School counselors urge clearer role definitions and more professional development

Representatives of school counselors said comprehensive counseling programs are vital to student outcomes and that counselors must be protected from non‑counseling duties to do that work effectively. "We are certified, licensed educators, and we compassionately, creatively, and collaboratively implement comprehensive school counseling programs," one counselor said, framing counselors as skilled professionals whose training prepares them to support academics, social‑emotional development and career planning.

Presenters highlighted barriers including excessive non‑counseling responsibilities, lack of professional development for counselors and evaluators, and inconsistent role expectations across districts. They pointed to other states (notably Texas) that have used legislation to clarify counselor roles and suggested the task force consider similar policy options and supports. Several members asked how to measure counseling success; presenters suggested multi‑year tracking of student post‑graduation outcomes.