[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6335901,"mediaKeyId","2288393-2d95de3ce5da898121c97802b11d589f","parentId",2288393,"title","Counselor of the Year praises direct-admit programs; cites part‑time positions and low starting pay as retention barriers","audioSeconds",1111,"startMs",3405000,"endMs",4516000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2288393-2d95de3ce5da898121c97802b11d589f&start=3405&end=4516","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2288393-2d95de3ce5da898121c97802b11d589f/thumbnail_3405000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6335901/Minnesota/Counselor-of-the-Year-praises-direct-admit-programs-cites-parttime-positions-and-low-starting-pay-as-retention-barriers","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6335901-e9dd89331b6a9d4d01fca64f838bff39/orig.mp4?Expires=1774758953&Signature=c7onP2Cr-dFBfsc4K44kDIAj67H~k0vMHM4cPMWl-uqbMxyJ6MceotepHKepFNJdizhL1NA5SDpdBRSsHVkl0r4UiXdBj2~FAZNmRPF3ozNQyvB7hsD1air4YRBbMc9QEw5CxHZJC33V7TtgJusJyPHm-OEGm816LYzifbGxRpMbodGIgCraSNJPNV3958e42AvLBhA~aTtBwqnavo5ifRyjGsvcSkCJ3FtSccsub9rqTg4d1QKDR91-4bXwzZqfkG~hC-XI9CfARUyWFLp5oL2TQeFqzC8mHuRchfpqtjlQ5N6zUJn5LHjCEh4EXi434U49PNm6CYAelSZS5448vA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Minnesota Senate","date","2025-02-11T22:47:58Z","article","Sydney Paris, the 2025 Minnesota School Counselor of the Year and a high-school counselor at Stillwater Area High School, told the Senate Education Policy Committee that direct-admissions programs and proactive counseling work can open opportunities for students while strained staffing and compensation limit what counselors can do.

Paris described a recent example: a senior who had self-selected out of college but discovered through a direct-admissions email that she had already been accepted to multiple Minnesota colleges. Paris said the student’s reaction was dramatic — “You’ve already been accepted to 20 colleges in the state of Minnesota” — and that the direct-admit program helped change the student’s postsecondary trajectory.

Paris and other witnesses said school counselors perform academic, social‑emotional and college‑and‑career work, and that smaller caseloads would allow more proactive supports. Paris said Minnesota’s counselor-to-student ratio is near the bottom nationally — “we're ranked at 48” — and that many counseling positions are part time or split across buildings. Valerie Doseland of the Minnesota Association of School Administrators told the committee that districts sometimes split positions for economic reasons: minimum aid guarantees or site budgets do not always cover a full-time hire and shared positions are a budgeting response.

Paris said compensation can be a barrier: counselors require a master’s degree, but starting wages in some districts fall below $40,000, making recruitment and retention difficult. Witnesses said recent state workforce-pipeline grants have increased interest in school-based social work and counseling, but that building a sustained pipeline will take time.

Senators asked about program funding, the permanence of direct-admissions grants and whether telehealth can extend services; Paris and other witnesses recommended continuing investments that support full-time positions, competitive pay, and workforce-pipeline grants so schools can reduce caseloads and increase preventive services.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Committee on Education Policy - 02/12/25","oneSentenceSummary","The state’s school counselor of the year described how direct-admissions programs and counseling interventions can change student trajectories, but said many counselor positions are split or part time and starting salaries discourage licensed candidates from taking full-time school roles.","taxTitle","Education Policy, Senate, Committees, Legislative, Minnesota","taxId",15801,"location","Minnesota","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6335906,"Multilingual and immigrant students report fear, absenteeism; educator asks for clearer protections and resources",438,5704000,6142000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2288393-2d95de3ce5da898121c97802b11d589f&start=5704&end=6142","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2288393-2d95de3ce5da898121c97802b11d589f/thumbnail_5704000.jpg","/articles/6335906/Minnesota/Multilingual-and-immigrant-students-report-fear-absenteeism-educator-asks-for-clearer-protections-and-resources","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6335906-1af3f424747796eeb8402124804d7b5c/orig.mp4?Expires=1774758953&Signature=oFyoQC~X8FsvW~ubGnhATA7WbnaZYHw01Z0M5YT-pTmgzbZW1O~W34Ta6Bxe0EIUM7hBwjzPJ7zavEZKKjQi3PKKkS67YQzcSfJJFK-SD2XexYCDJ6fx8xgT-f~YiarxguZKb3~R7lOt6WsLy-DIoNf5eEmig-A4hlVO64mctXpVl8kBVMZAoD-EeIa~B7YOcQ-DjYYu2jQNQQMWZ~QlCT8MLEkmsPtEGk0qrwU~J~~~dmBkm1yqLaskQq2ac4vxIS4~RDV-4Vsm47gC0LXBeQJ-dGFKQr8rdA~CzFxUorRGIQxxitNKX0WuI2PnrD~kZels2zcGTAwEd5Yk92rPeA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Natalia Benjamin, director of multilingual learning for Rochester Public Schools and 2021 Minnesota Teacher of the Year, told the Senate Education Policy Committee on Feb. 12 that immigrant and multilingual students are experiencing increased fear, harassment and absenteeism tied to immigration enforcement concerns and anti-immigrant rhetoric.

