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Board members press administration on counselors, mental-health supports and where funding appears in budget
Summary
Board members raised teacher concerns about counselors and school-based mental-health services and asked whether the proposed 2025-26 budget increases those positions or uses contracted third-party services; staff said some counselors were moved to the student investment/special revenue fund, counseling function code is 2122, and there is no intended reduction in counselor numbers.
Board members expressed concern that the proposed 2025-26 budget did not show clear increases for counselors and mental-health supports and pressed staff for where contracted services would appear in the packet.
A board member (speaker 8) said teachers had asked for more counselors and therapists and asked whether the budget included increased investment or would rely more on third-party contracted services. Staff (speaker 2) explained that contract services are recorded under object code 390, and that counseling services are coded to function 2122 (staff noted a typographical error in one table that listed counseling under a different code). Staff also said some counselors were moved from the general fund to the student investment account and special revenue fund but that the district did not intend to reduce the number of counselors.
Why it matters: school counselors and mental-health supports are primary noninstructional services that affect student well-being and instructional readiness; how those services are funded determines whether the district can expand supports through hiring or must rely on contract vendors.
Direct quotes: the board member said teachers reported a need for “more counselors and more therapists” in classrooms. Staff clarified, “Any contract services would fall under object code 390,” and later confirmed, “Counseling is 2122” while acknowledging a typographical error on the packet that staff will correct.
Funding options and constraints: staff told the committee that increasing contracted services or adding positions would require the board to reallocate funds (for example, reduce contingency or cut other items) and that decisions about reducing or increasing budget areas should be a board-wide direction rather than an administrative unilateral decision.
Next steps: staff will correct the typographical code error in the packet, maintain the current counselor staffing levels as stated, and the board may consider a broader discussion about reallocating contingency or other funds if the district seeks to expand contracted mental-health services.
