Dear INSCA Members,

It is always the intent of the Indiana School Counselor Association to provide its membership and friends of INSCA accurate information. It came to our attention this week that misinformation had been provided at the recent Membership Meeting of our annual fall conference regarding school counselors and the Teacher Appreciation Grant (TAG) funding. This email is intended to clear up that misinformation and provide you with the most up-to-date guidance we have received. 

It was inaccurately stated at the meeting on November 20, 2025 that TAG Guidance documentation did not specifically state that school counselors were ineligible for the grant funding. This information provided was based on TAG Guidance document dated September 12, 2025. 

An updated TAG Guidance document was posted by the IDOE October 31, 2025 in which the following was specifically noted: 

"Are school counselors considered “teachers” and therefore eligible to receive TAG funds? No, school counselors are not an eligible recipient of TAG funds since their primary responsibility is not the academic instruction of students."

INSCA regrets having caused any confusion on this most important issue. Click here to view the updated TAG Guidance. 

INSCA does not consider our work on this issue finished. Advocating for the profession of school counseling is a constant pursuit of the association. Concerted efforts include building credibility and a broader understanding of our role as we foster relationships with state legislators and school leadership. We will continue to advocate on behalf of school counseling in Indiana, which would include demonstrating how school counselors do impact achievement.

Sincerely,

Jan Desmarais-Morse
Executive Director
Indiana School Counselor Association