Every New Jersey school district needs a Student Assistance Coordinator — and GCU's 21-credit SAC program prepares you for that role. Whether you're entering the SAC program directly or completing it as a School Counseling M.Ed. graduate (who only needs one additional course), this credential opens one of the most impactful student support roles in K–12 education.
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The SAC is the professional that students in crisis most need — and that many schools most urgently lack. As a certified Student Assistance Coordinator, you're the person who identifies students struggling with substance use, behavioral challenges, and emotional crises, and who connects them with the support that can change the trajectory of their lives. Few school roles carry more direct, human impact than this one.
Unlike most NJ educational certifications, the SAC endorsement is open to a broader range of qualified professionals — not just instructional certificate holders. LCADCs, Certified Prevention Specialists, school nurses, school psychologists, school counselors, and master's-degree holders from non-education fields are all eligible to enter the program. If you're a behavioral health professional who wants to serve in schools, the SAC pathway is designed for you.
If you hold GCU's School Counseling M.Ed., 18 of the 21 SAC program credits are already embedded in your degree. You need just one additional course — EDC6096 Student Assistance Coordinator Internship — to earn the full NJ SAC endorsement. For School Counseling graduates, this is the most efficient credential expansion available anywhere in GCU's catalog.
Two of the SAC program's seven courses are dedicated entirely to substance abuse counseling — covering assessment, intervention, treatment referral, and aftercare coordination specifically in school settings. As adolescent substance use continues to evolve (including vaping, cannabis, and prescription misuse), schools need professionals with this specific, current expertise. The SAC certification gives you that credential.
The Student Assistance Coordinator (SAC) is a certified professional in New Jersey schools responsible for identifying and supporting students struggling with substance abuse, social and emotional challenges, behavioral issues, and crisis situations. SACs also lead curriculum development, staff training, policy review, and community consultation efforts that create school-wide systems of student support.
GCU’s 21-credit program provides the comprehensive preparation required for this critical role. It prepares SAC candidates for the broad range of responsibilities they’ll carry across PreK–12 districts — from individual student intervention and family consultation to school-wide prevention programming and community partnership.
A Note for School Counseling M.Ed. Graduates: Eighteen of the 21 SAC credits are embedded within GCU’s School Counseling M.Ed. program — meaning M.Ed. graduates need only one additional course (EDC6096 Student Assistance Coordinator Internship) to earn the SAC endorsement. If you’re considering both credentials, the School Counseling M.Ed. is the most efficient path.
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Student Assistance Coordinator (SAC) Program | ||
| EDC5010 | Curr Leadership for the Incl Sch | 3.0 |
| EDC5032 | Comm Serv for Stdts at-Risk & w/ Except | 3.0 |
| EDC5040 | Counseling Diverse Populations | 3.0 |
| EDC5101 | School Law | 3.0 |
| EDC6096 | Student Assistance Coord. Internship | 3.0 |
| EDC6307 | Substance Abuse Counseling I | 3.0 |
| EDC6308 | Substance Abuse Counseling II | 3.0 |
| Total Credits | 21.0 | |
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