Dear Friends,
Over the past few weeks, many of you have contacted me about legislation and issues that matter to you. Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts. Constituent advocacy plays a critical role in shaping public policy, and your voices help guide the work we do in Harrisburg. As June continues to be a busy month at the Capitol, I am doing my best to respond to your concerns and keep you informed about the legislation before us.
This week, I want to highlight two important bills that focus on student support services in our schools which are moving through the legislative process. Discussions about education often center on classroom funding, literacy rates and test scores, but students also rely on counselors, nurses, and other professionals who help meet their academic, emotional, and physical needs. Too often, these vital services are stretched thin, leaving students without the support they need and deserve.
House Bill 2218, which I co-sponsored, was introduced by Rep. Steele to improve and standardize school counseling services for students in every grade level. As a legislator, I often speak with parents concerned about students’ rates of anxiety, depression, self-harming behavior and suicidal ideation and students’ lack of consistent access to mental health services. Kids cannot learn if they’re in crisis and their needs are not being addressed.
Research indicates that mental health concerns among children and adolescents have become increasingly common in recent years, with anxiety, depression, and other behavioral health conditions, including suicide, affecting a growing number of young people. The onset of many mental health disorders occurs during childhood or adolescence, underscoring the importance of early identification and intervention.
While improved screening and awareness have helped identify more children in need of support, research also demonstrates that adverse childhood experiences, chronic stress, and other environmental pressures can have a direct and lasting impact on children's mental health and emotional well-being. Studies have also shown that these experiences can alter brain development, increase the risk of anxiety and depression, and contribute to poorer mental health outcomes throughout life.
The American School Counselor Association (ASCA) recommends one counselor for every 250 students so that counselors can spend an appropriate amount of time with children. Data from the U.S. Department of Education National Center for Education Statistics, show the 2024–2025 national student-to-school-counselor ratio was 372:1. Per the ASCA, last year, “for the first time, the high school student-counselor range of 195 to 224 students for every one counselor, meeting the ASCA recommended ratio of 250-to-1.” They went on to note, “elementary and middle schools still do not meet the recommended student-counselor ratios, with a range of 571 to 694 students for every counselor.” The report also notes that Pennsylvania’s student-counselor rate in 2024-25 was 317 to 1.
HB 2218 would help ensure that students receive the support they need by requiring schools to develop comprehensive counseling plans that allow counselors to focus on student services rather than routinely being assigned unrelated duties such as substitute teaching or administrative tasks. The plans must be implemented by Pennsylvania-certified school counselors, align with nationally recognized counseling frameworks, and be reviewed annually to ensure effectiveness.
At a time when students are facing growing challenges related to anxiety, depression, eating disorders, and other behavioral health concerns, it is essential that school counselors have the time, resources, and professional autonomy to do the jobs they were trained to do.
HB 2218 passed the House with bipartisan support and is now before the Senate Education Committee. If you support this legislation and would like to see it reach the Governor's desk, please contact the Chair of the Senate Education Committee and request a vote on the bill.
For those interested in learning more about youth mental health, the U.S. Surgeon General's Youth Mental Health Advisory provides valuable information about the challenges facing young people and resources available to families, educators, and community members.
Another critical issue facing our schools is student health services. Our students do not have the access to medical care that they should. In Pennsylvania, the current ratio of registered school nurses is 1,500 to 1. While a safe school nurse-to-student ratio varies based on student health needs, the CDC and the National Association of School Nurses recommend a baseline of 1:750 for healthy student populations. School nurses are essential to ensuring student health.
One of the issues impacting access is that Pennsylvania's school health funding formula for health care reimbursement has not kept pace with the growing demands placed on school nurses. Under the current system, public schools receive a flat reimbursement rate of $9.70 per student, a figure that has remained largely unchanged for decades despite rising healthcare costs. As a result, traditional public schools struggle to meet student health needs. Conversely, many cyber charter schools receive far more in reimbursement than they spend on health services since students are not under their direct care.
To address these inequities, Rep. Borowski has introduced HB 2285, which I co-sponsored.
The legislation would increase the reimbursement rate by 30 percent, from $9.70 to $12.61 per student, helping schools better cover the costs of providing health services. While this adjustment does not fully account for decades of inflation and rising medical expenses, it represents an important step toward modernizing an outdated funding system.
HB 2285 would also strengthen access to school nurses by establishing a ratio of one certified school nurse for every 750 students, replacing the current maximum ratio of one nurse for every 1,500 students.
This change reflects the reality that student health needs have become increasingly complex. While many of us might remember visiting our school nurses for lice checks, Band-Aids and tummy troubles, school nurses care for students with chronic conditions such as diabetes, cystic fibrosis, epilepsy, and cerebral palsy. Because of the breadth of the population they are serving, their time is spent on a large number of very complex tasks. They develop individualized health plans, respond to medical emergencies, administer medications, and provide critical support for students throughout the school day.
Schools cannot meet these growing demands without adequate staffing and resources. We must ensure student safety, access to qualified healthcare professionals, and support schools in meeting both their legal and moral responsibility to protect children. HB 2285 passed out of the education committee along party lines and is expected to come before the House for a vote soon, and I will be supporting it.
As budget negotiations continue, I will keep you updated on legislation that affects our schools, communities, and families. Thank you again for staying engaged and sharing your perspectives. If you have questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reply to this email or contact my district office.