ANSWER:

The current MCPS staffing guidelines are built on a ratio of 250 students to 1.0 FTE counselor position for high schools. This is an average ratio so it means schools will have schoolwide ratios of between 225 to 270 students to one counselor. The additional 5.5 counselor positions will be allocated to 11 high needs schools that currently have an average projected ratio of 251:1. By adding a .5 FTE at each of the 11 schools, the ratio at these schools will decrease to an average projected ratio of 235:1. These ratios do not included additional ESOL counseling services provided at these schools.