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Board receives update on school counselors, IGPs and transcript platform
Summary
The district described counseling work by level, the use of MesaCloud for transcript auditing and the state Parchment platform for student official transcripts; staff said state allotment equates to about 300 students per counselor while ASCA recommends 250:1.
The board heard an update on Nov. 22 from Latasha Middleton, the district’s director of school counselors, on counseling services, individual graduation plans (IGPs) and transcript management.
Middleton said the district uses a proactive, data‑driven counseling model with differentiated activities by school level—elementary counselors focus on foundational social‑emotional and classroom lessons; middle school counselors support goal‑setting and transitions; and high school counselors help with college and career planning. The district has introduced MesaCloud to audit transcripts and manage individualized graduation planning, and it requires an IGP for each student starting in eighth grade.
On staffing ratios, Middleton noted state allotments typically provide funding around 300 students per counselor, but the district aspires to the American School Counselor Association recommendation of 250:1. She said the district also encourages counselors to get Career Development Facilitator certification and that a mix of counselors and Career Development Facilitators (CDFs) supports career programming in high schools and some middle schools.
Middleton described Parchment as the district’s official electronic transcript delivery platform: students receive accounts in junior year and can request transcripts free of charge. The board discussed audit processes for IGP completion and data submission to the state, and staff confirmed the district collects the required documentation annually for state reporting.
Why it matters: Counseling ratios, transcript reliability and effective IGP tracking affect graduation preparedness and postsecondary options. Board members raised questions about workload, verification of IGP completion, and supports for athletes and students pursuing NCAA requirements.
Next steps: Staff will continue training counselors, audit IGP submissions for the state report and expand transcript and college‑application support through MesaCloud and Parchment.
