To help Oklahoma schools meet the needs of children in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Oklahoma State Department of Education (OSDE) is awarding grants to 181 school districts across the state to hire school counselors and school-based mental health professionals. OSDE is using $35.7 million in federal relief to fund the grant program called the Oklahoma School Counselor Corps.
Only two Kay County schools got the grants - $93,000 to Tonkawa Public Schools and $560,400 to Ponca City Public Schools.
“Schools have wrestled with inadequate numbers of counselors and mental health professionals for far too long,” said State Superintendent of Public Instruction Joy Hofmeister. “Oklahoma children suffer from a higher rate of trauma than children in most other states, and the pandemic has only exacerbated such adversity. These grants can bring transformational change to schools, some of which have not had a single school counselor. With academic success dependent on student well-being, this marks a critical investment for our students.”
Oklahoma’s current student-to-school counselor ratio is 411- to-1, but the American School Counselor Association recommends a ratio of 250-to-1.
Districts applied for Oklahoma School Counselor Corps grants to fund approximately 50% of the cost of the salary and benefits of qualified positions. In the application, districts were able to specify exact needs for school counselors, licensed school-based mental health professionals, social workers, recreational therapists and/or contract for eligible positions or services. The grant will fund the positions for three years or through the 2023-24 school year.
A total of 181 districts are receiving the grants. Schools have requested 222 school counselors, 36 licensed social workers, 54 licensed mental health professionals, four recreational therapists and 42 contracted services. The OSDE will hire five regional positions to support the Oklahoma School Counselor Corps with training and professional development. The Counselor Corps is the largest initiative under Ready Together Oklahoma: An Action Plan for Supporting Students Through the Pandemic and Beyond. The OSDE launched the recovery plan in May with online resources to support schools and communities as it determines the best uses of federal relief funds. Learn more about the Oklahoma School Counselor Corps in this FAQ.
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