Benjamin said that fear of forced family separation, uncertainty about immigration status and racialized harassment have led some families to withdraw children or to keep them home. She said educators see abusive comments and name-calling — “I will call ICE on you,” “Go back to your country” — directed at students, including many U.S.-born children of immigrants.

Benjamin cited federal and legal protections that require districts to provide access to public education and language services; during testimony she referenced legal precedents and federal statutes governing language access and nondiscrimination and asked that education policy be explicit so schools can protect students’ rights and safety. She recommended clearer, district-level messaging to families that their children’s civil-rights protections and education access will be maintained, and better information about legal resources.

Witnesses and committee members discussed funding and program supports such as the LEAPS Act and ethnic-studies and ELA standards work; Benjamin said those laws and standards demand materials and professional development that many districts cannot fully implement under current funding levels.

Senators requested concrete examples of what districts need from the legislature and the Minnesota Department of Education to protect multilingual learners and to reduce fear-driven absenteeism. Benjamin asked lawmakers to “center the well-being of our students, particularly of those who are underserved” and to sustain prior legislative work that advances language access and culturally responsive instruction.","Rochester multilingual director told senators immigrant families are experiencing fear of separation and discrimination that contributes to absenteeism and bullying; witnesses pointed to existing federal and state legal protections and urged clearer local policies and support.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6335911,"LGBTQ advocates tell senators national rhetoric is worsening bullying and harming student mental health",436,4967000,5403000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2288393-2d95de3ce5da898121c97802b11d589f&start=4967&end=5403","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2288393-2d95de3ce5da898121c97802b11d589f/thumbnail_4967000.jpg","/articles/6335911/Minnesota/LGBTQ-advocates-tell-senators-national-rhetoric-is-worsening-bullying-and-harming-student-mental-health","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6335911-4fa32676df719f74cb980754509956a6/orig.mp4?Expires=1774758953&Signature=Q1iw34yz-h2-UQYUIm5c6~UYQGA9x4AczN1HBg00YmamrHN3IzDZ1BySnKs93Jy2XkTinB4iKQVnenxKYJ0QkrNk2HNsezFQwMHwsEccEgMi4pB~l4Ywb9JqZljOcu5rycJnhgAiHP8TeP0EVRLVt32H1ZhxTHY6D8~O0kT0riZBQ-4PmEBb5~dJuJGpzlUoGhOhe-cko91xvGPzMbdtJVp-AzJOGFgbbXyG-INvLwSC417Pk-sLlVwcPSdIhYc1uKuaf4yGink-dc4lYWJ05S3WLm6GiuLZf2nyM~A3decIGJ5xT9wlvl6BIsM1~m~LHVhGMPuw3IHPfpz3~0ryEQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Advocates for LGBTQ youth told the Senate Education Policy Committee on Feb. 12 that national rhetoric and recent federal actions are contributing to increased harassment, absenteeism and mental-health distress among LGBTQ students in Minnesota.

Kat Rohn, executive director of Outfront Minnesota, said national political debate and executive action have heightened fear and bullying. Rohn cited the Trevor Project’s 2024 survey, saying roughly “90 percent of LGBTQ young people said their well-being was negatively impacted due to recent politics.” Rohn described reports from educators and families: classrooms where students whisper that identities are “mental illnesses,” GSA materials vandalized and students followed in hallways.

Christy Hall, senior staff attorney at Gender Justice who represents families with transgender youth, told the committee that transgender students “face a disproportionate amount of bullying in Minnesota schools,” and that that bullying can lead to absenteeism, online-only enrollment and greater contact with child-protective and juvenile justice systems.

Both witnesses urged state-level action to safeguard students. Hall recommended clearer state guidance and additional resources for schools to implement and enforce anti-bullying protections now that some federal enforcement and guidance are reduced; she said Minnesota schools will need “additional resources to implement and enforce anti bullying because enforcement at the federal level is going away.” Rohn urged elected officials and educators to affirm the dignity of LGBTQ students and to protect safe spaces in schools.

Committee senators asked for specific district examples and for state agencies to provide written guidance; senators also said they would invite Department of Education staff to brief the committee on any federal changes that might affect state enforcement or funding.

