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Burke County counselor urges more mental-health staffing; district reports 27 counselors, 8 social workers
Summary
Connie Thompson told the board Burke County Public Schools employs 27 counselors and 8 social workers (about 314 students per counselor/social-worker), highlighted mental-health work and a 62% FAFSA completion rate at Burke Middle College, and asked the board to consider priority staffing in budget decisions.
Connie Thompson, a school counselor at Burke Middle College, briefed the Burke County Board of Education on Feb. 23 about school-counseling roles, state and national standards, and local outcomes. She said the district currently employs 27 school counselors and 8 social workers across Burke County Public Schools, for a combined count of 35 mental-health staff and an approximate ratio of 314 students per counselor/social-worker given an estimated district enrollment of about 11,000.
Thompson described Burke Middle College outcomes—about 126 students enrolled, a Western Piedmont dual-enrollment passing rate (D-or-better) of 98% and a success rate (C-or-better) of 95%—and said the school’s FAFSA completion was roughly 62% as of her review. She emphasized that school counselors hold master’s degrees, meet state certification requirements and follow ASCA (American School Counselor Association) ethical standards; North Carolina recently adopted the NC Student Success Standards based on ASCA mindsets and behaviors, she said.
“School counselors help students by applying academic and achievement strategies, managing emotions and planning postsecondary options,” Thompson said, and she urged the board to consider mental-health needs when making budget decisions and staffing plans.
Board members asked whether social workers are trained and authorized to complete suicide risk and threat assessments; a staff member confirmed training is provided to both counselors and social workers on suicide risk assessment and threat assessment protocols.
Thompson asked the board to consider the district goal of placing a master’s-level counselor, social worker and nurse in each school when feasible and to remember these needs in upcoming budget deliberations.
Why it matters: Counseling and social-work staffing levels affect students’ access to short-term intervention, data-driven supports and referrals for longer-term care. Thompson framed the staffing ask as part of a district strategy to close achievement gaps and support student well-being.
What’s next: Thompson offered to share her slides and data with trustees; board members requested district-level data on counseling/social-work coverage and other metrics to inform future decisions.
