This evaluation study explores the reform role of Chicago Public Schools (CPS) school counselors in promoting students' academic achievement, college readiness, and transition from 8th grade into high school. In addition, this report identifies particular actions that CPS can undertake to better utilize and support school counselor professionals, specifically in regard to enhanced collaboration between principals and school counselors and the carrying out of non-counseling tasks. This is a first attempt to examine the benefits to CPS students when school counselors implement key components of a comprehensive school counseling program. A comprehensive school counseling program focuses on what all students should know, understand, and be able to do within the academic, personal/social and career domains in order to develop into successful and satisfied members of our society. The school counseling curriculum, individual student planning, responsive services and system support are the vehicles through which this is accomplished. As in any research study, there are limitations and the authors point these out throughout this report. While it is necessary to be cautious when interpreting findings from any single study, the results replicate and extend many findings from studies conducted both in Chicago and across the United States--that students demonstrate more positive outcomes when professional school counselors are empowered to use their skills to work directly with students. The Principal and School Counselor Survey is appended. (Contains 1 table and 15 figures.)