Salt Lake City School District to fund more full-time counselors
May 10, 2019, 8:28 AM
Photo: Getty Images
SALT LAKE CITY — The Salt Lake City Board of Education says they are making social and emotional learning a top priority, by funding more full-time counselors in elementary schools.
Each of the 27 elementary schools in the Salt Lake City School District will now get a full-time counselor. For years the board has supported a half-time counselor at each school.
The superintendent says this change will be “transformative for both educators and students.”
They are also adding more assistant principals and literacy coaches, and giving para-professionals a raise to $15 an hour, matching the high-paying Park City School District.
The news release outlined the following after the Board vote:
- Funding to support one full-time counselor at all 27 elementary schools in the Salt Lake City School District. (For years, the Board of Education has supported a half-time counselor at every elementary school.)
- Funding to support an additional .5 counselor at Clayton Middle School. This will bring Clayton more in line to the student to counselor ratio at the other four middle schools in SLCSD.
- A pay increase to $15 per hour for all instructional paraprofessionals in the Salt Lake City School District (SLCSD). This pay increase will apply to paraprofessionals who work directly with students in an instructional capacity.
- The addition of 4.5 assistant principals to support a greater number of elementary schools across SLCSD. Currently, 15 elementary schools have at least a .5 assistant principal. The distribution of the additional 4.5 assistant principals has not yet be determined but will allow for administrative support at an increased number of SLCSD elementary schools.
- The addition of 2.4 literacy coaches at SLCSD elementary schools. This addition will make it possible for all SLCSD elementary schools to have literacy coaching support and will also create a position for an English Language Development Coach to support elementary school teachers.
