School Counselor Shortage in Many States

March 22, 2013 by Leave a Comment

 

So it’s 2013 and there is still a school counselor shortage. I’ve been unemployed since graduating in 2009. I admit, in the past couple of years I haven’t looked that hard for a job because I know school counselor jobs are hard to find, plus I’ve had two babies since graduating.

According to a recent 2013 article from the Washington Post, there is a huge school counselor shortage. According to ASCA, they recommend one school counselor to every 250 students. In reality, there is about 471 students to one school counselor. In California, there are 1,016 students per one counselor!

It’s ironic how there is a huge shortage of school counselors and it is hard to find a job. That means schools are not hiring school counselors. Why not? Lack of funds I presume. Many districts don’t have the money to fund another school counselor. All I know is when someone wants to hire a school counselor in Georgia, I am here available! :)

How is it going in your state?


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Filed Under: School Counseling News, School Counselor Jobs

Master’s in School Counseling Programs By State and Online

April 21, 2012 by Leave a Comment

 

Looking to get a Master’s in school counseling? I have a master’s in education in school counseling degree, so I feel pretty qualified to tell you how to get a degree in this field. :)

First, I highly recommend you attend a degree program that is accredited by CACREP. Research shows CACREP graduates perform better on the National Counselor Examination for Licensure and Certification (NCE), streamlines the licensure application process, and CACREP programs have been reviewed against professionally approved standards. I personally attended a program accredited by CACREP.

Here are a list of CACREP ONLINE programs as of April 21, 2012. Check to make sure they are STILL CACREP programs before you apply (accreditation must be renewed and can expire).

Adams State College

Capella University

Wake Forest University

Here are a list of master’s school counseling programs accredited by CACREP:

Alaska: None

Alabama

Auburn University
Auburn University Montgomery
Jacksonville State University
Troy University – Dothan
Troy University – Montgomery
Troy University – Phenix City
Troy University – Troy
University of Alabama Birmingham
The University of Alabama,
University of Montevallo
University of North Alabama

Arkansas

Arkansas State University
Henderson State University
University of Arkansas

Arizona

Northern Arizona University

California

California State University Los Angeles
California State University Northridge
California State University Sacramento
San Francisco State University
Sonoma State University
University of San Diego

Colorado

Adams State College
Colorado State University
University of Colorado at Colorado
University of Colorado at Denver
University of Northern Colorado

Connecticut

Central Connecticut State University
Fairfield University
Southern Connecticut State University
University of Connecticut
Western Connecticut State University

District of Columbia

Gallaudet University
George Washington University
University of the District of Columbia

More Master’s in School Counseling Programs

Delaware: None

Florida

Barry University
Florida Atlantic University
Florida Gulf Coast
Florida International University
Stetson University
University of Central Florida
University of Florida
University of North Florida
University of South Florida

Georgia

Augusta State University
Clark Atlanta University
Columbus State University
Georgia Southern University
Georgia State University
University of Georgia
University of West Georgia
Valdosta State University

Hawaii: none

Iowa

The University of Iowa
University of Northern Iowa

Idaho

Boise State University
Idaho State University
Northwest Nazarene University

Illinois

Bradley University
Chicago State University
Concordia University Chicago
Eastern Illinois University
Governors State University
National Louis University
Northeastern Illinois University
Northern Illinois University
Southern Illinois University
University of Illinois Springfield
Western Illinois University

Indiana

Ball State University
Butler University
Indiana State University
Indiana University
Indiana University
Indiana Wesleyan University
Purdue University

Kansas

Emporia State University
Kansas State University
MidAmerica Nazarene University

Kentucky

Eastern Kentucky University

Louisiana

Louisiana State University
Our Lady of Holy Cross
Southeastern Louisiana University
University of Louisiana at Monroe
University of New Orleans

More Master’s in School Counseling Programs

Massachusetts

Bridgewater State College

Maryland

Loyola University Maryland-Timonium

Maine

University of Southern Maine

Michigan

Andrews University
Eastern Michigan University
Michigan State University
Oakland University
University of Detroit Mercy
Wayne State University
Western Michigan University

Minnesota

Capella University
Minnesota State University Mankato
Minnesota State University Moorhead
St. Cloud State University
Winona State University

Missouri

Southeast Missouri State University
University of Central Missouri
University of Missouri – St. Louis

