School counselor resigns as Gresham‑Barlow budget would cut six counseling positions

A school counselor at Gresham High School told the Gresham‑Barlow SD 10J budget hearing that proposed 2026–27 budget cuts would reduce licensed counseling staff from 36 to 30, a loss of six positions that the speaker said would raise student‑to‑counselor ratios from about 1:313 to roughly 1:373.

"This is a loss of more than 15% of our school counseling staff," said Sam WL, a school counselor at Gresham High School, who said the counseling center logged more than 4,800 student sign‑ins this school year. Sam said the reductions will mean fewer check‑ins, delayed crisis responses and fewer group supports, and announced a decision to resign rather than remain in a role they felt would no longer serve students effectively.

The resignation and numbers drew several follow‑up statements from district staff and community members. Karen Harshfield, a counselor on special assignment, told the board the district has recorded 729 suicide screenings since the pandemic and said fifth graders represent the largest share of those screenings. Harshfield detailed school‑level staffing disparities, saying North Gresham Elementary (enrollment 612) would be left with 1.5 counselors—about 1:408—while some middle schools would retain lower ratios.

"Cutting resources at the foundational level only compounds the behavioral and emotional struggles these students will carry into middle and high school," Harshfield said, urging the board to prioritize reinstating counselor positions if grant money, unexpected revenue or carryover funds become available during the fiscal year.

Speakers at the hearing urged the board to treat counseling and mental‑health supports as essential services. Ally Appleton, a licensed school social worker at an alternative learning program, asked the board to consider how cuts affect enrollment and students who are already disconnected, citing housing and food insecurity as drivers of disengagement.

At the opening of the hearing the chair noted the superintendent and director of finance presented the proposed budget to the 14‑member budget committee on April 29; the committee met May 13 and voted to approve the proposed budget. District policies DBG and DBH and the cited "OS 294453" (as referenced in the hearing) require a public hearing before board adoption.

The board closed the budget hearing and recessed for five minutes before its board business meeting, where the committee‑approved budget is scheduled for a vote. No board vote on budget adoption took place during the hearing itself.