Cuts to the Dept. of Training
The Trump administration is reducing $1 billion in federal grants that have been supposed to assist colleges rent extra counselors and psychologists. The American College Counselor Affiliation says each faculty district ought to have one faculty counselor for each 250 college students.
ATLANTA – The Trump administration is eliminating $1 billion in federal grants initially meant to assist colleges throughout the nation rent extra counselors and psychologists — a transfer native educators and advocates say may undermine faculty security and psychological well being companies, particularly within the wake of college shootings.
What we all know:
The funding was a part of a bipartisan gun violence prevention regulation signed by then-President Joe Biden in 2022. The U.S. Division of Training confirmed the cuts following stress from conservative strategists who alleged the grant cash was getting used to help range, fairness, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. The division says it should discover other ways to help faculty psychological well being companies.
However for training advocates in Georgia, the place faculty counselor staffing is already far under advisable ranges, the choice is alarming.
The American College Counselor Affiliation recommends a ratio of 1 counselor per 250 college students. Georgia averages one counselor for each 378 college students, and a few districts reportedly have only one psychologist or social employee for your complete district.
What they’re saying:
“This determination is deeply disappointing—and it’s harmful,” mentioned Layla Renee Contreras, head of the advocacy group Change for Chee and an alumna of Apalachee Excessive College, the place a capturing final yr left her group shaken. “Psychological well being isn’t political. It’s important for college kids and lecturers.”
Contreras praised the Barrow County College District for hiring extra counselors because the capturing however mentioned the federal cuts undermine these efforts. “We have to be constructing extra programs of help, not dismantling them.”
Lisa Morgan, president of the Georgia Affiliation of Educators, echoed the issues, noting that counselors play a significant function in stopping violence of every type—not simply faculty shootings.
“Whether or not that’s a combat, an assault… counselors help educators in working with college students and educating them find out how to resolve issues with out resorting to violence,” she mentioned.
College districts in metro Atlanta are nonetheless assessing the potential affect. A DeKalb County Faculties spokesperson mentioned the district shouldn’t be at present conscious of any direct results from the funding cuts. Fulton County Faculties mentioned they’re monitoring the state of affairs carefully.
“DCSD is unaware of any affect these cuts may have on the District’s hiring or retention of college counselors or psychologists,” mentioned DeKalb County Faculties.
“We’re conscious of the stories and wish to reassure our group that we’re monitoring the state of affairs carefully,” mentioned Fulton County Faculties.
Different faculty programs – Gwinnett, Cobb and Atlanta Public Faculties — haven’t but responded to requests for remark.
