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