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After obtaining my Master of Education in Guidance and Counseling, I intend to seek a position as a guidance counselor at the secondary level.

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Federally mandated high-stakes testing is an issue that has been contested for years. Data suggests that this standardized testing does more harm than good, however proponents argue that it provides necessary accountability. I selected this topic because I am interested in delving deeper into both arguments, and considering possible solutions.

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Step 2 Option 2: American School Counselor Association 

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Step 2 Option 2: American School Counselor Association 

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The Elementary and Secondary School Counseling Act was introduced in September of 2018. This act would allocate funding in order to reduce the student to counselor/school psychologist/social worker ratio. Through the Elementary and Secondary School Counseling Act, two five-year renewable grants would be established. With the base allotment grants, the state educational agencies would receive a grant based on the number of students in the particular state. With need-based grants, educational agencies have to apply for the funding. These grants are awarded to help schools achieve the recommended student-to-staff ratios (American School Counselor Association, 2018).
In July of 2018, the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act was established and will begin to take effect in July 2019. This act was created in order to improve the quality of CTE courses to better prepare students for the related market. The role of the school counselor may include developing curriculum framework, providing professional development, support the integration of academic skills into CTE programs, and analyze data to evaluate effectiveness of programs (American School Counselor Association, 2018).

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Similar to other articles that mirror current larger issues, the article below outlines the results of a survey give to high school DACA recipients of a particular college access program. The results indicate that students rank education as a top priority, but have become increasingly anxious about their futures (Education Dive, 2018).

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Dive Brief:

A survey of participants in the largest college access program for undocumented students suggests they still rank education and work as a priority, but they have become increasingly anxious about their future, especially in light of the potential end to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and Temporary Protected Status (TPS) programs.

TheDream.US surveyed 1,400 of its scholars and found almost all believe college is extremely or very important, 71% are employed and 66% are pursing professions that require a license. Yet nearly 60% said the loss of immigration status would cause them to not have enough food, and about half of those who are parents said it would impact their child care. More than 80% said they were "very anxious" about their immigration status, and about one-quarter are uncomfortable crossing state lines in fear of encountering law enforcement or immigration officials.

TheDream.US, which works with over 75 colleges and has doled out more than $40 million in scholarships to undocumented students, recommended reinstating DACA and establishing a path to citizenship for immigrant students. It also suggests educational institutions set up resource centers to support undocumented students.

Dive Insight:

The report strongly supports the DACA program, which was established in 2012 under the Obama administration to grant temporary legal status to young people that were illegally brought to the U.S. as children so they could study and work in the country.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced the phaseout of the program over a year ago, but several rulings by federal judges have put it in limbo. Now the administration has said if a lower court doesn't soon decide its fate, the administration will take it to the Supreme Court.

The decision to end DACA has been met with considerable resistance from some higher education leaders. More than 700 college and university presidents have signed onto a letter calling for the program to be upheld, and Mary Sue Coleman, president of the Association of American Universities, urged Congress to take action to make DACA protection permanent in a September statement, noting many are "students, scholars, and scientists at our universities."

Other recent developments have made college less affordable for some undocumented students. The Arizona Supreme Court ruled earlier this year that DACA students would no longer be able to receive in-state tuition, which was followed by a 40% decline in DACA student enrollment at Maricopa Community Colleges. Some college have shown their support for DACA students by lowering tuition rates or offering more scholarships. DACA students can't receive federal financial aid and aren't eligible for financial aid or in-state tuition in the majority of states, The Washington Post reported.

TheDream.US recommends colleges expand their financial support for DACA students and remove campus employment and resident assistant positions from "burdensome requirements" such as providing a social security numbers so they are available to Dreamers. DACA students can also benefit from legal assistance to find permanent immigration relief to increase their future prospects, the report states.

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Report: DACA students still ambitious but increasingly anxious

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A survey of participants in the largest college access program for undocumented students suggests they still rank education and work as a priority, but they have become increasingly anxious about their future, especially in light of the potential end to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and Temporary Protected Status (TPS) programs. TheDream.US surveyed 1,400 of its scholars and found almost all believe college is extremely or very important, 71% are employed and 66% are pursing professions that require a license.

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Many of the topics trending are related to larger ongoing social issues. There are a number of articles related to transgender students, students and social media, and gun violence. Below is an article detailing a federal judge's ruling regarding school choice--another trending topic in education (Education Week, 2018).

