Sánchez introduces legislation to designate “National School Counseling Week”
The annual resolution honors school counselors by designating February 5 to February 9 as “National School Counseling Week”
WASHINGTON – Today, Congresswoman Linda T. Sánchez (D-CA) introduced an annual resolution to designate the week of February 5 through 9 as “National School Counseling Week,” something she has done each year since 2008. “I am honored to recognize the relentless efforts and dedications of school counselors every National School Counseling Week,” said Congresswoman Sánchez. “School counselors not only shape a student’s college and career path, but they also play an incredibly important role in supporting a student as they navigate the realities of growing up.” Congresswoman Sánchez has long been an advocate for school counselors across the country. In addition to this resolution, Congresswoman Sánchez introduced the PutSchool Counselors Where They’re Needed Act earlier this Congress, which would put more counselors in high schools with graduation rates of 60 percent or lower. The American School Counselor Association, the National Association for College Admission Counseling, and other organizations recommend a ratio of one school counselor to 250 students, and a lower ratio for counselors working primarily with students at risk. However, the average counselor-to-student ratio in America’s public schools is one to 408, a ratio that hardly allows for individual attention and intensive support. Even worse, in California’s public schools, that average ratio is a staggering 509 students per counselor. Both the resolution and the Put School Counselors Where They’re Needed Act are supported by the American School Counselor Association and the National Association for College Admission Counseling. The resolution is cosponsored by Reps. Andy Kim (D-NJ), Jamaal Bowman (D-NY), Stephen Lynch (D-MA), Danny Davis (D-IL), Jimmy Panetta (D-CA), Debbie Dingell (D-MI), Sanford Bishop (D-GA), Jill Tokuda (D-HI), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), David Trone (D-MD), Jahana Hayes (D-CT), and Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ). Full text of the resolution designating National School Counseling Week is here. ### |