Students and Counselors

When students have problems at school or home, it can have a profound effect on their academic achievement. It is important that there be somebody at school to help these students work through their problems and get them back on track. Home problems can range from unemployed parents to a death in the family. School issues might be fighting on the playground or struggling with homework. All of these students need the attention of a counselor.

Counselors also help schools set class schedules and guide students' coursework so they are ready for high school, college, and the workforce. The counselors at our three middle schools are completely booked during the day meeting with students and planning programs.

We have been able to maintain two counselors for each of our middle schools, which have 1000 students each. That is a ratio of 500:1, and is half as many counselors as recommended by the American School Counselor Association. Most of our elementary schools do not have any counselors. District-wide, our ratio is about 1000:1, including our elementary schools.

Using numbers from 2 years ago, California overall had a counselor to student ratio of 806:1, which is the second worst in the nation. The national average was 467:1. ASCA recommends 250:1. Budget cuts in California are only going to make these ratios worse.

The East Side Union High School District has proposed cutting down to 1 counselor per high school. For schools that have over 2000 students, that means that each student could expect to have no more than 45 minutes time with a counselor for the entire year. This means they won't get career, academic, and personal coaching that they need.

A likely outcome of our district's budget difficulties will be a reduction in the number of counselors available in our middle schools. The importance of counselors in the lives of students should be considered as discussions continue.