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A federal judge has dismissed most claims in a lawsuit challenging Connecticut's restrictions on magnet schools, charter schools, and school choice programs, saying there is no fundamental right to equal education opportunity under the federal Constitution.

A group of parents and students sued state officials in 2016, saying the restrictions are unconstitutional and have forced thousands of low-income and minority students to attend low-performing public schools. The parents, including mothers from Hartford and Bridgeport, say they tried to enroll their children in limited-enrollment magnet and charter schools, but were rejected.

At issue are state laws that place a moratorium on new magnet schools, prevent public charter schools from opening or expanding, and penalize school districts that accept inner-city students under a state inter-district school choice program.

In a Sept. 28 ruling, U.S. District Judge Alvin Thompson in Hartford dismissed six of seven claims in the lawsuit. He wrote the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 1973 that education is not a fundamental right under the federal constitution.

The lawsuit's allegations focused on the Fourteenth Amendment's equal protection clause.

The state attorney general's office, in asking the judge to dismiss the lawsuit, said the same 1973 ruling-which came in a lawsuit that challenged the way Texas funded public education-barred federal courts from interfering with states' sovereign right to determine public education policy.

Thompson also wrote, "The fact that the State has elected to implement limited magnet school, charter school, and Open Choice programs does not mean that its decision not to expand those programs is irrational."

The lone remaining claim in the lawsuit alleges state officials have abdicated their constitutional duty to safeguard citizens' civil rights. Thompson said state officials did not make an argument about that claim and gave them time to file a motion to dismiss that allegation.

Attorneys for the parents and students did not immediately return messages seeking comment Wednesday.

In January, the Connecticut Supreme Court rejected a claim by a coalition of municipalities, parents, and students that the state's educational funding formula is unconstitutional. The coalition had cited a huge gap in test scores between students in rich and poor towns.

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Judge Dismisses Most Claims in Connecticut School Choice Lawsuit

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A federal judge has dismissed most claims in a lawsuit challenging Connecticut's restrictions on magnet schools, charter schools, and school choice programs, saying there is no fundamental right to equal education opportunity under the federal Constitution.

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The Institute for Democratic Education in America

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High-stakes testing remains an important topic to educators because of its widespread impact on education as a whole, from teachers, to students, to administration. When teachers are evaluated solely based on student achievement on standardized tests, they begin to lose a sense of their own professional value. Principals, too, feel this in their own way, as a lack of autonomy in making decisions regarding their staff. This has a negative effect on faculty and staff morale, which invariably will affect students in the classroom as well (Paufler, 2018).
Furthermore, high-stakes testing disproportionately affects low income and minority students in a negative way. These students are more likely to be held back for having lower scores. Schools with a high percentage of students of color are more likely to narrow the curriculum to emphasize rote skills rather than critical thinking in an effort to "teach the test." This is a disservice to students, as their education is failing to help them develop crucial skills needed for postsecondary success. Rather than motivate, engage, and challenge students, high-stakes testing causes many students to shut down in the classroom, particularly those who are most vulnerable (IDEA, 2018).
Counselors may be tasked with evaluating data and offering insight when decisions regarding student advancement is made. It is critical for counselors to advocate for students beyond merely their test scores in order for the best interest of the student to remain at the forefront of the decision.

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Step 2 Option 2: National Education Association

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Step 2 Option 2: National Education Association

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High-stakes testing remains a contentious topic of debate within the field of education. The National Education Association (NEA) advocates for less federally-mandated testing. Opponents of high-stakes testing argue that this testing takes away from authentic learning and fails to foster of love of learning in students. The NEA supports the Student Testing Improvement and Accountability Act which would give school districts the authority to create their own assessments, thereby enhancing the data individual schools receive regarding their students and teachers, allowing for more targeted instruction (National Education Agency, 2017).
The introduction of school vouchers is another current topic of debate within education. The House and Senate have introduced a bill that would reduce the amount of public education funding. Private school vouchers made available through the Scholarships for Kids Act would allow a limited number students to use federal money to offset the cost of private school tuition in order to expand school choice. The NEA argues that already limited public school funding would be further reduced, while still not expanding school choice for the majority of students (NEA, 2017).

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Step 4: "Declining Morale, Diminishing Autonomy, and Decreasing Value: Principal Reflections on a High-Stakes Teacher Evaluation System"

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Step 4: "Declining Morale, Diminishing Autonomy, and Decreasing Value: Principal Reflections on a High-Stakes Teacher Evaluation System"

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Angelo State University - Library Online Resources

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