No formal legislative action was taken at the hearing; advocates asked for prompt state-level guidance and funding so schools can sustain safe, affirming environments for LGBTQ students.","Outfront Minnesota and Gender Justice testified that recent national rhetoric and executive actions have increased harassment of LGBTQ students in Minnesota schools and urged state actors to step in with clear protections and resources.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6335914,"Senate hearing spotlights student mental-health crisis, social workers urge more staff and funding",1270,9000,1279000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2288393-2d95de3ce5da898121c97802b11d589f&start=9&end=1279","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2288393-2d95de3ce5da898121c97802b11d589f/thumbnail_9000.jpg","/articles/6335914/Minnesota/Senate-hearing-spotlights-student-mental-health-crisis-social-workers-urge-more-staff-and-funding","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6335914-1b63af0e1df254e327630b3db3f4930b/orig.mp4?Expires=1774758953&Signature=cGYDNFrpQEKnB0j0q3PMsT238NqHwo9poM2fbb22ejfyE~VlCDaBJtDLVuS6bAbCW8RkJB29AqiVP4M2bKaDdJ33lEbLwsGDPwu62qjuudpu2REgyDJZeUoww6G0qGa4Q4bPTKC9AhEGQr470PZ0anvdr08gzj2QVS1UXUvun-AQDDXCHD42PTls12pc-EnLfFPvC1TFPQ7VwfcygJ5lpsRbfrBTKkRwsFsTHp-07RCbctv9JmXLU9MIl0kH7M54vOPOGw~zL-hCOXzmf4119HMYArtzOszL70YWBVkg6BQM4ss7l2Yyv0vQfKZ42YRHtiA-~en1LMXVV9kq-~dQhA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Minnesota Senate Education Policy Committee heard testimony Feb. 12 that school mental-health needs have grown markedly and are straining school staff and community treatment systems.

Julie Campanelli, president of the Minnesota School Social Workers Association, and Abby Rufslin, a licensed independent clinical social worker and member of the association’s board, told the committee that student mental-health problems are widespread across grades and communities. Rufslin said survey and local data show “nearly 1 in 3 students report experiencing long term mental health problems,” and that some groups — including eleventh-grade female students and LGBTQ students — report notably higher rates of struggle.

The witnesses described a range of harms tied to untreated mental-health needs: rising chronic absenteeism, in-school fights and aggression, classroom evacuations, and an increase in suicide-risk assessments. Rufslin said her district conducted “almost 20 suicide risk assessments” in a recent two-week period, “the majority... in elementary buildings.” She and Campanelli emphasized that many students do not deliberately skip school but are unable to attend because of severe anxiety, trauma, homelessness or victimization.

School social workers told senators they provide counseling, crisis intervention, home visits and reintegration plans for students returning from hospitalization, but they are overwhelmed. Campanelli said many school social workers carry caseloads of “600, 800, even over a thousand students,” while the National Association of School Social Workers recommends about 250 students per social worker.

Committee members pressed witnesses on solutions. Senator Duckworth asked about telehealth and whether remote services are effective for younger students; witnesses said teletherapy expands access in communities that lack providers but requires extra effort to build relationships, and younger children typically need an adult present to use the technology. Senator Koenig and others discussed pilot programs that have tested targeted interventions and attendance strategies.

Witnesses urged several policy steps: increased funding to hire more school-based mental-health professionals (social workers, counselors, psychologists), expanded community treatment capacity including inpatient/residential beds and crisis stabilization, better reimbursement for providers, and trauma-informed prevention and early-intervention programs. Campanelli and Rufslin also recommended replacing punitive truancy approaches with mental-health–informed interventions.

Committee members asked staff to supply additional data, including district-level examples of attendance interventions and information about existing state and federal funding streams; senators said they would invite state agencies and additional witnesses to future meetings.

While no formal legislation was taken at the hearing, senators repeatedly cited workforce pipeline issues and budget constraints as barriers to immediate change. Witnesses asked lawmakers to consider sustained funding and workforce incentives to reduce caseloads and expand services so school staff can move from crisis response to prevention.","Witnesses told the Minnesota Senate Education Policy Committee that student mental-health needs are rising sharply, contributing to chronic absenteeism and classroom disruption; school social workers said statewide staffing and treatment resources are insufficient and urged lawmakers to increase funding and community services.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Counselor of the Year praises direct-admit programs; cites part‑time positions and low starting pay as retention barriers

Multilingual and immigrant students report fear, absenteeism; educator asks for clearer protections and resources

LGBTQ advocates tell senators national rhetoric is worsening bullying and harming student mental health

Senate hearing spotlights student mental-health crisis, social workers urge more staff and funding