Honolulu, Hawaii
Speaker, House of Representatives
Thirty-Second State Legislature
State of Hawaii
Sir:
Your Committee on Education, to which was referred H.R. No. 170 entitled:
"HOUSE RESOLUTION REQUESTING THE BOARD OF EDUCATION, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, TO PRODUCE A PLAN FOR ADHERING TO SCHOOL COUNSELOR BEST PRACTICES,"
begs leave to report as follows:
The purpose of this measure is to request the Board of Education, in partnership with the Department of Education, to produce a plan for adhering to school counselor best practices.
Your Committee finds that school counselors play a critical role in ensuring students' academic, career, social, and emotional development and in promoting equity and access to opportunities and educational experiences for all students. Additionally, school counselors support students' postsecondary access and success by helping them navigate the college admissions process, explore career opportunities, and develop essential life skills and provide preventative and responsive services to help students overcome barriers that may impede their academic and postsecondary success.
Your Committee also finds that the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) recommends a student-to-school counselor ratio of two-hundred-to-one to effectively address the comprehensive needs of all students, yet just sixty-two percent of Hawaii public middle and high schools meet this recommendation. The ASCA recommends that a minimum of eighty percent of a school counselor's time should be spent in direct and indirect student services, yet Hawaii public middle and high school counselors report only being able to spend seventy-three percent of their time on these services.
Your Committee believes that having a twelve-month school counselor can ensure continuity of support for students, particularly for those who may not have access to such support outside of school. Your Committee further believes that providing Hawaii public intermediate, middle, and high school counselors with a more clearly defined job description will help school counselors better address the needs of Hawaii's students.
As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Education that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of H.R. No. 170 and recommends its adoption.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Education,
|
|
|
JUSTIN H. WOODSON, Chair |
|
|
|
|