Beyond Ratios: How High School Counselor Caseloads and Time Allocation Shape College Access

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Saturday 11:45 am - Gold 4
  In Roundtable Session: Advancing Equity and Access in Educational Systems

Abstract

This study examines how high school counselor caseloads affect college access through time allocation, using mediation analysis with propensity score matching on HSLS:09 data. Students in schools with a 250:1 counselor-to-student ratio show better outcomes: 2.8 % higher application rates (β=0.028, p<0.01), 0.8 more applications (95% CI [0.63, 1.02]), and 2.9 % higher enrollment likelihood (β=0.029, p<0.01). Counselors in lower-caseload schools spend 4.6% more time on college readiness (p<0.001), mediating 14-21% of effects of caseload on college-going outcomes. Specifically, time allocation has strong positive mediation (25.2%) in public schools, while in private schools shows negative effects (-10.3%), highlighting organizational context's influence. Maintaining manageable caseloads with protected advising time can promote equitable college access, offering guidance for staffing reforms.

Author

• Yue Di, Michigan State University