Using Homeroom Teachers as Counselors

 

When the West Virginia Board of Education (WVBE) discovers that homeroom teachers are performing the duties of certified school counselors—as was the case during the Pocahontas County High School crisis—they don't just send a sternly worded email. They trigger a high-stakes Special Circumstance Review to determine if the district is in violation of state law and professional ethics.

Here is the breakdown of the specific actions the state board takes to investigate and rectify such a scenario.

1. The "Certification Audit" (Legal Compliance)

The board first establishes a baseline of legal non-compliance. Under W. Va. Code §18-5-18b and WVBE Policy 2315, counseling services must be provided by a "certified school counselor"—someone with a Master’s degree in school counseling and a specific state-issued certificate.

• The Investigation Action: The WVDE Office of Accountability cross-references the school's master schedule and WVEIS (digital system) records to see whose credentials are tied to student advisement and transcript certification. If a homeroom teacher's name appears where a certified counselor's should be, it’s a red flag.

2. Forensic Staff Interviews

The state doesn't rely solely on digital records; they send investigators to the building to conduct confidential interviews.

• The Investigation Action: Investigators ask homeroom teachers direct questions: "Are you advising students on college career goals?" and "Are you the one selecting their programs of study?" * The Finding: In the PCHS case, these interviews revealed that because the certified counselor position was vacant, homeroom teachers were essentially "practicing without a license," which the state board classified as a systemic failure in the school counseling program (CSCP).

3. Personal Education Plan (PEP) Audit

In West Virginia, every high school student must have a Personal Education Plan (PEP). This plan is legally required to be developed in collaboration with a certified counselor.

• The Investigation Action: The board pulls a sample of student files to check the signatures on the PEPs. If they find that PEPs are either missing or were signed off by non-certified staff, the state declares the plans invalid. This was a "Key Finding" that led to the 2025 State of Emergency.

4. Evaluation of "Role Infringement"

The board investigates whether teachers were forced into these roles against their contract or if the administration used teachers to "cover" for a vacancy they failed to fill.

• The Investigation Action: The state reviews the district's hiring efforts. If the board finds that the district didn't try "multiple advertisements" or "recruitment incentives" before shifting the burden to teachers, they may cite the administration for Willful Neglect of Duty.

5. Mandated Remediation & "Graduation Coaches"

Once the investigation confirms teachers are acting as counselors, the state imposes immediate "corrective actions":

• Temporary Reassignment: The state may force the district to move counselors from middle schools or elementary schools to the high school several days a week.

• The "Graduation Coach" Compromise: If a certified counselor cannot be found, the state may authorize the hiring of a Graduation Coach. While this role doesn't require the same Master’s degree, it provides a centralized, trained individual to handle transcription and graduation tracking, taking that burden off homeroom teachers.

6. The "State of Emergency" Trigger

If the investigation finds that the use of homeroom teachers has led to transcript errors or missed graduation requirements (as it did at PCHS), the state board can:

• Strip Local Control: Take over the district's personnel and financial decisions.

• Appoint Mentors: Assign state-level supervisors to oversee the school's counseling and scheduling departments.

---