ST. PAUL, Minn. -
The dwindling number of counselors available to students Minnesota classrooms is a major concern for state school officials.
According to the Minnesota Association of School Counselors, the state's student-to-counselor ratio of 800 to 1 puts us second-to-last in the entire nation.
The off-kilter ratio decreases the likelihood that counselors can be effective in dealing with depression, addiction or bullying and other student issues, said Kay Hertling Wahl, the University of Minnesota's Professor of Counseling.
Administrators in each school district decide how many – if any -- counselors, social workers or psychologists are on staff. There is no state law requiring schools to employ any. In fact, there are dozens of school districts in Minnesota that have no counselors on staff.
