High School Counselor Week

Students are speeding through their online degrees in weeks, alarming educators
MSN – April 19, 2026
Many U.S. schools have been experimenting with ways to speed up traditional college programs to reduce the burgeoning cost and help students move into the workforce faster. Some offer three-year bachelor’s programs, reducing the number of credits needed for a diploma by one quarter. Many more allow students to enroll in college classes while still in high school. But the breakneck pace of the fastest online programs concerns some academics, who say there is a big difference in what students can learn in weeks or months compared with three or more years.

Education Department Dissolving Federal Office Serving English Learners
Chalkbeat – April 17, 2026
The changes do not affect the rights of English learner students under federal law. However, many advocates and educators said the office played a critical role in ensuring federal funds were spent appropriately and in sharing best practices and new research. More of that responsibility now falls to states and school districts. Education Department officials said dissolving the office and assigning its work to offices doing related work would be better for English learners.

States Change Custody Laws to Keep Kids of Detained Immigrants Out of Foster Care
The 74 – April 16, 2026
As parents become separated from their children because of ICE arrests, legal advocates worry immigrants’ children are at risk of being placed in foster care systems. The federal government doesn’t track how many children have entered foster care because of immigration enforcement actions, leaving it unclear how often it happens. Separation from a parent is deeply traumatic for children and can lead to various health and psychological issues.

It’s Time to Add a Fourth Tier to Your MTSS Model
ASSA – April 21, 2026
Walk into almost any school in America right now and you’ll see it: counselors with packed schedules, students waiting weeks to see a therapist, and teachers doing their best to fill gaps they we I didn’t.re never trained to fill. The youth mental health crisis is real, it’s urgent, and the system we’ve been relying on to address it—the traditional 3-tiered Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS)—was simply not designed for this moment. A fourth tier doesn’t replace what’s already working. It extends the framework by creating a formal bridge between school-based supports and the broader mental health system. Districts that have implemented Tier 4 components report meaningful results: improved social-emotional competencies, reduced student suicidality, increased attendance, fewer behavioral incidents, and stronger academic performance. And contrary to what youe might expect, many Tier 4 components can be launched at little to no cost.

120 Questions To Ask Your Teen That Actually Gets Them Talking
Parents – April 17, 2026
It’s common for teens to pull away. Start a discussion with these thought-provoking questions that may actually get them to open up and talk to you.

FDA and experts warn of health risks from excessive caffeine, energy drink consumption
WFAA-8 Dallas – April 15, 2026
Medical experts, including the FDA, say caffeine can be part of a healthy diet for most people, but too much of it can have negative effects, and large amounts may pose a danger to your health.

Here are 4 big ways colleges are reinventing themselves
University Business – April 22, 2026
Colleges and universities are adopting a widening array of academic models as leaders respond to a student population that is more career focused and less likely to follow a linear path from admission to graduation. While the majority of innovations center on workforce-relevant credentials, one growing model extends higher education’s reach well beyond traditional working years and into retirement. Institutions are creating diverse pathways that champion flexible entry points, clear outcomes and shorter time to completion, while maintaining academic standards.

What To Consider When Choosing Between Colleges In 2026
Forbes – April 22, 2026
The pressure to make the right choice can feel incredibly overwhelming, particularly for students who have been accepted to multiple colleges. With job market concerns and economic pressures surging, the range of important factors that students should consider have only increased. Here are the most important factors students should weigh as they choose where to spend the next four years.

What to Do While Waiting for College Admissions Decisions
U.S. News & World Report – April 17, 2026
Waiting to hear whether you’ve been accepted by one or several of the colleges you applied to can be agonizing, especially if you have a top choice. But while it’s easier said than done, try not to be overly stressed about the process, since there are many options for college. Here are productive ways seniors can spend their time while awaiting college admissions decisions.

How much will that college cost you? Good luck figuring it out
The Hechinger Report – April 20, 2026
Too often, financial aid letters leave out important information and use terms that make it confusing to figure out the final cost. Some student advocates say the letters are downright deceptive. Others believe the lack of consistent language causes confusion. And for over a decade, college access groups have been lobbying for a bill in Congress that would require all colleges to use the same, clearly labeled, standard form — kind of like nutrition labels on food — so families could accurately compare offers. But college associations and others have worked to block it. Below are several actual offer letters received last year, with names redacted to protect the privacy of the students. By scrolling down, you can see the letters, and see what you find confusing.

Do You Have To Report Private Scholarships To Your College?
The College Investor – April 19, 2026
Students who spend hours applying for private scholarships expect those awards to lower their college costs. But at many schools, winning an outside scholarship triggers a process called scholarship displacement, where the college reduces its own financial aid by the amount of the scholarship, leaving the student no better off financially. Faced with that outcome, many students and families ask a reasonable question: Do I actually have to tell my college about this scholarship? The answer is more complicated than most schools let on.

How to Read Your College Financial Aid Award Letter
U.S. News & World Report – April 17, 2026
Understanding what’s truly free money versus what must be repaid can make the difference between an affordable degree and years of debt.