Senate Resolution 292 - National School Counseling Week

SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS: SENATE RESOLUTION 292-DESIGNATING THE WEEK BEGINNING FEBRUARY 2, 2004, AS "NATIONAL SCHOOL COUNSELING WEEK"

Mrs. MURRAY (for herself, Mr. BIDEN, Mr. DORGAN, Mr. JOHNSON, and Mr. DODD) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary:

S. RES. 292

Whereas the American School Counselor Association has declared the week beginning February 2, 2004, as "National School Counseling Week";

Whereas the Senate has recognized the importance of school counseling through the inclusion of elementary and secondary school counseling programs in the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965;

Whereas school counselors have long advocated that the American education system must leave no child behind and must provide opportunities for every student;

Whereas personal and social growth results in increased academic achievement;

Whereas school counselors help develop well-rounded students by guiding them through their academic, personal, social, and career development;

Whereas school counselors were instrumental in helping students, teachers, and parents deal with the trauma of terrorism inflicted on the United States on September 11, 2001, and its aftermath;

Whereas students face myriad challenges every day, including peer pressure, depression, and school violence;

Whereas school counselors are usually the only professionals in a school building that are trained in both education and mental health;

Whereas the roles and responsibilities of school counselors are often misunderstood, and the school counselor position is often among the first to be eliminated in order to meet budgetary constraints;

Whereas the national average ratio of students to school counselors of 485 to 1 is more than double the 250 to 1 ratio recommended by the American School Counselor Association, the American Counseling Association, the American Medical Association, the American Psychological Association, and other organizations; and

Whereas the celebration of "National School Counseling Week" would increase awareness of the important and necessary role school counselors play in the lives of the Nation's students: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved,

SECTION 1. DESIGNATION OF NATIONAL SCHOOL COUNSELING WEEK.

(a) SENSE OF THE SENATE.-It is the sense of the Senate that the President should designate the week beginning February 2, 2004, as "National School Counseling Week".

(b) PROCLAMATION.-The Senate requests the President to issue a proclamation-

(1) designating the week beginning February 2, 2004, as "National School Counseling Week"; and

(2) calling on the people of the United States and interested groups to observe the week with appropriate ceremonies and activities that promote awareness of the role school counselors perform within the school and the community at large to prepare students for fulfilling lives as contributing members of society.

Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, today I am pleased to submit a resolution designating the week of February 2, 2004, as "National School Counseling Week," on behalf of my colleagues Senator BIDEN, Senator DORGAN, Senator JOHNSON and Senator DODD. This resolution would honor and celebrate the important work of school counselors, which the Senate has recognized since 1965 through the inclusion of school counseling in the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.

Across the country, there are approximately 95,000 school counselors, including 2,100 in Washington State. School counselors are critical components of a successful school and contribute significantly to the growth and success of students. In fact, school counselors were instrumental in helping students, teachers, and parents deal with the trauma of terrorism on September 11, 2001, and its aftermath. However, despite their important service, counselors are expected to serve, on average 485 students each, and are overwhelmed. The American School Counseling Association, the American Medical Association, and the American Psychological Association recommend the ratio of students to school counselors be 250 students to 1 school counselor.

I want to share just a few examples of how school counselors throughout America are helping students.

In a middle school in southern California, school counselors realized that 257 students were in danger of not passing onto the next grade. They discovered that only 15 percent of the students understood the promotion and retention requirements. The school counselors presented a series of individual and small group lessons on promotion and retention criteria. After the lessons, 100 percent of the students understood the requirements. As a result, 72 of the 257 students, about 28 percent, avoided retention that year.

In a high school in Racine, WI, a math teacher realized that 100 of his students failed algebra in the first quarter of the year. He asked a school counselor for help. Together, they discovered some of the reasons why students were failing. They initiated several programs, such as peer tutoring and homework assistance. As a result, 93 of the 100 students passed algebra by the end of the year and were able to move on to the next level of math.

A school district in Kentucky realized that the retention rate among ninth grade students was unacceptably high. School counselors, teachers and administrators worked together to develop and implement strategies targeted at helping ninth graders move to 10th grade. As a result, retention rates improved in 16 of the 17 high schools in the county in just one year. One school saw the retention rate improve more than 25 percent.

This resolution is merely the beginning of what we need to be doing to support school counselors. We need to reduce the ratio of students to counselors to, at the most, 250 to 1. We need to help schools maintain their funding so that school counselors are not cut from school budgets. And we need to support our school counselors so that they can continue to be integral in the fabric of our schools and help our students achieve success in high school and beyond.

School counselors design and implement comprehensive developmental school counseling programs that are integral to the success of every student. They help students improve academic achievement, develop personally and socially and prepare for successful careers that will enable them to be contributing members of society. National School Counseling Week focuses public attention on the unique contribution of professional school counselors and highlights the tremendous impact that school counselors have in helping students achieve success in school and beyond.