Mississippi

Delta State University
Jackson State University
Mississippi College
Mississippi State University
University of Mississippi

Montana

Montana State University

University of Montana

North Carolina

Appalachian State University
Gardner-Webb University
North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University
North Carolina Central University
North Carolina State University
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
University of North Carolina at Charlotte
University of North Carolina at Greensboro
Wake Forest University
Western Carolina University

North Dakota

North Dakota State University

Nebraska

University of Nebraska at Omaha

New Hampshire

Plymouth State University

New Jersey

Caldwell College
College of New Jersey
Kean University
Monmouth University
Montclair State University
Rider University
Rowan University
Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey
William Paterson University

New Mexico

University of New Mexico

Nevada

University of Nevada Las Vegas
NV University of Nevada, Reno

New York

Brooklyn College CUNY
Canisius College
Hunter College CUNY
Lehman College (CUNY)
Long Island University C.W. Post Campus
St. Bonaventure University
St. John’s University
State University of New York College at Plattsburgh
Syracuse University
The College at Brockport, State University of New York
University of Rochester

Ohio

Bowling Green State University
Cleveland State University
Heidelberg University
John Carroll University
Kent State University
Malone University
Ohio University
University of Akron
University of Cincinnati
University of Dayton
University of Toledo
Walsh University
Wright State University
Xavier University
Youngstown State University

Oklahoma

Oklahoma State University

Oregon

Oregon State University
Portland State University

Pennsylvania

California University of Pennsylvania
Duquesne University
Edinboro University of Pennsylvania
Geneva College
Indiana University of Pennsylvania
Marywood University
Pennsylvania State University
Shippensburg University
Slippery Rock University
University of Scranton
West Chester University

Rhode Island: none

South Carolina

Clemson University
South Carolina State University
The Citadel
University of South Carolina
Winthrop University School

South Dakota

South Dakota State University
University of South Dakota

Tennessee

East Tennessee State University
Middle Tennessee State University
University of Memphis
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
University of Tennessee at Knoxville
Vanderbilt University

Texas

Stephen F. Austin State University
Texas A & M University – Commerce
Texas A & M University – Corpus Christi
Texas State University – San Marcos
Texas Tech University
Texas Woman’s University
University of Houston Victoria
University of North Texas
University of Texas at San Antonio
University of Texas Brownsville

More Master’s in School Counseling Programs

Utah: none

Virginia

College of William and Mary
James Madison University
Lynchburg College
Marymount University
Old Dominion University
Radford University
Regent University
University of Virginia
Virginia Commonwealth University
Virginia Polytechnical Institute and State University

Vermont

University of Vermont

Washington

Central Washington University
Eastern Washington University
Gonzaga University
Seattle University
Western Washington University

Wisconsin

University of Wisconsin, Oshkosh
University of Wisconsin, Stout
University of Wisconsin, Whitewater

West Virgina

West Virginia University

Wyoming

University of Wyoming

 

If you’ve made it this far, you have just seen all of the CACREP accredited master’s degree school counseling programs in the United States including online programs. This list was created in April of 2012. Accreditation can expire and not be renewed, so please verify with the school before you apply if you want CACREP.

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Lack of School Counselor Jobs

April 21, 2012 by Leave a Comment

 

School counselor jobs are difficult to find depending on your location. I am not trying to be gloom and doom in this post, so please check your local school districts for more information. I have personally been looking for a school counseling position since 2009. However, many of my friends got jobs after graduation. Some of them were able to obtain a position after working as a supply school counselor for a few months. Some of them moved to a different district or state. Some of them chose to drive an hour to work each day because they had to.

Many factors influence the availability of school counselor jobs such as the school’s budget, the number of students per counselor, the economy, etc. Unfortunately, some school districts feel that school counselors should be the first position to be eliminated even before extracurricular activities. You have to remember that there are generally 2-5 school counselors per school, so there are not a ton of positions available in each county.

If you are able to be very flexible in your search for a school counseling position, you might be able to land that job. However, if you are willing to only apply to one school district, chances of getting a job are going to be a lot more difficult. I hate to say this, but if you know someone, it might be easier to get a job also….this is just another word for networking. If you were a former teacher and were close to your former principal, the principal might be interested in hiring you over someone else. This might be good for you but bad for me!

Don’t give on looking for a school counselor job either. In this economy, people have suffered job loss and difficulty in finding a job regardless of profession.

