two lobbying associates who advocate for Virginia school counseling issues. Almost 1/3 of membership dues fund these associates. They have been instrumental in assisting VSCA to make legislative changes at the state level.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• American School Counselor Association: VSCA's parent organization, ASCA operates nationally with similar membership services, advocacy, RAMP recognition, and annual conferences. Comparable mission and offerings but at national rather than state scope.

Regional players

• North Carolina School Counselor Association: Sister ASCA state chapter for North Carolina school counselors providing similar membership, conference, and advocacy services in a neighboring Mid-Atlantic state.
• Texas School Counselor Association: Sister ASCA state chapter serving Texas school counselors with comparable membership tiers, annual conference, advocacy, and recognition programs. Same business model, different state geography.
• New York School Counselor Association: Sister ASCA state chapter for New York school counselors offering comparable membership tiers, professional development, and legislative advocacy.
• Ohio School Counselor Association: Sister ASCA state chapter for Ohio school counselors with comparable membership structure and professional development offerings; Ohio was also one of the original four ASCA state chapters chartered alongside VSCA in 1962.
• California School Counselor Association: Sister ASCA state chapter serving California school counselors with parallel membership, professional development, and advocacy offerings.
• Georgia School Counselor Association: Sister ASCA state chapter for Georgia school counselors offering parallel membership, professional development, and recognition programs.
• Florida School Counselor Association: Sister ASCA state chapter serving Florida school counselors with comparable membership structure, annual conference, and advocacy focus.
• Pennsylvania School Counselors Association: Sister ASCA state chapter for Pennsylvania school counselors with analogous membership and professional development offerings.
• Illinois School Counselor Association: Sister ASCA state chapter for Illinois school counselors providing similar membership, conference, awards, and advocacy services.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/virginia-school-counselor-association

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Virginia School Counselor Association