What is it about?

Groundbreaking study shows how school counselor ratios impact academic success in Texas. Our research, using data from various sources including the National Center for Education Statistics, reveals a significant correlation between lower ratios and improved student achievement, as well as lower dropout and higher graduation rates. Learn more about our findings here!

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Why is it important?

Did you know that school counselors play a vital role in supporting both academic progress and mental health in students? Unfortunately, budget constraints often lead to large caseloads for counselors, with student-to-school-counselor ratios well over the recommended 250:1 ratio by the American School Counselor Association. And yet, policymakers and educational leaders lack sufficient evidence on how these ratios impact the work of counselors and student outcomes. Our recent study, which utilized data from various sources including the Texas Education Agency, found that lower school counselor ratios are significantly associated with better student achievement, dropout rates, and graduation rates. However, students from low-income backgrounds and students of color often have limited access to schools with low counselor ratios, highlighting inequities in the system.

Perspectives

Especially with the impact of the COVID-19 era, K-12 students have faced greater academic losses, it's crucial for school leaders to recognize the importance of school counselors in providing much-needed counseling services. Pursuing optimal student-to-school-counselor ratios and providing counselors with adequate time and space to perform their work should be a priority for improving student outcomes in Texas.

Dr. Carleton Brown
University of Texas at El Paso

Read the Original

This page is a summary of: Staffing Schools to Support the Classroom: Examining Student-to-School-Counselor Ratios and Academic Student Outcomes in Texas, Professional School Counseling, January 2023, SAGE Publications,
DOI: 10.1177/2156759x231165497.
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