 

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National School Counselor Salary Per Year

April 21, 2012 by Leave a Comment

 

 

School counselor salary really depends on location. For example, in the state of Georgia where I live, the  starting salaries range from $32,000 to $50,000 a year. Why the huge range? Well, besides location, the number of days worked affects this. Some school counselors might work for 10 months a year whereas some school counselors might work 10.5 months a year depending on their school district.

I am working on a school counselor salary page for each state in the United States. Here is just an example of some STARTING salaries:

Alabama Department of Education

  • School Counselor with less than 3 years of experience working 187 days= $41,564. This is the current 2012 salary.

California Department of Education: The salary schedule is a little confusing to me, maybe you can interpret it.

Florida Department of Education

Guidance Starting Salary: $50,441

Georgia School Counselor Salary

Texas School Counselor Salary

  • Average salary is $38,144 per year (source).
Mississippi Salary Schedule: PDF not working when I tried to open it.
New York Salary Schedule

Pennsylvania

The School District of Philadelphia: $42, 321 (step 1)

As you can the salaries are very spread out and it depends on the school district. I am confident to say that $38,000-$45,000 is not an unusual amount to expect as a starting salary. Starting in the $50,000′s seems to be for school districts that work longer contracted days per year or is possibly in a higher cost of living area.

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Filed Under: School Counselor Salary

How to Become a School Counselor

April 6, 2012 by Leave a Comment

 

Learn How to Become a School Counselor….From a Licensed Professional School Counselor!

Making the decision to becoming a school counselor can be exciting. Entering the field of school counseling requires someone with passion  You are at the right place because I have literally been there done that. I graduated from Georgia State University in Atlanta, GA with a Master’s in Education Degree in School Counseling. Becoming a school counselor is something I wanted to do for a long time because I wanted to help children. So, let’s get started learning how to make your your passion a reality!

School Counselor Degree Requirements

To enter the school counseling field, you must have a Master’s Degree, which would mean you first need a Bachelor’s Degree. If you are in high school, then you will need to apply to an undergraduate program at a college/university. In my experience, there is not a specific Bachelor’s Degree you need before you apply to many Master’s program unless you live in a state that requires teaching experience (PLEASE read next paragraph about certain conditions). I attended graduate school with students who had degrees in teaching, the social sciences, and social work. I have a Bachelor’s degree in psychology. I even knew a student who had a law degree! There is much variety of students who apply to graduate school programs.

With that being said, there are specific states that require you to have a teaching degree and experience as a teacher before you become a school counselor. For example, in the state of Texas, you must have experience as a teacher for several years before you can even apply to a school counseling position. I live in Georgia and that was not the case at all. I HIGHLY recommend you check with your local state educational board that approves licenses to determine what the regulations are in your state.

Once you have obtained your Bachelor’s degree, you can then apply to a Master’s Degree program. At this point, you will need to follow the requirements of the grad school before applying. You will generally need letters of recommendations and test scores. I took the GRE (Graduate Record Examination). I did not score particularly high on this exam; however, my references, interview and application materials allowed to me to show what an outstanding candidate I was. I highly recommend attending a graduate program that is accredited by CACREP.

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Calendar with Velco Months, Years, Seasons: Great for Teaching

March 21, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Decorating my own school counseling office is something that I think about occasionally. I love looking at items I would hang on my wall to make it kid friendly. I found this cute calendar that would be elementary school friendly. It is currently on clearance for $16.99. I’m thinking about buying it for my 4 year old! :)

This calendar allows the child to move and pick the day, date, month, season, weather, and year with the velcro pieces. Reviews stated that the calendar was durable. This teaching chart measures 25″L x 19″W. Includes years 2009-2014 and is machine washable.

So how can school counselors use this calendar? It could be used as an icebreaker for children who are upset and visit the office. Or it could simply be a decoration to make the school counseling office as kid friendly as possible. As a parent, I definitely see how I could use this at home since my son is still learning about these things. How do you think you could use this as a counselor?

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Filed Under: School Counselor Resources Tagged With: ,

Grief Lesson Plan: Balloon Release

March 20, 2012 by Leave a Comment

 

Last year my father passed away. I have never experienced a death from someone that close to me like that in my life. My son was 3, going on 4, when he passed away. Now here we are, less than 2 months from my son’s 5th birthday, and we are dealing with the realization that my son has been deeply suffering from the loss of his “paw paw”. We are considering placing him in play therapy. My son has inspired me to look for grief lessons.

