| Before becoming a writer, I spent ten years | | | | government provided, on average $34.7 million |
| marketing Web-based job posting and resume | | | | funds for local education agencies to hire |
| tools to college career centers. One outcome | | | | more elementary school counselors. In FY |
| of this experience is that I gained | | | | 2008, the Bush Administration finally |
| considerable appreciation for career | | | | appropriated sufficient funds - $48.6 million |
| counselors and guidance counselors at the | | | | - to allow local education agencies to add |
| high school level. | | | | secondary school counselors. |
| | | | |
| When I was in high school, I visited my | | | | The increase is welcome, but the funding was |
| guidance counselor to make my class schedule | | | | still just a drop in the bucket. There is |
| and research colleges. I had some idea of | | | | also a proposed Put School Counselors Where |
| what I wanted before I came into the guidance | | | | They're Needed Act to support 10 |
| office, so I probably benefited less than | | | | demonstration projects in poor performing |
| other students who were less certain about | | | | schools that has been sitting in a House |
| their career and educational options, or | | | | subcommittee since September 2007. That |
| needed to speak to a counselor to get help on | | | | proposal is also not ambitious enough. |
| a personal problem. | | | | |
| | | | Given the major intentions of No Child Left |
| Under No Child Left Behind, guidance | | | | Behind, to eliminate the "achievement gap," |
| counselors have several roles under | | | | and to attain 100 percent proficiency within |
| participation and proficiency; they, more | | | | six years, I wish to offer a funding |
| than teachers try to prevent students from | | | | solution: to redirect $130 million allocated |
| dropping out of school and try to find | | | | for the Youth Anti Drug Advertising Program |
| assistance for students in need of tutoring | | | | in FY 2009 to help more schools, especially |
| or social services that their schools do not | | | | the worst performing, attract guidance |
| provide. | | | | counselors. |
| | | | |
| I would have to believe that schools that are | | | | I know that's a stretch, but the federal |
| continually in need of improvement under No | | | | Office of Management and Budget has stated on |
| Child Left Behind need qualified guidance | | | | their web site, ExpectMore, that an |
| counselors as badly as they need qualified | | | | independent, long-term evaluation found no |
| teachers. The federal Bureau of Labor | | | | connection between these anti-drug |
| Statistics has projected a 13 percent growth | | | | advertisements and youth drug use behavior. I |
| in employment for school counselors, from | | | | also believe this is a great example of an |
| 260,000 professionals in 2006 to 292,000 | | | | opportunity for private sector volunteerism |
| professionals by 2016. The American School | | | | to take over for a government program. |
| Counselor Association recommends an average | | | | |
| of one counselor for every 250 elementary and | | | | If the federal government is serious about |
| secondary school students; the national | | | | supporting a world-class education system, |
| average is one counselor for every 476 | | | | then an investment in counseling would be far |
| students. | | | | more productive than an investment in |
| | | | advertising that hasn't worked. |
| From FY 2005 through FY 2007, the federal | | | | |