For more information, contact one of our lobbyists:

Jodee Buhr: 651-292-4830, jodee.buhr@edmn.org Kathi Micheletti: 651-292-4890, kathi.micheletti@edmn.org Paul Winkelaar: 651-292-4837, paul.winkelaar@edmn.org Updated 2/24/16

www.educationminnesota.orgEducation Minnesota is an affiliate of the American Federation of Teachers, the National Education Association and AFL-CIO.

ISSUE BRIEF2016 Legislative Session

Student Support ServicesThe research is clear—when students have access to comprehensive support services, they do better in school. School attendance rates, test scores, graduation rates and post-secondary enrollment increases, while disciplinary action and suspension rates decrease.

Minnesota prides itself in offering a system of quality public schools. But our state trails the rest of the nation when it comes to investing in school counselors, nurses, social workers and other support staff our students need to succeed.

The problem

No other state spends a smaller percentage of its education spending on student support services.

Minnesota spends about half the national average on student supports—$301 per pupil in 2013 compared to $601 per pupil, according to a Minnesota Public Radio analysis of U.S. Census Bureau’s annual survey of school finances. That means about 2.6 percent of education funding went to support services in schools, while the national average was 5.5 percent.

That same analysis found Minnesota would have to double what we spend now—about $260 million—to catch up to the national average.

The result? Minnesota’s licensed support services personnel are being stretched too thin, juggling enormous and often unmanageable workloads. And our kids aren’t getting the level of support they need.

Minnesota’s student-to-counselor ratio of 743-to-1 is one of the worst in the nation—only Arizona and California’s ratios are worse. The national average is 490-to-1; the American School Counselor Association recommends a 250-to-1 ratio.

Putting more counselors, social workers and psychologists in our schools is critical. One in five adolescents age 13-18 have a mental health condition, according to the National Alliance of Mental Illness. About half of all lifetime cases of mental illness begin by age 14 and about 50 percent of students age 14 or older with a mental illness drop out of high school.

It’s also becoming more common for Minnesota schools to not have a full-time licensed school nurse. Sometimes other school staff, like a secretary, fill the role.

(over)

Denise Specht President

Paul Mueller Vice President

Rodney Rowe Secretary-Treasurer

With more of our children coming to school with increasingly complex medical conditions, this is unacceptable. Diabetes and asthma are also on the rise. Food allergies among children alone increased 50 percent between 1997 and 2011, according to a 2013 study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The solution

Education Minnesota supports the Supporting Our Students Act (SF1364/HF2045) to help schools hire more licensed support staff.

The bill provides school districts with a mandate-free, optional matching grant program to hire additional licensed school counselors, nurses, social workers, psychologists or chemical dependency counselors as needed.

These professionals work in collaborative teams to ensure students have the support they need to achieve and succeed and that classroom teachers can focus on student learning.Mental Health Facts CHILDREN & TEENS

Fact: 1 in 5 children ages 13-18 have, or will have a serious mental illness.1

Impact

Warning Signs

Suicide

20% 11% 10% 8%20% of youth ages

13-18 live with a mental health condition1

11% of youth have a mood disorder

110% of youth

have a behavior or conduct disorder

1

8% of youth have an anxiety disorder

1

50% of all lifetime cases of mental illness begin by age 14 and 75% by age 24.150%

The average delay between onset of symptoms and intervention is 8-10 years.110 yrs

Approximately 50% of students age 14 and older with a mental illness drop out of high school.150%

70%70% of youth in state and local juvenile justice systems have a mental illness.1

Suicide is the 3rd leading cause of death in youth ages 10 - 24.1

3rd

!

!

!

!

!

Feeling very sad or withdrawn for more than 2 weeks (e.g., crying regularly, feeling fatigued, feeling unmotivated).

Trying to harm or kill oneself or making plans to do so.

Out-of-control, risk-taking behaviors that can cause harm to self or others.

Sudden overwhelming fear for no reason, sometimes with a racing heart, physical discomfort or fast breathing.

Not eating, throwing up or using laxatives to lose weight; significant weight loss or gain.

Severe mood swings that cause problems in relationships.

Repeated use of drugs or alcohol.

Drastic changes in behavior, personality or sleeping habits (e.g., waking up early and acting agitated).

Extreme difficulty in concentrating or staying still that can lead to failure in school.

Intense worries or fears that get in the way of daily activities like hanging out with friends or going to classes.

!!

!

!

!

4 Things Parents Can Do

Talk with your pediatrician

Get a referral to amental health specialist

Work with the school

Connect withother families

90% of those who died by suicide had an underlying mental illness.1

90%

www.nami.org

1 This document cites statistics provided by the National Institute of Mental Health. www.nimh.nih.gov

Follow Us!

facebook.com/officialNAMI

twitter.com/NAMIcommunicate

Mental Health Facts CHILDREN & TEENS

Fact: 1 in 5 children ages 13-18 have, or will have a serious mental illness.1

Impact

Warning Signs

Suicide

20% 11% 10% 8%20% of youth ages

13-18 live with a mental health condition1

11% of youth have a mood disorder

110% of youth

have a behavior or conduct disorder

1

8% of youth have an anxiety disorder

1

50% of all lifetime cases of mental illness begin by age 14 and 75% by age 24.150%

The average delay between onset of symptoms and intervention is 8-10 years.110 yrs

Approximately 50% of students age 14 and older with a mental illness drop out of high school.150%

70%70% of youth in state and local juvenile justice systems have a mental illness.1

Suicide is the 3rd leading cause of death in youth ages 10 - 24.1

3rd

!

!

!

!

!

Feeling very sad or withdrawn for more than 2 weeks (e.g., crying regularly, feeling fatigued, feeling unmotivated).

Trying to harm or kill oneself or making plans to do so.

Out-of-control, risk-taking behaviors that can cause harm to self or others.

Sudden overwhelming fear for no reason, sometimes with a racing heart, physical discomfort or fast breathing.

Not eating, throwing up or using laxatives to lose weight; significant weight loss or gain.

Severe mood swings that cause problems in relationships.

Repeated use of drugs or alcohol.

Drastic changes in behavior, personality or sleeping habits (e.g., waking up early and acting agitated).

Extreme difficulty in concentrating or staying still that can lead to failure in school.

Intense worries or fears that get in the way of daily activities like hanging out with friends or going to classes.

!!

!

!

!

4 Things Parents Can Do

Talk with your pediatrician

Get a referral to amental health specialist

Work with the school

Connect withother families

90% of those who died by suicide had an underlying mental illness.1

90%

www.nami.org

1 This document cites statistics provided by the National Institute of Mental Health. www.nimh.nih.gov

Follow Us!

facebook.com/officialNAMI

twitter.com/NAMIcommunicate

1 This document cites statistics provided by the National Institute of Mental Health. www.nimh.nih.gov.Source: National Alliance on Mental Illness