CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) – As Albemarle County Public Schools begin to shift their plans for Social Emotional Learning for students, questions are emerging about the qualifications, responsibilities and oversight of staff who work directly with students in SEL-related roles.

Albemarle County Public Schools does not appear to have a clearly defined policy outlining who may meet with students one-on-one in SEL-related roles. The division is also in the process of phasing out SEL coach positions, according to a spokesperson, and it is not yet clear what specific guidelines will govern the new positions that replace them.

Hollymead Elementary, where SEL coach Michael Swiney worked before his arrest for child sex crimes, allowed licensed counselors to meet individually with students, but did not require SEL coaches to be licensed, according to the school’s website.

According to Chief Communications Officer of Albemarle County Public Schools Jason Grant, the Social Emotional Learning coach position is, “not a counselor. It’s not a teacher aid. It provides emotional support.”

Sources told Cville Right Now that there are no guidelines, either from the state or locally, that govern when ACPS staff can meet one-on-one with students, or which staffers can do so.

As ACPS strategic planning documents indicate, the division has made Social Emotional Learning a significant component of its educational framework. Under Objective 2.2, ACPS is committed to adopting, implementing and measuring the effectiveness of a Social Emotional Learning curriculum in grades K-12. The initiative includes programs such as Responsive Classroom and Developmental Designs.

School division records indicate that during the 2021-22 school year, ACPS adopted and implemented SEL curriculum at all grade levels and began using the Devereux Student Strengths Assessment tool to measure student needs and social-emotional competencies.

Grant explained that SEL coaches were introduced in response to increasing student needs following the COVID-19 pandemic, stating, “They’re created just coming out of COVID to provide additional emotional support and behavioral support for a classroom structure.”

He added, “We saw a lot of need to have that emotional support for students coming out of COVID… emotional issues, behavior issues.”

When asked about how SEL coaches interact with students individually, Grant said, “There’s not necessarily authorized one-on-one time. That could happen in different kinds of settings.”

As SEL programming expands and changes, the American School Counselor Association note that professionals serving in coaching, counseling, or student-support capacities often possess specialized academic and professional credentials. A bachelor’s degree in education, psychology, sociology, social work, or a related field is generally considered a foundational requirement. Many experts also recommend a master’s degree in counseling, school psychology, educational psychology, or a specialized SEL program.

Additional credentials may include state-issued School Counseling Certification, which is required for school counselors in most states, as well as licensure such as Licensed Professional Counselor status for individuals providing mental health counseling services. Specialized certifications, including programs focused on culturally responsive educational practices, may also demonstrate advanced SEL expertise.

Grant emphasized that licensing expectations are shifting within the division, noting, “That new position is a licensed position so a licensed social worker or therapist… a whole lot of different licensure that you could use in that.”

They also explained that current staff are expected to transition into more formally licensed roles, stating, “They need to get licensure to transition to that if they’re going to stay in that role.”

According to the Grant, the structure of the position is also changing over time: “The goal outcome is the same, what they can do is greater because they’re licensed professional so they can provide more professional support.”

He added that the SEL coach role itself is being phased out, stating, “That role is expiring… we’ve been transitioning out of SEL coach.”

ACPS policies allow school counselors to meet individually with students. At Woodbrook Elementary School, for example, the counseling program is described as developmental in nature and designed to help students understand themselves, set goals and resolve conflicts. Parents or teachers may request that a counselor meet with a student regarding a specific concern.

However, the school’s published counseling guidelines draw a distinction between educational counseling and clinical mental health treatment. The program states that school counselors do not provide psychotherapy or clinical-level interventions.

The ability of counselors and support staff to meet one-on-one with students is governed by established ACPS policies and professional standards intended to protect both students and staff. Such interactions are generally conducted within the educational mission of the school and are subject to division guidelines, documentation requirements and professional ethical standards.

As the school system invests in reshaping the SEL program, discussions about staff qualifications, professional certifications, parental awareness and program effectiveness are likely to remain important topics for educators and families throughout Albemarle County.

School officials have maintained that SEL programs are intended to support students’ academic success, interpersonal skills, self-awareness and overall well-being while remaining distinct from clinical mental health services.

The fallout from Swiney’s arrest has included the resignation of Superintendent Dr. Matthew Haas, at the school board’s request, and the decision to place Hollymead principal Joe McCauley on an administrative leave.

Swiney’s arrest came on the heels of another Woodbrook teacher, Nicholas Clark, being arrested on child pornography charges.