SCHOOL COUNSELING PROGRAMS LACKING

PROPER FUNDING

Argosy University-Twin Cities

Amanda Walsh

School Counselors

The need for children’s counseling services has increased, yet the funding and hiring of school counselors has not increased to meet the demand.

Student-to-counselor ratios are too high and yet this does not seem to be a priority for our government, states, and school systems.

Why are we cutting back on hiring counselors and forcing existing counselors to take on two or even three schools?

Along with the growing demand, counselors are also expected to take on new roles and tasks within the school systems.

School Counselors

Roles and Responsibilities

Low-income students require help from counselors in additional areas (Amatea & West-Olatunji, 2007).

These additional tasks include;1) Acting as a cultural broker among students, families, and

school staff.

2) Helping to create more culturally diverse instruction.

3) Developing a more family-centric school environment.

(Amatea & West-Olatuji)

Roles and Responsibilities

Sexual Orientation

Responsible for providing support to students who are recognizing and accepting their own sexual identities.

Provide information to the entire school. Promote a more sophisticated and appropriate

dialogue about sexual orientation (DePaul, Walsh & Dam, 2009).

Roles and Responsibilities

School Violence

Provide prevention activities Assess students’ risk of engaging in violent

behavior Provide appropriate intervention when the potential

for violence exist (Hermann & Finn, 2002)

Roles and Responsibilities

Children with Disabilities

Must keep up on their education and training in order to meet all the needs of the students and staff

Come up with new and inventive strategies Collaborate with others Continue positive leadership

( Myers, 2005)

Roles and Responsibilities

Counselors see themselves as:

Change agents Consultants Crisis managers Group leaders Administrative staff (scheduling, disciplinary

functions, clerical duties)(Zalaquett, 2005)

Funding

Paisley & Borders (1995) discovered that when school funds are being discussed by the government, it is teachers that are brought up in these conversations, not counselors.

Instead of hiring additional counselors, federal funds

were spent on part-time employees to help out with areas such as substance abuse and dropout prevention but had none of the required education needed to be a counselor (Paisley & Borders).

By enhancing government awareness of how important school counselors are and by demonstrating the

expansive list of responsibilities, the proper funds can be distributed to this area of education. If principles, teachers, counselors, parents and the government can

work together to create a school system where all areas of education have an appropriate number of staff

members, we will see the results in the children that attend those schools.

Solution

References

Amatea, E.; West-Olatunji, C. (2007). Joining the conversation about education our poorest children: emerging leadership roles for school counselors in high-poverty schools. Alexandria: American Counseling Association.

DeMer, S., Bricklin, P. (1995). Legal, professional, and financial constraints on psychologists’ delivery of health care services in school settings. United States: Educational Publishing Foundation.

DePaul, J.; Walsh, M.; Dam, U. (2009). The role of school counselors in addressing sexual orientation in school. Alexandria: American Counseling Association.

Epstein, J.; Van Voorhis, F. (2010). School counselors’ roles in developing partnerships with families and communities for student success. Alexandria: American Counseling Association.

Frye Myers, H. (2005). How elementary school counselors can meet the needs of students with disabilities. Alexandria: American Counseling Association.

Green, A.; Keys, S. (2001). Expanding the developmental school counseling paradigm: meeting the needs of the 21st century student. Alexandria: American Counseling Association.

Hermann, M; Finn, A. (2002). An ethical and legal perspective on the role of school counselors in preventing violence in schools. Alexandria: American Counseling Association.

McCarthy, C.; Kerne, V; Calfa, N.; Lambert, R.; Guzman, M. (2010). An exploration of school counselors’ demands and resources: relationship to stress, biographic, and caseload characteristics. Alexandria: American Counseling Association.

Paisley, P.; Borders, D. (1995). School counseling: an evolving specialty. Alexandria: American Counseling Association.

Zalaquett, C. (2005). Principals’ perceptions of elementary school counselors’ role and functions. Alexandria: American Counseling Association.