During my school counseling internship, I did administer a grief group to children who were in 3 and 5th grade. At the time, I had not lost anyone very close to me before. Now I have. It’s just so sad to think about children who have lost their parents at such a young age. My mother gave me an idea today that I wished I would have done with my grief group. A balloon release.

I plan to do a ballon release with my son. Here is a quick lesson plan you could do the same day with your students or child.

Domain: Personal/Social

ASCA Standards: Check back soon for this.

Start the group by explaining that there will be a balloon release.

Allow the child 10 minutes to write a message on the balloon to their loved one.

Ask if any of the children would like to share the message with the group.

When everyone is outside, have everyone release their balloons at the same time.

Conclude the group by asking all the students what were their thoughts when the balloon was released. How did it feel to see the balloon go in the sky?

Photo Credit

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School Counselor Rated Best Jobs in 2012

March 8, 2012 by Leave a Comment

 

It looks like the school counseling profession has been rated one of the best jobs for the year of 2012! Wahoo! That’s great. This article made me envy others who have a job in the field, which I have been unable to land a school counseling position. It is true that competition is very high, like the article mentioned.

It was great seeing this comment:

According to Gail M. Smith, a school counseling director for the Cobb County School District in Georgia and a board member with the American School Counselor Association, “It is one of the best professions in the world. We get to work with students and see them achieve.”

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Filed Under: School Counseling News

Georgia School Counselor Salary Schedules

August 24, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Here is a list of school counselor salary schedules for Georgia school districts. This is a work in progress. If I could not the direct link to the salary schedule, I linked to the human resources page for that school district. It doesn’t mean the schedule is not there though.

Appling County School District

Atkinson School District

Atlanta Public Schools

Bacon County Schools

Baker

Baldwin

Banks

Barrow

Bartow County

Ben Hill

Berrien

Cartersville School System and here is the 2009-2010 salary schedule

Clarke County (Athens) Salary Schedule

Cherokee County

Cobb County 2011-2012 

Douglas County 2011-2012 Salary Schedules

Fulton County

Richmond County Schools

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How to Find Accurate School Counselor Salary For Your State

August 24, 2011 by Leave a Comment

A school counselor starting salary in the area I live in is around $43,000. In the downtown Atlanta area, I believe the starting salary is $47,000 (I think), but they work more days out of the year. To become a school counselor, you must have a master’s degree on top of a bachelor’s degree. So that salary is for a master’s degree holding individual.

I could write a long blog stating each starting salary in an area all over the United States. If you want more accurate date, this is what I recommend you do to help yourself.

  • Answer this question. Where do you live? What school district would you want to work at if you obtained a school counseling position? I live in Georgia. I would love a job anywhere in the metro Atlanta area.
  • After you have answered this question, go to that school district’s website. Find the salary schedule. Don’t know what that is? Let me explain. Let’s say I want to work in the Fulton County School District. I just Googled Fulton County School Salary Schedule, and I found this salary schedule. I also found the Cobb County Salary Schedule.
  • If you are looking at that salary schedule you are probably wondering what the heck that data means. Well, one category has the word “STEP”. This is experience/number of years. You need to look at the 0 column unless you are a teacher that has previous experience. I believe that experience counts towards your salary level. I’m not 100% sure how to read the Fulton County schedule, but I believe for a master’s degree candidate you would look at 6 years because a master’s degree is generally 2 years.
  • On the Cobb County Schedule,  you can see there are step levels. A master’s degree candidate has a T-5 level certificate, so the starting salary of a school counselor would be $43,075.
  • Working for the school system does not give you very large raises. According to the two school counselor salary schedules above, in over a 10 year period, you are looking at about a $7,500-$10,000 raise. It largely depends on the school district you work in, so go Google the district you want to work in and find out.
  • Around the country I’ve heard of starting salaries of $35,000 to $50,000. For example, according to this 2009 Bartow County salary schedule, school counselors made $38,000. As you can see, this is a HUGE difference between Bartow and Fulton County…less than 40 miles apart.
  • I believe all of the other websites that says what a school counselor salary can be misleading. Do your research. Feel free to leave a comment if you know what the starting salary is in the school district in your area. I plan to make a page with links to all of the salary schedules.
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