Good News: The Student to School Counselor Ratio has Lowered But More Work Needs to Be Done

A report released this week by the American Counselor Association has revealed that the Student to Counselor Ratio in Arizona Public Schools has gone down from 905 to 1 in 2019 to 716 to 1 last year.

While not all the Grand Canyon state data is in yet, one reason for the welcome lowering of this ratio is the implementation, by the Arizona Department of Education, of school safety grants ($21.3 million) and infusions of funding from the Coronavirus relief appropriations to secure the hiring of counselors and mental health specialists in schools.

However, while this reduction is a positive development, Arizona still has the highest student to counselor ratio in the country, well above the national average of 415 students to one counselor and the recommended level of 250 to 1.

After the releasing of the report, Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction Kathy Hoffman posted on social media.

Earlier today, the Superintendent went further in a press release from the Arizona Department of Education, relaying:

“Over the past two school years, the mental health needs of our students have risen to the forefront of my conversations with teachers, parents, and even lawmakers. With all the challenges imposed on us by the pandemic, I’ve heard clearly that the services offered by our public schools are critical to student wellbeing. I am proud of the gains Arizona has made to prioritize school safety, the mental wellbeing of our students, and the overall health of our communities. But there is so much work left to be done. I am hopeful that we will continue to improve and that our ongoing work will be reflected in next year’s rankings.”

Superintendent Hoffman is right.

This is good news for the children and education system in Arizona.

However, more work needs to be done.