More Guidance Counselors = More HS Success

None by KCPW

Governor Asks for $4M to Hire More

(KCPW News) Utah is "negligent" in terms of providing guidance counselors for junior and high school students, according to Governor Jon Huntsman. He wants to spend four-million dollars a year to bring Utah's guidance counselor ratio down to 390 students per counselor.

On average, guidance counselors in Utah schools are currently responsible to mentor and advise 420 students. The national average is about 250 students per counselor.

Granite School District guidance counselor supervisor Leigh Ann McCann says an ongoing study in that district has found students are more likely to take rigorous courses and aspire to professional careers if they have regular access to a guidance counselor.

If lawmakers approve the four million dollar request, McCann says the money will be particularly helpful to rural districts where the guidance counselor often fills multiple roles as a teacher, coach or administrator.

Email to a friendPosted in KCPW Newsroom. Copyright 2008 KCPW