Moving Forward in Congress By BRAD MacGOWAN, MASCA Government Relations Chair
T
he Urban Counselors Association’s MASCA trustee, Don Coverdale, and I attended ASCA’s Advocacy and Public Policy Institute (APPI) in Washington, DC, on March 2-5. APPI attendees from around the country received training that was designed to help them advocate for school counseling issues on the federal level and in their home states. On Capitol Hill, Don and I visited with Roberto Rodriguez, Senator Kennedy’s senior education advisor; Lindsay Ross, Senator Kerry’s legislative correspondent; and Celine McNicholas, Christina Tsafoulias, and Carolyn Blaydes, legislative assistants for education for U.S. Representatives Tsongas, Capuano, and Tierney, respectively. In the offices of our senators and representatives, we and the other ASCA members at APPI thanked our legislators for passing a resolution making the first week in February “National School Counseling Week.” This is the first time that our profession was recognized in this way by both chambers of Congress. ASCA members also advocated for restoring funding for the Elementary and Secondary School Counseling Program (ESSCP) and 47 other programs at the federal level that support school counseling. All of these programs have been eliminated or drastically cut in the budget that Bush sent to Congress. Programs slated for elimination include: School Dropout Prevention, Career and Technical Education State Grants, and Tech Prep Education State Grants, among others. In addition, APPI attendees asked our senators and representatives to cosponsor the Put Counselors Where They’re Needed Act (HR 3439), the Reducing Barriers to Learning Act (HR 3419), and the Mental Health in Schools Act (HR 3430).
Featured Alert Congresswoman Linda Sanchez (D-CA) has sponsored the Put Counselors Where They’re Needed Act (HR 3439). This bill provides funds for the neediest school districts (drop-out rates 40% or higher) to hire and train school counselors for the purpose of getting at-risk students back on the right track. It also recognizes the role that quality school counseling plays in student achievement and college access.
Congresswoman Sanchez needs cosponsors for this bill. Urge your U.S. Representative to sign on to this important legislation. Taking action is easy using NACAC’s Legislative Action Center Online. For more information or to send an e-mail to your legislators, go to http:// capwiz.com/nacac/home/ For more information on ASCA’s and MASCA’s government relations activities, contact me at bmacgowan@comcast.net. ■
Counselors taking action We hope that these efforts are effective; however, nothing is more effective in influencing policy than e-mails and calls from constituents. Please contact your legislators and ask them to support school counseling. Specifically, ask your congressperson in the House of Representatives to cosponsor the bills under consideration: HR 3439, HR 3419, and HR 3430. The telephone number for the U.S. Capitol switchboard is 1-202-224-3121. APRIL 2008
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