2007 Legislative Conference

Participating this year in the annual March NACAC Legislative Conference in Washington, D.C., were President Mike Kolar, President Elect Lori Johnston, Government Relations co-chairs Barb Sosin and Sylvia Thomas, Carl Peterson, Patrick O'Connor and Gloria Davis. Together with association leaders and government relations chairs from around the country and national office staff, we discussed the President's agenda and proposed budget, current political climate in the capital and current and future legislation that will impact us and the students with whom we work.

Conversations with legislators and their aides centered on:

1. Access to quality counseling: Inclusion of school counselors in the reauthorization of the Higher Education Act and No Child Left Behind. Increasing funding for programs that provide college information and counseling to students (i.e. GEAR UP and TRIO).
2. Need based financial aid: Increasing funding for student aid, especially covering the Pell Grant shortfall, SEOG, LEAP and Work-Study.
3. Rigorous Curriculum for All Students: Expand NCLB Title 1 funding to allow high schools to develop and support rigorous curriculum and help states make K-12 public school funding more equitable at the state level.