PRINTER'S NO. 2084
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No.
1825
Session of
2021
INTRODUCED BY D. MILLER, MADDEN, FREEMAN, N. NELSON, KINSEY,
SCHLOSSBERG, HOHENSTEIN, SANCHEZ, McNEILL, A. DAVIS, HANBIDGE
AND HOWARD, SEPTEMBER 8, 2021
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, SEPTEMBER 8, 2021
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," providing for comprehensive school
counseling services.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. The act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known
as the Public School Code of 1949, is amended by adding an
article to read:
ARTICLE XIII-F
COMPREHENSIVE SCHOOL COUNSELING SERVICES
Section 1301-F. Definitions.
The following words and phrases when used in this article
shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
context clearly indicates otherwise:
" Administrative activities." Activities that are not
directly related to the plan and that are absent of any direct
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student services or interaction.
"Department." The Department of Education of the
Commonwealth.
"Direct services." As follows:
(1) Services that are provided through face-to-face
contact with students.
(2) The term includes the following:
(i) Classroom instruction.
(ii) Individual and group counseling for students.
(iii) Responsive services on behalf of a student
whose immediate personal concerns and problems put the
student's academic, career or social and emotional
development at risk. Responsive services include the
administration of a risk-assessment.
(iv) Interventions for a student who is:
(A) at risk of dropping out of school; or
(B) exhibiting dangerous behaviors, such as drug
use, self-harm or gang activity.
"Indirect services." Consultations among a student, a parent
or legal guardian of the student, school staff and community
agencies concerning the student's academic, career or social and
emotional needs.
"Plan." The comprehensive school counseling plan under
section 1302-F.
"Private school." Any of the following:
(1) A private school licensed under the act of January
28, 1988 (P.L.24, No.11), known as the Private Academic
Schools Act.
(2) A private school accredited by an accrediting
association approved by the State Board of Education.
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(3) A private school licensed under the act of December
15, 1986 (P.L.1585, No.174), known as the Private Licensed
Schools Act.
"School entity." Any of the following:
(1) A school district of any class.
(2) A public school as defined in 24 Pa.C.S. ยง 8102
(relating to definitions).
(3) A nonpublic school as defined in section 923.3-A(b).
(4) A private school.
(5) An intermediate unit as described in Article IX-A.
(6) A charter school as defined in section 1703-A.
(7) A cyber charter school as defined in section 1703-A.
(8) A regional charter school as defined in section
1703-A.
(9) An area career and technical school as described in
section 1841.
Section 1302-F. Comprehensive school counseling plan.
(a) Authorization and purpose.-- Each school entity shall
develop and implement a written comprehensive school counseling
plan that ensures that student services are coordinated in a
manner that provides comprehensive and developmental support to
all students of the school entity.
(b) Requirements generally.--A plan must:
(1) Be implemented by a Pennsylvania-certified school
counselor.
(2) Utilize nationally recognized and State-recognized
counselor frameworks.
(3) Be reviewed annually and updated as needed by the
school counselor, in collaboration with the affected building
principal and other stakeholders.
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(4) Be systemically aligned to kindergarten through
grade 12 within the school entity.
(c) Components.--A plan must contain the following:
(1) A foundation component, which must include:
(i) A vision statement.
(ii) A mission statement.
(iii) Plan goals.
(2) A management component, which utilizes assessments
and other data to develop, implement and evaluate the plan.
(3) A delivery component, which focuses on direct
services and indirect services through the implementation of
the plan.
(4) An accountability component, which ensures regular
analysis of the plan.
(d) Contents.--A plan must:
(1) Guide students in academic pursuits, career planning
and social and emotional learning.
(2) Follow the comprehensive school counseling program
guidance provided by the department.
(3) Include goals that are developed annually based on
the vision and mission statements that are shared by
stakeholders to ensure equitable access to opportunities for
all students.
(4) Identify student needs through a multilevel school
data review that includes:
(i) Data analysis.
(ii) Use-of-time data review.
(iii) Program results data.
