Rosa Parks school counselor warns counselor cuts will strain students, staff
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Summary
A school counselor at Rosa Parks Elementary told the board that reduction-in-force notices and administrative errors in notices have left staff and students vulnerable; she said cutting to one counselor would lift student-to-counselor ratios above 1,000:1 and urged the district to preserve counseling capacity.
MIDDLETOWN, Ohio — Miranda Miller, a school counselor at Rosa Parks Elementary, told the board Jan. 12 that an announced reduction in counseling staff will severely reduce student supports at her building and urged the district to reconsider cuts.
Miller said she and fellow counselors received reduction-in-force letters that contained incorrect dates and the wrong name on the document. She said the mistakes exposed the district’s handling of personnel notices and raised concerns about the confidentiality of personnel information.
"Doubling a counselor's case of next year, the ratio will be over 1000 to 1," Miller said, citing the American School Counselor Association’s recommended ratio of 250 students per counselor. She warned that losing a counselor will disproportionately affect students with high behavioral and social-emotional needs and that teachers are already stretched thin covering crises during the school day.
Board response: The board acknowledged the difficulty of the decision and connected the staffing discussion to the evening’s earlier budget presentation, which flagged impending revenue declines. Board members expressed appreciation for Miller’s work and said administrators would provide more information as it becomes available.
What’s next: Miller asked for clarity about how remaining counselors’ responsibilities and student supports will be handled; the board said it will continue to share information as the district refines staffing plans in light of the fiscal forecast.