PRINTER'S NO. 1312
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No.
1036
Session of
2015
INTRODUCED BY BOYLE, READSHAW, BISHOP, J. HARRIS, THOMAS,
SCHREIBER, COHEN, BIZZARRO, BROWNLEE, FREEMAN, O'BRIEN,
C. PARKER, DAVIDSON, V. BROWN, KORTZ, McNEILL, KINSEY, MURT,
DAWKINS, DEASY, ROEBUCK AND McCARTER, APRIL 20, 2015
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, APRIL 20, 2015
AN ACT
Amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), entitled "An
act relating to the public school system, including certain
provisions applicable as well to private and parochial
schools; amending, revising, consolidating and changing the
laws relating thereto," in school health services, further
providing for definitions; and providing for school
counseling services and grant program.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Section 1401 of the act of March 10, 1949
(P.L.30, No.14), known as the Public School Code of 1949, is
amended by adding a clause to read:
Section 1401. Definitions.--As used in this article--
* * *
(13) "School counselor" means a person who holds a valid
elementary and secondary school counselor certificate issued by
the Department of Education and is employed by a school district
or joint school board as a school counselor to provide
counseling services, including, but not limited to, family and
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academic problems, career planning, course schedules and problem
solving around course selection and scheduling, conducting
groups regarding family changes, social skills and other related
issues, chemical dependency prevention and early intervention
activities, crisis intervention and mental health counseling.
Section 2. The act is amended by adding a section to read:
Section 1402.1. School Counseling Services and Grant
Program.--(a) Beginning two years after the effective date of
this section, every child of school age shall be provided with
school counseling services by a school counselor. The number of
pupils under the care of each school counselor shall not exceed
three hundred seventy-five for kindergarten through the eighth
grade and three hundred twenty-five for the ninth through
twelfth grades.
(b) The Department of Education shall establish and
administer a program to award grants to school districts for
hiring and maintaining school counselors in compliance with
subsection (a). The grants shall be awarded by giving priority
to school districts with the highest student-to-counselor
ratios. The grants shall be funded by appropriations and moneys
made available to the Department of Education. The Department of
Education shall promulgate regulations to implement this
subsection.
Section 3. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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