The evolving role of school guidance counselors took center stage this week in the State Legislature’s first interim study committee on education.

Educators and parents testified to state legislators Thursday afternoon on the growing demand placed on school counselors as students’ social-emotional well-being and the state’s changing diploma requirements, known as graduation pathways, continue to add to the plate of school guidance counselors.

“Counselors are burdened with a host of non-counseling assignments,” Stephanie Crandell of the Indiana School Counselor Association told lawmakers. “The impact of multiple pathways on a school counselor’s workload is tremendous.”