2017 ASCA Grants Project: A Study to Measure the Impact of School Counselor Ratios on Student Outcomes

Added November 13, 2018

Executive Summary--Preliminary Results

Data from two states in the Northeast are being used as the basis for this correlational study (Connecticut and New York). This work is replicating the analysis completed by the investigators in Indiana, which is supporting optimal student outcomes with school counselor ratios of 250:1.  This current study explores further by adding a qualitative component to the quantitative analysis, in order to capture the student needs based on resources available in communities given their location (city, suburban, rural/town).  Socio-economic status will also be accounted for. 

To date, investigators have examined the impact of ratios on attendance, achievement, suspension rates, graduation rates, and college entrance rates in Connecticut.

• 1,493 public schools, 1,217 counselors, and 535,025 students
• Student outcomes, analyzed in relation to counselor ratios, were considered across:
  • Setting (urban, suburban, rural)
  • Neighborhood affluence (Income levels by zip code)
  • Title 1 vs. Non-Title 1 schools
  • Free and reduced lunch
  • Gender
  • Race

Considerable time was spent in determining which factors would contribute to defining a school as “top performing” and “bottom performing.”  The team focused on the following:

• Top performing schools would be those who had a combination of highest values of graduation rates + college going rates + achievement scores, and lowest values of suspension + bullying + absenteeism rates.
• Bottom performing schools were defined as those with the opposite combination - lowest values of graduation rates + college going rates + achievement scores, and highest values of suspension + bullying + absenteeism rates.

The data has been analyzed for all Connecticut public schools, grades K – 12.  Since fewer than 20% of elementary schools in this state have school counselors, it was necessary to separate results for high school and K-8 when identifying the top and bottom performing schools.  Sixty high schools and sixty K-8 schools have been identified for invitation to participate in the qualitative portion of this study.  This represents ten schools in each of the following categories:

Grade Level	Locale	Performance
High School	City	Top 10
		Bottom 10
	Suburban	Top 10
		Bottom 10
	Rural/Town	Top 10
		Bottom 10
	SUBTOTAL High Schools = 60
K - 8	City	Top 10
		Bottom 10
	Suburban	Top 10
		Bottom 10
	Rural/Town	Top 10
		Bottom 10
	SUBTOTAL K – 8 Schools = 60
	TOTAL Schools Identified = 120

Preliminary findings from Connecticut quantitative analysis indicate there was not as clearly correlated a relationship between between student outcomes and ratios.  In schools with counselor-to-student ratios greater than 1:250, students are less likely to receive bus suspensions.  Findings suggest the need to address the whole-child approach; this led us to the qualitative study.  School Counselors from the identified the top and bottom 10 schools were invited to participate in focus-group interviews in May, 2018.  The 120 schools across grades K- 12 represented 55 districts. 

The research team experienced two major challenges in gaining school counselor participation in the focus groups.  First, per the IRB approval for school-based research, superintendents and building-level administrators were gate-keepers to the investigator invitation for school counselor participation in focus groups.  Investigators received favorable responses to invite participation from 7 districts, negative responses from 15 districts, and no response to three contact efforts from the remaining 33 districts’ superintendents.  Secondly, schools in Connecticut experienced significant set-backs in their calendar due to excessive weather-related closings during the fall and winter months.  As a result, only 2 of the 7 permitted districts were able to participate in focus groups at the end of their school year. 

The focus groups held in June 2018 yielded the following take-aways:

• High performing schools in high SES districts have ratios less than 1:250.
• These schools have intensive parent involvement, with school counselors receiving an average of 100 emails per day from parents.
• Emergence of increased mental health issues students in the high performing, high SES schools (anxiety, depression, self-harm).
• School counselors from these participating districts concerned the if their ratios were increased to 1:250 across the board, it would negatively impact their ability to serve their students.

Efforts continue to gain leadership approval for the non-committed 33 identified districts in Connecticut.  Investigators anticipate the focus group sampling to contain a minimum of 12 districts participating; two from each of the identified settings (urban, suburban, rural) and top/bottom performing schools in these settings. 

In progress currently is the data collection from New York public schools.  Accessing public information from the New York State Department of Education, the National Center of Educational Statistics, and the Federal IRS for income by zip code.  Investigators are examining the impact of ratios on attendance, achievement, suspension rates, graduation rates, and college entrance rates.  As with Connecticut data, New York student outcomes will be analyzed in relation to counselor ratios, and considered across:

• Setting (urban, suburban, rural)
• Neighborhood affluence (Income levels by zip code)
• Title 1 vs. Non-Title 1 schools
• Free and reduced lunch
• Gender
• Race

Once the quantitative analysis is complete, with top and bottom performing schools in each locale identified, investigators will begin holding focus groups for the qualitative portion of the study. The project’s target date for reporting findings has been adjusted to June 30, 2019.  

Source:

Jennifer Parzych, Ph.D., Southern Connecticut State University; Peg Donohue, Ph.D., Central Connecticut State University; Amy Gaesser, Ph.D., SUNY Brockport