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Wilkes County Schools reports counselor, nurse and social‑worker shortfalls; new mental‑health reporting begins
Summary
Director of Student Services April Marr reported that Wilkes County Schools’ counselor ratio is 304:1 (recommended 250:1), nurses total 11.5 (about two schools per nurse), and social workers are at a 1028:1 ratio with 8 FTE. She outlined new state reporting requirements for student mental‑health contacts under NC Session Law 2020‑7 and State Board policy SHLT‑003.
At the Feb. 9 Wilkes County Board of Education meeting, Director of Student Services April Marr gave a district overview of Student Instructional Support Personnel (SISP), detailing staffing ratios and new reporting requirements for school‑based mental health.
Marr said school counselors support academic achievement, career development and social‑emotional wellness; the recommended counselor ratio is 250:1 but the district currently reports a 304:1 ratio with 27 full‑time counselors. She described school nurses’ duties and said the district has 11.5 nurses, with each nurse serving roughly two schools rather than the recommended one nurse per school. Marr also said the district has eight full‑time equivalent school social workers, an overall ratio of about 1028:1, and highlighted that many students face economic hardship: 56.18% of students are eligible for free or reduced lunch, 20.7% of Wilkes County children live in poverty, and district staff identified 410 children meeting the federal definition of experiencing homelessness.
Marr also summarized that North Carolina Session Law 2020‑7 requires the State Board of Education to adopt school‑based mental‑health policy and that State Board policy SHLT‑003 aligns with the statute; beginning with the 2025‑26 school mental‑health plan reporting cycle, all public school units must submit SISP annual report data on quantitative instances of student contacts for referrals, interventions and services. Marr emphasized that the report will count instances and will not include student‑level identifiers.
Board members asked for clarity on staffing benchmarks and the presentation closed with a reiteration of the district’s aim to provide prevention, intervention and referral services through SISP.
