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2020 SESSION

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HB 1653 School counselors; staffing ratios, report.

Introduced by: Tony O. Wilt | all patrons    ...    notes | add to my profiles | history

SUMMARY AS PASSED:

Department of Education; data collection; school counselor positions. Requires the Department of Education to collect data from school boards regarding their ability to fill school counselor positions, including (i) the number of school counselors employed in elementary, middle, and high schools in the local school division; (ii) the number and duration of school counselor vacancies; (iii) the number, role, and license type of other licensed counseling professionals employed by the school board; and (iv) information about their preferences for meeting updated school counselor to student ratios with other licensed counseling professionals. The bill requires the Department to report the results of such data collection to the Governor, the Secretary of Education, the House Committee on Appropriations, and the Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriations no later than June 30, 2021.

SUMMARY AS PASSED HOUSE:

Department of Education; data collection; school counselor positions. Requires the Department of Education to collect data from school boards regarding their ability to fill school counselor positions, including (i) the number of school counselors employed in elementary, middle, and high schools in the local school division; (ii) the number and duration of school counselor vacancies; (iii) the number, role, and license type of other licensed counseling professionals employed by the school board; and (iv) information about their preferences for meeting updated school counselor to student ratios with other licensed counseling professionals. The bill requires the Department to report the results of such data collection to the Governor, the Secretary of Education, the House Committee on Appropriations, and the Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriations no later than December 1, 2020.

SUMMARY AS INTRODUCED:

School counselors; staffing ratios; flexibility. Permits school boards to fulfill the staffing ratio requirements for school counselors by employing other licensed counseling professionals or providing other licensed counseling professionals through contracted services.