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COUNSELOR TO STUDENT RATIO Both Argyle and Lewisville ISDs have been responsive in decreasing the counselor- student ratio in recent years.
Young people and adults can reveal mental health strains in di erent ways, but some signs and origins are similar. UNDERSTANDING YOUR MENTAL HEALTH
Represents 1 counselor
Represents 100 students
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS
Counselor to student ratio 2018-19: 1 counselor for every 325 students 2022-23: 1 counselor for every 274 students 2018-19: 1 counselor for every 437 students 2022-23: 1 counselor for every 355 students
Ratio
Avoiding friends and social activities Prolonged or strong feelings of irritability or anger
Excessive worrying or fear Feeling excessively sad or low Di culty concentrating and learning Extreme mood changes
Lewisville ISD
Di culties understanding or relating to other people Changes in sleeping habits Inability to carry out daily activities or handle daily problems and stress
Argyle ISD
COUNSELOR SALARIES
Argyle and Lewisville ISDs both pay their counselors more than $70,000 annually, and average salaries have increased since 2018.
CONTRIBUTING FACTORS
Lewisville ISD
$80,000 Argyle ISD
Traumatic experiences Few friends or few healthy relationships Brain damage as a result of a serious injury
A previous mental illness
$76,146
A childhood history of abuse or neglect Use of alcohol or recreational drugs Stressful life situations
$71,666
$70,000
$75,236
A history of mental illness in a blood relative, such as a parent or sibling
$68,188
$60,000
An ongoing (chronic) medical condition, such as diabetes
$0
SOURCE: NATIONAL ALLIANCE ON MENTAL ILLNESS COMMUNITY IMPACT MAYO CLINIC LEWISVILLE ISD
2018-19 2019-20 2020-21 2021-22 2022-23 Years
SOURCE: TEXAS EDUCATION AGENCY COMMUNITY IMPACT
school district has a “longstanding his- tory” of responding to student needs. “We as educators are certainly looking for signs that someone might need help,” Crow said. “We know stu- dents must have their mental health supported in order to be optimally ready to learn.” The Texas Model for School Counsel- ing, which LISD uses, was adopted into the Texas Education Agency code in 2017, she said, and the plan outlines not only the role of the school counselor to support students through individ- ual and group counseling opportuni- ties, but it also helps through guidance
curriculum with the goal of prevention education. “Students are taught things like problem-solving skills, con ict res- olution and health coping skills, and how to recognize the signs you might need help, to name a few,” Crow said. “Any materials used are on the [Sub- stance Abuse and Mental Health Ser- vices Administration] registry, and are research and evidence based.” The Substance Abuse and Men- tal Health Services Administration, a branch of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, works to improve substance abuse and mental
and coping. At the middle school level, parents responded to the needs assessment by saying they wanted students to get help with stress management and relation- ships skills, and guidance lessons also are provided. The Argyle High School counseling program features respon- sive services, system support, individ- ual planning and guidance curriculum. Lewisville ISD’s e orts to help students Monya Crow, executive director of counseling and social work services in Lewisville ISD, said in an email the
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students, with the elementary coun- selors discussing how families and sta received a needs assessment survey at the beginning of the year to determine how best to help students. The primary areas parents wanted the district to help students in, based on the survey, were con ict reso- lution, self con dence, friendship skills and anxiety. At the elementary level, counselors conduct guidance lessons in classrooms involving vari- ous skills, such as stress management
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