Counselors, social workers ask AACPS board to fund more positions and pay parity

School counselors and social workers urged the Anne Arundel County Public Schools Board of Education to fund additional positions, correct pay inequities and adopt recruitment incentives in the superintendent’s FY2026 budget.

Christine Smith, a school social worker of 20 years, told the board she speaks for "the 65 hardworking AACPS school social workers who are requesting salary parity for our profession," and said surrounding jurisdictions pay social workers on the same specialty scale as school psychologists and pupil personnel workers.

Why it matters: Counselors and social workers said high caseloads and pay gaps limit the district’s ability to recruit and retain credentialed clinicians whose work affects student mental health and safety.

Several speakers urged specific budget items. Sue Young, a school counselor at Belvedere Elementary School, said she has a caseload of 545 students and asked the board to "continue to support the additional school counselor elementary positions noted in the budget to support those students who have a caseload of over 600 students." Holly Quijderline, an elementary school counselor with 25 years’ experience, requested the board "fully fund the school counselor positions" and highlighted that only eight school counselor National Board Certified Teachers (NBCTs) are in the county and that counselors do not receive the National Board Salary Enhancement that other national-board teachers receive.

Christine Smith said social workers are master’s-level clinicians with advanced licensure who can bill for services, and argued pay disparity leads to loss of qualified candidates. Speakers asked the board to add a budget line for social-worker pay equity and to use the budget to make counselor and social-worker recruitment and retention a priority.

The board did not take votes during the hearing. Testimony will inform upcoming budget workshops and potential amendments.