Counselors Often Hidden Heroes in America’s Schools

The National Education Association
By Kevin Hart

They offer shoulders to cry on. They provide academic coaching to some of our most vulnerable students. They work diligently to promote students’ academic and emotional well-being – and, increasingly, they’re an endangered species.

School counselors may do much of their work behind the scenes, but numerous studies have shown that strong counseling programs can boost student achievement and help students overcome challenges that can range from bullying to family turmoil.

Schools across the country are celebrating National School Counseling Week from February 7-11, and it’s an important time to reflect on the vital role counselors play in schools, and why it’s critical to ensure all students have access to school counselors.

In many school districts throughout the country, layoffs and budget cuts have decimated the ranks of school counselors and allowed counselor-to-student ratios to balloon. While the American School Counselor Association recommends a counselor-to-student ratio of 250-to-1, ratios in many states already exceed 500-to-1. Ratios could continue to increase as states plan new rounds of cuts for the 2011-2012 school year.

During a recent discussion on the importance of school counselors on the National Education Association Facebook page, parent Tara Clark of Washington said students are never too young to benefit from the presence of school counselors. Read More

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