AZ has the highest ratio of students to school counselors

The state of Arizona has the highest ratio of students to school counselors. News 11 visited local schools to see if that was the case here locally.

According to the Associated Press, Arizona averaged 903 students to every one counselor. That was for the 2015-2016 school year. The American School Counselor Association recommends a ratio of 250 to every one counselor, but that’s easier said then done.

This past year, major budget cuts in education created the #REDFORED movement in Arizona. Currently New Hampshire, Wyoming and Vermont are the only states that have ratios within that range. Students are fortunate in Yuma County for the amount of counselors on staff. Currently Cibola High School has seven.

“My present ratio is about one to 400. It has challenges obviously because your trying to see a lot of kids and a lot of students are trying to see you. Teachers function or focus mainly is trying to teach the subjects so counselors come along side those teachers and help them with all those other issues that go on,” said Kevin Swearingin, a counselor at Cibola High School.

About 60 percent of states in the U.S. require school counselors K thru 12 and Arizona is not one of them.