Bill Summaries: H837 INCREASE STUDENT ACCESS TO SCHOOL COUNSELORS.

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  • Summary date: May 4 2021 - View Summary

    Effective July 1, 2021, amends GS 115C-316.1, establishing a new requirement for public schools with at least 300 high school students to employ at least one full-time permanent school counselor for every 300 students in the unit. Directs the superintendent of a public school unit or the highest decision-making authority in a public school unit to ensure that every school in the unit with fewer than 300 students has access to a school counselor for at least two instructional days of each week of the school year. Directs the State Board of Education to adopt requirements for professional development for school counselors that include annual training in issued related to access to colleges and universities, and policies, procedures and strategies for college or university admissions. Applies beginning with the 2021-22 school year.

    Effective July 1, 2021, enacts GS 115C-47(65), GS 115C-12(47), GS 115C-218.75(i), and GS 115C-238.66(17), requiring local boards of education, the State Board of Education, charter schools, and regional schools to comply with the requirements for school counselors set forth in GS 115C-316.1 in the schools under their respective control, including the requirement to employ at least one full-time, permanent school counselor for every 300 high school students. Applies beginning with the 2021-22 school year. Amends Section 6 of SL 2018-32 to make new GS 115C-47(65) applicable to renewal school systems.

    Effective July 1, 2022, further amends GS 115C-316.1, as amended, expanding the new requirement to employ at least one full-time permanent school counselor to public school units with at least 250 rather than 300 high school students, with one such counselor required for every 250 high school students. Effective July 1, 2022, makes conforming changes to GS 115C-47(65), GS 115C-12(47), GS 115C-218.75(i), and GS 115C-238.66(17). Applies beginning with the 2022-23 school year.

    Appropriates $6.1 million and $19.5 million in recurring funds for 2021-22 and 2022-23, respectively, from the General Fund to the Department of Public Instruction to increase the Instructional Support Allotment to be used to increase school counselors as provided in the act. Specifies that the funds are supplemental. Effective July 1, 2021.