This is why I said the “marketable” statement. We’ve had budget cuts happen often in our middle and high schools in our district. (California has a very low budget for education.). Those counselors and APs that could return to the classroom, had jobs; those that didn’t, were let go. (The pay scales were based on units beyond the B.S./B.A., and a large percentage of teachers already had their M.A./M.S. degrees.)
As for the counselors needing to know IEP’s, I couldn’t agree more! Sometimes our counselors were the primary “leads” during IEPs, with contentious parents and their attorneys. It was thought that the counselors could bring down the tone.
My sister attended USC, and the alumni network was there, but they didn’t help her to get her job in the educational settings. She interned in LA County but returned to SD County. All of the local schools were desperate for bilingual OTs, so she had her pick. She does see alumni at the games.