Arlington, VA —  On June 8, the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) issued the following statement regarding the Senate’s Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations (Labor-HHS-Education) bill for fiscal year 2017:

Yesterday, the Senate Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations Subcommittee approved its fiscal year 2017 spending bill, which includes funding for the Department of Education. The bill provides $300 million for the Student Success and Academic Enrichment Grant (SSAEG), which was created in 2015 when Congress passed the bipartisan Every Student Succeeds Act.

The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) and SSAEG were designed to ensure that our nation’s students are successful in the classroom, in college, and in their careers. SSAEG funds can support school counseling, advanced coursework (e.g., International Baccalaureate and Advanced Placement fee waivers), arts, music, technology, violence prevention, STEM instruction, physical education, and many more activities — all of which contribute to a well-rounded education. Congress determined that SSAEG should be funded at $1.65 billion. What the Senate Subcommittee approved is far below this level, making it difficult for school districts to make the appropriate investments in their students.

It is important to note that on the same day the Subcommittee approved its bill, the Department of Education released data from the most recent Civil Rights Data Collection, showing that 1.6 million students attend a school that employs a police officer, but no school counselor.“Unfortunately, the Senate’s bill fails to provide the necessary funding to ensure that our nation’s students have the counseling support they need,” said NACAC CEO Joyce Smith. “It is important to note that on the same day the Subcommittee approved its bill, the Department of Education released data from the most recent Civil Rights Data Collection, showing that 1.6 million students attend a school that employs a police officer, but no school counselor.”

Additionally, even though Black and Latino students account for nearly 40 percent of students enrolled at schools offering Advanced Placement courses, they make up less than one-third of the students enrolled in those courses. NACAC and others have found that access to a school counselor correlates with college-going behavior, and that performance in rigorous coursework is the top indicator of postsecondary readiness college admission offices look to when reviewing applications. When it passed ESSA and created SSAEG, Congress recognized that all students should have access to these programs and a high-quality education, regardless of ZIP code. The Subcommittee’s failure to adequately fund this program fails to honor Congress’ commitment to our nation's students. NACAC urges Congress to provide full funding for SSAEG to ensure that our students are ready to succeed in college and life.

About NACAC
The National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC), founded in 1937, is an organization of more than 15,000 professionals from around the world dedicated to serving students as they make choices about pursuing postsecondary education. NACAC is committed to maintaining high standards that foster ethical and social responsibility among those involved in the transition process, as outlined in the NACAC Statement of Principles of Good Practice (SPGP). Follow us on Twitter at @nacac.

9 June 2016