Date: 2010-01-26
Speaker: JACKSON LEE (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Madam Speaker. today I rise in support of House Resolution 1029. This resolution designates the week of February 1 through February 5 as "National School Counseling Week." It is extremely vital that we recognize those very people who mentor and motivate our youth to do their very best. Our Nations school counselors work everyday to ensure every child has opportunities for personal and educational growth. With very little resources. they help some kids stay in school and help others cope with personal tragedies. They help our children dream big and prepare for careers from manufacturing to medicine to becoming tomorrows future leaders. Thus it is vital we support and honor those who play key roles in our childrens success and life. The national "drop out" rate has increased to 6.2 million students in the United States ranging in age from 16 and 24. This pressing issue is of utter importance and should be addressed with urgency as it pertains to our youth. These statistics are hard to believe. Only half of the high school students in the Nations 50 largest cities are graduating in four years. Marguerite Kondracke. president and CEO of Americas Promise. says that each year dropouts represent $320 billion in lost lifetime earning potential. The difference in lifetime salary for a dropout and a high school graduate is about $300.000. This is why it is really important for students to have counselors who are instrumental in encouraging students to stay in school and motivate them to succeed. This subject is near and dear to my heart. In Houston. we have one of the highest drop out rates in the country. Houston Independent School Districts. HISDs. dropout rate is at least 18 percent. It is one of the biggest challenges we are having. Many students need the extra push to truly value education and to stay in school. In the current global economy. having at least a high school diploma is a critical step for avoiding poverty. and a college degree is a prerequisite for a wellpaying job. The costs of dropping out of high school today are substantial and have risen over time. especially for young men. who find it almost impossible to earn an adequate income to take care of themselves and their families. By contrast. adults with high school diplomas contribute major fiscal benefits to the country over their lifetime. The combined lifetime fiscal benefitsincluding the payment of payroll. Federal. and State income taxescould amount to more than $250.000 per graduated student. Such a public fiscal benefit more than outweighs the estimated cost of enrolling a student who has dropped out. The average counselortostudent ratio in Americas public schools is a mere one 1 to 475. a ratio that means school counselors must work extremely hard to meet the individual educational needs of students. Yet. despite their limited supply. counselors are always there in a pinch: counselors are instrumental in helping children and their families cope with trauma. whether a natural disaster or a family death. As many of you know. professional secondary school counselors are also an integral part of the effort to increase graduation rates. School counselors identify potential problems early in a students academic career and make sure that they are addressed before students become overwhelmed and drop out. School counselors also inspire children to achieve better futures for themselves and their communities through education. Once again. I urge my colleagues to support this resolution in honoring our school counselors who do so much and rarely get recognition for their hard work.