SRES360FEB3

TheWeekInCongress.com

Week Ending February 3, 2006

S.RES.360 A resolution designating the week of February 6 through February 10, 2006, as "National School Counseling Week".

Unsung heroes, perhaps, school counselors are seen in this Resolution preamble as significant players in helping students and teachers and parents through the maze of educational systems and things that impact the system.

Counselors helped deal with the trauma inflicted by recent hurricanes, deal with peer pressure and depression as well as academic counseling and direction.

Unfortunately, the position is often eliminated due to budget cuts and the ratio of counselors to students nationwide is 468 to 1, nearly twice what the counselor’s trade group recommends.

Sponsor: Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA)

Vote: Passed Senate by Unanimous Consent January 31, 2005.

Cost to the taxpayers: No discernible cost.

No reproduction, language translation or distribution without written permission from TheWeekInCongress.com.

MORE INFORMATION

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 education system of the United States 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 have been instrumental in helping students, teachers, and parents deal with the trauma that was inflicted upon them by hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Wilma;

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 who are trained in both education and mental health matters;

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 478-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 students in the United States: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Senate--

(1) designates the week of February 6 through February 10, 2006, as `National School Counseling Week'; and

(2) encourages the people of the United States to observe the week with appropriate ceremonies and activities that promote awareness of the role school counselors perform in the school and the community at large in preparing students for fulfilling lives as contributing members of society.

No reproduction, language translation or distribution without written permission from TheWeekInCongress.com.