The availability of counselors in public schools remains uneven, with many having either a high counselor-to-student ratio or no counselors at all, according to Education Commissioner Dr. Rita A. Sablan.<\/p>\n
She also disclosed that more than half of public school enrollees this year have been found reading below their grade levels.<\/p>\n
Sablan, guest speaker in last Friday\u2019s special workshop for PSS counselors, revealed these figures as she encouraged counselors and school leaders to seriously take their part in making a difference in the lives of their students.<\/p>\n
PSS is home to 10,000-plus students from kindergarten to high school.
\nAt Garapan Elementary School, for instance, Sablan cited the extremely high number of students being served by just one counselor, Derwin Johnson.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt GES, we have one counselor for all 800 students. That\u2019s really a lot!\u201d she said Friday as she lauded the hard work of school counselors like Johnson\u2014this year\u2019s State Counselor of the Year awardee.
\nAccording to Sablan, public schools have only 25 counselors this year.
\nIt was learned that four schools do not have any counseling staff at all.
\nSablan disclosed that Koblerville Elementary School, which has over 700 students, along with Tinian elementary, Tanapag elementary, and Dandan elementary schools, just receive counseling assistance from their cluster schools.
\n\u201cIt\u2019s never enough. PSS has 10,000 kids and we need more than 25 counselors. Through the school clusters that we put together, four of our schools are just sharing their [counseling staff] with partner schools,\u201d Sablan told Saipan Tribune, adding that anything beyond 300 students for every counselor is difficult for any school district.
\nIn large campuses like GES, Sablan said that school administrators have been helping counsel students to ensure that students\u2019 needs are met.<\/p>\n
Reading level
\nAlso on Friday, Sablan said the latest PSS report indicates that more than half of students in the system are not reading at their grade levels.
\n\u201cOf all the things that we do, why is it that we continue to see 51 percent of our students reading below grade level? We need to seriously look at this number and do something!\u201d said Sablan.
\nPSS conducts a standard based assessment test each year and includes a test that measures the reading level skills of students.
\nStudies suggest that students who are proficient in reading or writing within their grade level are more likely to complete their education.
\nIn providing a better understanding of the PSS situation, Sablan shared with participants other data that would help the system in planning initiatives, services, and programs.
\nFor example, in the CNMI, six out of 10 students in public schools are at the poverty threshold.
\n\u201cJust imagine the kind of population we\u2019re working with. I am not trying to paint a grim picture here, but this is the reality,\u201d she said.
\nShe also lamented the over 90 percent of NMC students who are placed in remedial education once they enter NMC. It was learned that about 200 students who graduated from PSS last year enrolled at NMC. This represents 40 percent of the total number of graduates last school year.
\n\u201cWe have a lot of students who remain undecided [to go to college]. Where did they go?\u201d she asked, pointing out that this group is not even in gainful employment. She relates this to the 2010 Census data where it found that there are 10,000 unemployed individuals on the islands.
\nThe PSS report also indicated that there are 3,000 individuals ages 18-35 who don\u2019t have high school diplomas.<\/p>\n
Other data presented were PSS\u2019 record of daily students\u2019 attendance where it found that approximately 300 students are out of classes each day in public schools.<\/p>\n
Betel-nut chewing remains on top of the list of student infractions. She emphasized the need for PSS to work with the community in addressing this issue.<\/p>\n
Next with the highest infraction is \u201cexcessive tardiness\u201d while possession of a controlled substance like alcohol or drugs is third. Bullying, harassment, and assault are also on the list.
\n\u201cWhat can we do to help them? Let\u2019s think about that,\u201d she told participants.<\/p>\n
Despite these challenges, Sablan said that PSS continues to receive positive feedback from the community and that continues to inspire the system.<\/p>\n
She told Saipan Tribune it is important to regularly update educators of key data on various areas for better performance outcome.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur focus [on Friday] was really sharing our success and best practices as we continue to collaborate,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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