Schools Turn to AI Chatbots as School Counselor Shortage Persists

NewsData.io · United States · Sep 11, 2026

Facing a persistent school counselor shortage, over 200 schools across 19 states have adopted AI wellness platform Alongside to help fill gaps in student mental health support. Schools cite cost savings over hiring additional staff — one high school of 1,800 students has only three behavioral counselors — and praise the platform's real-time crisis alerting features. The trend signals growing institutional demand for AI-driven tools to offset staffing deficits in specialized roles, a dynamic staffing agencies serving the education and healthcare sectors should monitor. Mental health experts, however, continue to raise concerns about unregulated AI chatbot use with minors.