UTEP Earns Grant to Study Student-Counselor Ratios

Last Updated on August 28, 2018 at 12:00 AM

Originally published August 28, 2018

By UC Staff

UTEP Communications

The American School Counselor Association recently awarded a $10,000 grant to The University of Texas at El Paso’s Carleton H. Brown, Ph.D., assistant professor and school counselor clinical coordinator in the Department of Educational Psychology and Special Services.

Carleton H. Brown, Ph.D., left, assistant professor and school counselor clinical coordinator in the Department of Educational Psychology and Special Services. David Knight, Ph.D., right, assistant professor in the Department of Educational Leadership and Foundations, will assist Brown in the study titled, “Identifying Optimal Student-To-School Counselor Ratios: Evidence from Texas.”

Brown said the project’s primary research goal is to provide insights into the optimal student-to-school counselor ratio by exploring the relationship between existing student-school counselor staffing ratios and important student outcomes.

David Knight, Ph.D., assistant professor in the Department of Educational Leadership and Foundations, will assist Brown in the study titled, “Identifying Optimal Student-To-School Counselor Ratios: Evidence from Texas.” The grant is for one year ending in August 2019.

Researchers will explore whether hiring additional school counselors reduces student retention and disciplinary actions and increases graduation rates, standardized test results, and applications for federal student loans through the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) program.