Federal Elementary and Secondary School Counseling Program Grants Awarded

ALEXANDRIA, Va., Aug. 16 /PRNewswire/ -- The Department of Education recently awarded nearly $15 million in new funding to a number of school districts across the country through the 2010 Elementary and Secondary School Counseling Program.  In total, $55 million was appropriated for the program with $40 million going to continuation funding. The American School Counselor Association (ASCA) applauds this support for professional school counselors and their integral role in supporting student development and achievement.

Grantees will use the funds to support counseling programs in target elementary, K-12, or secondary schools.  These schools will establish, or expand, their counseling programs through hiring qualified school counselors, school social workers, school psychologists, or child and adolescent psychiatrists with a goal of expanding the range, availability, quantity, and quality of counseling services.  

"School counselors play a unique role in their school, supporting the academic, career, and personal development of students," commented Patricia Nailor, President of the American School Counselor Association. "These grants are a step in the right direction to provide more students with the support they need to succeed in all aspects of their education."

ASCA recommends a pupil-to-school-counselor ratio of 250-to-1.  However, the national average is 467 students to one school counselor, with some school districts as high as 1,000-to-1.  These funds will help schools hire much needed school counselors to help close this gap.

"School counseling programs play an essential role in ensuring our students have every opportunity to succeed," said U.S. Congressman Jim Langevin.  "That is why I am proud to have been both an advocate and supporter of this program over the years, and I look forward to continuing this important work to strengthen our education system."

These funds will support counseling services that use a developmental, prevention approach, and will be designed and implemented with the involvement of parents of the participating students.  In granting the awards, special consideration was given to programs that:

• Demonstrate the greatest need for counseling services in the schools to be served;
• Propose the most innovative and promising approaches; and
• Show the greatest potential for replication and dissemination.

Forty-two grants were awarded to programs in 20 states.  The average award size was approximately $350,000.  A complete list of recipients is available here.  These are three-year grants, pending continued appropriations from Congress.  

About the American School Counselor Association

The American School Counselor Association (ASCA) is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) professional organization based in Alexandria, VA.  ASCA promotes student success by expanding the image and influence of professional school counseling through leadership, advocacy, collaboration and systemic change. ASCA helps school counselors guide their students toward academic achievement, personal and social development, and career planning to help today's students become tomorrow's productive, contributing members of society.  Founded in 1952, ASCA currently has a network of 50 state associations and a membership of more than 27,000 school counseling professionals.

SOURCE American School Counselor Association