Education

How Minnesota ranks in ratio of students to counselors

Jon Gordon Mar 22, 2013
3

As Tom Weber reported on Thursday’s show, Minnesota ranks among states with the highest ratios of students to counselors in the public schools. Here’s a graphic that helps make the point:

(MPR News graphic by Frank Bi)

  • Jim G

    This student to counselor ratio is another metric showing how Minnesota kids pay the price for under-funding our public schools over the past ten years. Forty-eighth in the country shows we need to improve, don’t you agree?

    • sternwheeler

      No, jim.

      Washington, D.C. has the worst school system in the country, and yet is in second place in the counselor race, 4 times as many as Minnesota. Mississippi and Alabama, also worst schools in America, middle of the pack with twice as many counselors as MN. Arkansas, another worst, is in eleventh place.

      Obviously there is no correlation whatsoever. Or, less is better.

  • Patty

    Counselors can be such a help in a school environment and a support to a teacher and his/her class. There are children in our schools who need more than reading, writing, and ‘rithmetic, but a teacher cannot be everything to every student. Recognizing that the days of Beaver Cleaver are over and building up all children goes a long way to benefiting everyone.