Protecting Funding for California School Counseling in 2025-26
Securing sustainable funding to grow and strengthen your school counseling program is always an important priority, especially during times of economic uncertainty. While state budgets may fluctuate year to year, strategic planning and proactive alignment can help ensure long-term stability for the essential services school counselors provide.
In January, Governor Newsom projected school funding to remain relatively flat in 2025–26 at $118.9 billion, slightly below the 2024–25 estimate of $119.2 billion. With the May Revision of the California state budget expected around May 17, updated revenue estimates will provide a clearer picture of how current economic trends may impact school funding. (Source: Guide to the California State Budget Process)
The Report Template That Sparked a Movement: Making School Counseling Visible
School counseling programs do incredible work, but too often that impact goes unseen. A simple but powerful tool—end-of-year reports—became the foundation for transforming how school counselors advocate for their roles and demonstrate their impact. What started in 2018 as a basic Google Doc to track participation data evolved into a district-wide system of visually compelling, data-rich mid-year and end-of-year reports. These reports became essential tools for communication, advocacy, and accountability, not only raising awareness of the school counselor’s role but also contributing to the expansion of our counseling team and the removal of non-counseling duties.
When I first joined Pomona Unified School District in 2018 as an elementary school counselor, many of us worked across multiple sites, often struggling to capture and communicate the breadth of our work. One of my colleagues in the district, Nichole Acevedo, was a solo counselor at her site and faced the challenge of demonstrating the impact of having a site-dedicated elementary school counselor. To address this, she began collecting detailed participation data and presenting it at board and cabinet meetings through a Google Doc template. (Years later, Nichole joined Hatching Results full-time!)
Reflections on Celebrating School Counselor of the Year
As I sit in Union Station, Washington, D.C., I am overwhelmed with gratitude for the incredible honor I have received as the 2024 California School Counselor of the Year. This moment feels surreal as I reflect on my journey from a graduate student at the University of La Verne to being recognized among exemplary school counselors nationwide.
During my time as a student, I was inspired by the impactful stories of school counselors advocating for change. I immersed myself in the ASCA National Model and explored the works of pioneers like Dr. Trish Hatch and Dr. Judy Bowers, dreaming of one day joining their ranks. Little did I know that I would not only meet Trish but also learn from her and grow as a leader in our profession.
NSCLC 2025 Recap: See Why School Counseling Leaders Call it a Must-Attend Event!
School counseling leaders play a critical role in shaping student success, yet leadership can often feel isolating. That’s why more than 800 school counseling leaders from across the country gathered for the 8th annual National School Counseling Leadership Conference — to collaborate, share solutions, and strengthen school counseling programs at every level.
From thought-provoking keynotes to deep-dive breakout sessions, interactive collaboration, and inspiring closing reflections, NSCLC 2025 wasn’t just a conference — it was a movement for leadership, advocacy, and action.
Missed this year’s event? Catch the key takeaways below, and be sure to secure your spot for NSCLC 2026 before it sells out!
Revolutionizing 504 Coordination: A Collaborative Solution for Student Success
What happens when a longstanding K-12 challenge meets innovative collaboration? In Washington state, a systemic issue that hindered equitable access to comprehensive school counseling programs has sparked the creation of a groundbreaking tool that’s setting new standards nationwide. This is the story of how creative problem-solving and teamwork led to a first-of-its-kind solution–and what it means for students and staff everywhere.
Celebrate National School Counseling Week 2025: Advocate for the Impact of Your Program
National School Counseling Week (NSCW) is more than just a week of celebration — it's a powerful opportunity to advocate for the vital role that school counseling programs play in shaping academic achievement, social and emotional well-being, and postsecondary readiness for our students.
At Hatching Results, we’ve had the privilege of working alongside school counselors nationwide and have compiled some creative and impactful ways to celebrate and advocate for the profession. In our previous Hatching Results webinar, “Using National School Counseling Week as an Advocacy Opportunity,” we shared strategies to help school counselors maximize their impact and visibility during this important week.
This blog post highlights key strategies for celebrating NSCW and advocating for your school counseling program. For a deeper dive into these ideas, expert insights, and actionable tools, we recommend watching the full webinar recording. Sign up to view the recording for free!
Dr. Brett Zyromski, Our Keynote Speaker at NSCLC 2025
We’re thrilled to announce that Dr. Brett Zyromski will be the keynote speaker at our National School Counseling Leadership Conference (NSCLC) 2025! We can’t wait for him to kick off NSCLC on February 25, 2025, at Paradise Point Resort in San Diego, CA.
Transforming Our Thinking About National School Counseling Week: Overcoming a Common Misconception
Originally written in January 2018 by Whitney Triplett, MA, LPC, NCC, with assistance from the Chicago Public Schools Master Counselors, Lisa De Gregorio, and Michele Howard.
School counselors (and others) sometimes view National School Counseling Week (NSCW) similarly to Teacher Appreciation Week - both as weeks designed to honor and celebrate educators. They see NSCW as simply a week to thank school counselors for the work that they do. It’s even common to hear the phrase, “Happy School Counselor Week” although it has intentionally been named “National School Counseling Week” to place emphasis on the school counseling program instead of the person. These views are not necessarily wrong, but they do miss the intention and spirit that are central to NSCW.
Self-Care for School Counselors in Uncertain Times: A S.T.R.E.T.C.H. Guide
As a school counselor, you face unique demands, especially during times of uncertainty or apprehension about the future. To help you stay grounded and effective, we’ve developed the S.T.R.E.T.C.H. Guide—a self-care framework designed to address the challenges you face while supporting students and school communities.
Dr. Julie Hartline Receives Lifetime Achievement Award at 2024 GSCA Conference
At the Georgia School Counselor Association's (GSCA) 2024 annual conference, Dr. Julie Hartline was honored with the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award, a testament to her decades of dedicated service to school counseling and her unwavering impact on the lives of countless students and educators across Georgia.
Dr. Hartline's career in education spans over 30 years, during which she has held various roles including school counselor, counseling department chair, district counseling consultant, clinical assistant professor of school counseling, and senior director for Hatching Results. Her passion, enthusiasm, and knowledge have been shared with school counselors and decision-makers across the country, making a significant impact from coast to coast. Read more about Dr. Hartline’s extensive accomplishments in our original announcement.
California Funding for School Counseling (Updated - Nov. 2024)
Current California budget deficits will likely impact most school districts' discretionary spending in 2024-25. However, it's also important to note that there are still several sources of one-time funding that could potentially support your school counseling program, enhance professional development, and bolster student services.
We’ve created this California Funding for School Counseling document to provide a comprehensive list of these one-time grants, their respective deadlines, and the resource codes necessary to inquire about the remaining funds in your district. We recommend requesting a budget report for each of these resource codes from your business department so you can gain a clearer understanding of how your district is utilizing these funds and what is still available. With this knowledge, you'll be better equipped to advocate for these funds to be allocated to support your school counseling program.
Time is Precious: Breaking the Cycle of Reactivity in School Counseling
School counselors are often caught in a constant cycle of reactivity—responding to one urgent situation after another. But with the right strategies, it’s possible to manage time more effectively, building a proactive approach that maximizes the impact on student success. In our recent free Hatching Hour webinar, “Solutions for School Counselor Use of Time,” we explore practical strategies that help counselors break free from this cycle.
This blog post summarizes some key points, but for a deeper dive into tools, templates, and expert guidance, we recommend watching the full webinar. Sign up to view it for free!