High School Counselor Week

Despite dip, chronic absenteeism remains stubbornly high at 28%
K-12 Dive – January 21, 2025
Student chronic absenteeism dipped slightly to 28% nationally for the 2022-23 school year from a high of 30% in 2021-22, but while the data is promising, several challenges remain for schools struggling with attendance, including disruptions to learning for students who are not chronically absent and adverse impacts on student social interactions.

Schools no longer protected from immigration raids
K-12 Dive – January 21, 2025
Schools will no longer be off limits for immigration enforcement operations under a directive announced by the new Trump administration’s Department of Homeland Security on Tuesday.The directive ends the practice of Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection agents avoiding ‘sensitive’ areas — including elementary and secondary schools, colleges, hospitals and churches — for enforcement actions.

Five Reasons Educators Are Wary as Second Trump Term Begins
NEA Today – January 21, 2025
At its heart, the most critical function of the Department of Education is to protect students from discrimination and provide all students the opportunity to learn through the enforcement of federal civil rights laws and targeted supports for low-income students and students with disabilities. Eliminating or diminishing the programs and functions of the ED would directly affect the public schools that 90% of students—and 95% of disabled students—attend. The best defense against the current anti-public education agenda—like all those that have come before—is for educators to unite through their union and work with parents and other community allies to stand up for the resources students need and deserve.

Elevating excellence among school counselors
Marquette Today – January 21, 2025
The ASCA School Counselor Certification was established in 2021; there are now 58 school counselors in the country with the designation. Achieving certification is no easy feat with a long list of requirements that include a minimum of 600 clock hours of practicum or internship experience in school counseling, a completion of 50 hours of professional development within the past five years, with a minimum of three hours in ethics and three hours in diversity and social justice, and an agreement to adhere to the ASCA Code of Ethics. In this article, one counselor discusses how certification has affected her approach.

Restraint and seclusion harmful to students, Education Department warns
K-12 Dive – January 16, 2025
Using restraint and seclusion to address behavior issues is harmful to children, and schools should instead use proactive practices such as multi-tiered systems of support, U.S. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona told state and local K-12 and early education leaders in a Jan. 8 letter. ″The use of restraint and seclusion practices is inconsistent with our shared goal to ensure every child is treated with dignity and free from abuse,’ Cardona said in the guidance to education leaders. Cardona’s letter emphasizes that rather than schools using restraint and seclusion practices reactively, they should support students’ social, emotional, physical, and mental health needs through multi-tiered systems of support, which individualize interventions based on students’ needs.

Parental Blindspots: How Misunderstanding Mental Health Hurts Kids
The Teen Magazine – January 17, 2025
Feeling unheard and disbelieved by their parents, young people often turn to friends, online forums, or even strangers for support, rather than their own family. A survey conducted by YoungMinds asking, ‘If you needed information or support regarding self-harm, where would you go for help?’ highlights this alarming trend with 76% of teen respondents stating they would seek help online, compared to a low 16% confiding in parents. Here are some key steps that parents can take to support their teen’s mental health:

Teens Playing These 4 Online Games Are Exposed to Harassment, New Report Says
Parents – January 16, 2025
If you have a teen or young adult in your home, it’s likely that you’ve heard of Fortnite, Valorant, Counter-Strike 2, or Overwatch 2. These online games have grown wildly popular and attract millions of daily users. A new report is raising alarms about these games and the online gaming world in general. The use of racial slurs and trash talking, in particular, is becoming increasingly widespread and being normalized on such platforms. And it’s being used with a concerning level of intensity…

4 trends shaping the college admissions process for 2025
University Business – January 21, 2025
The college admissions process is undergoing significant changes, driven by technological advances, evolving policies, and a shift in priorities. As students and families navigate this evolving landscape, it’s crucial to stay ahead of key trends shaping the way college applications are assessed. From test-optional policies and AI-powered tools to a greater focus on holistic applications and career-oriented programs, these shifts are creating new opportunities for students to showcase their strengths and interests.

The Cost of an Online Bachelor’s Degree
U.S. News & World Report – January 21, 2025
An online bachelor’s degree offers many benefits – convenience, the ability to maintain a full-time job outside of school, flexible hours and a unique learning environment – but is cost one of them? The average online bachelor’s degree ranges from $40,536 at public in-state programs to $63,185 at private schools in total program tuition cost, But total program cost is just one component. Students should consider their location in relation to the institution, financial aid availability and how online tuition compares with on-campus costs, experts say.

How To Update Your FAFSA If You’re Financially Harmed By The LA Wildfires
Forbes – January 19, 2025
The wildfires in California are just the latest natural disaster to leave thousands of people in dire situations. For families and students figuring out how to pay for college this year, natural disasters might have thrown your plans completely out the window. Thankfully there is a way you can update your FAFSA information.

How Wealthy Universities Favor the Rich
Inside Higher Ed – January 21, 2025
Documents released in an antitrust lawsuit show how some elite colleges gave well-connected applicants a leg up in admissions. Are these practices ongoing? In documents filed to support the lawsuit, a trove of evidence has been made public that raises separate but related questions about the porous borders between these universities’ fundraising arms and their admissions offices.

The FAFSA is finally easier–but that’s still not enough
eSchool News – January 17, 2025
The FAFSA has long been the starting line for millions of students on the path to higher education. For decades, it’s also been a grueling maze of financial forms and red tape. This year’s more streamlined version aimed to fix that, and early signs suggest it’s helping. But even the FAFSA at its best can’t fix what’s truly broken about pursuing and paying for college. As higher education enrollment continues to decline, the need for bold action around accessible financial aid grows.

Understanding the New Changes to the ACT: What Students Need to Know
College Success – January 21, 2025
The ACT is undergoing significant changes starting in 2025, introducing a digital format and altering key components of the test structure. These updates are designed to modernize the exam but bring important considerations for students preparing to take the test. Here’s a breakdown of the changes and what they mean for students and families.