Dive Brief:
- Trinidad Garza Early College High School in Dallas incorporates individual, small group and whole-class guidance sessions into the school year to support student success.
- Jazmin Greenwood, the school's lead counselor, writes for Edutopia that seven whole-class guidance lessons are conducted during 55-minute study hall periods throughout the year covering topics like bullying, cybersafety, postsecondary planning, wellness, and dating violence, all of which are chosen, in part, based on student and parent survey responses.
- The school splits students who need additional support into small groups based on their needs, bringing them together multiple times each week, and one-on-one counseling also offers students extra time, completing a scaffolded model that serves students based on their individual needs.
Dive Insight:
The most well-funded schools have a team of guidance counselors ready to provide individualized services to students as they navigate family crises, puberty, academic difficulty and the college and career preparation process.
The reality, however, is that a high proportion of schools do not have the money to invest in good counseling services. The counselor-to-student ratio is too high or counselors don't exist. The latest data from the Civil Rights Data Collection survey found 1.6 million students in the United States attend schools with police officers but no counselors. The equity issues are stark.
And, many schools with budget constraints have figured out how to serve students creatively, minimizing the situations in which students risk falling through the cracks. Overworked guidance counselors all over the country rise to the occasion and help students make it through the K-12 system and go onto college. Recognizing this support as a priority in the midst of strained finances is key to maintaining services.