(iv) Communication and contact with administrators,
students, parents and guardians of students and
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stakeholders.
Section 1303-F. School counselor use of time.
(a) General requirement.-- Sufficient time at each school
entity shall be allotted for the school entity's counselor to
carry out the duties stated in the school entity's plan.
(b) Direct and indirect services.--
(1) A school counselor shall spend at least 80% of the
school counselor's working time during student contact days
providing direct services and indirect services to students.
(2) Direct services and indirect services may be
provided in collaboration with other school personnel and
include:
(i) Providing academic advisement services,
including:
(A) Developing an individual planning system to
guide a student to access and monitor the student's
own educational, career and social and emotional
progress.
(B) Guiding a student along the pathways to
graduation.
(C) Guiding a student in goal-setting
experiences and course selection aligned with the
student's post-secondary goals.
(D) Addressing accelerated learning
opportunities.
(E) Addressing academic deficits and the
accessibility of resources.
(F) Providing student assessment reviews,
interest inventories or academic results needed to
develop, review and revise a student's plan of study.
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(G) Providing support for students who show
potential so they are more likely to engage in
rigorous coursework and take advantage of post-
secondary opportunities.
(ii) Providing a career planning process, including:
(A) Guidance in understanding the relationship
between classroom performance and success in school
and beyond.
(B) The provision of resources to identify
career interests and aptitudes to assist a student in
age-appropriate college and career planning.
(C) Guidance in understanding the advantages of
completing career certifications and internships.
(D) Interpretation of augmented, criterion-
referenced or norm-referenced assessments for
students and parents or guardians of students.
(E) The provision of information to a parent or
legal guardian of a student, such as through
workshops on preparing for college, financial aid and
career opportunities.
(F) Encouragement to a parent or legal guardian
of a student to support partnerships in the student's
learning and career planning processes.
(iii) Providing social and emotional skills designed
to support students, including programs to:
(A) P romote cultural and social awareness,
positive communication and relationship skills,
collaboration with others and responsible decision
making.
(B) Improve culture and climate in the school
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entity so that all students can feel that they are in
a safe and supportive environment.
(C) Develop conflict-resolution skills.
(D) Prevent bullying, including:
(I) Training programs for school employees
regarding how to recognize bullying behaviors.
(II) Protocols for responding to bullying
that is occurring in the school entity.
(III) Strategies that support a student who
is being bullied.
(IV) Strategies that help a bystander speak
out against bullying.
(E) Address age-appropriate suicide awareness
and prevention through:
(I) Strategies that help identify a student
who is at risk for suicide.
(II) Strategies and protocols that help a
student who is at risk for suicide.
(III) Protocols for responding to a suicide
death.
(iv) Intervening with students who are at risk of
dropping out of school to determine if there is a way to
keep the students in school.
(v) Providing orientation programs for new students
and transferring students at each level of education.
(vi) Serving as a contributing member of decision-
making teams and programs, which include:
(A) Teams that are convened under section 504 of
the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Public Law 93-112, 29
U.S.C. ยง 701 et seq.).
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(B) Multitiered System of Supports (MTSS) or
Response to Intervention (RTI) teams.
(C) English language learner programs.
(D) Parental involvement or family engagement
programs.
(E) Positive behavioral intervention support
programs.
(F) Advanced placement and gifted and talented
programs.
(c) Administrative activities.--
(1) Administrative activities performed by a school
counselor shall not exceed more than 20% of the school
counselor's time spent working during student contact days.
(2) Administrative activities provided by a school
counselor in collaboration with other school personnel
include:
(i) Coordinating State assessments, cognitive
achievement assessments, advanced placement programs and
language acquisition testing programs.
(ii) Developing master schedules.
(iii) Coordinating the following:
(A) Teams that are convened under section 504 of
the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.
(B) Response to Intervention (RTI) teams.
(C) English language learner programs.
(D) Parental involvement or family engagement
programs.
(E) Positive behavioral intervention support
programs.
(F) Advanced placement and gifted and talented
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programs.
(G) Data entry.
(iv) Monitoring students in common areas, such as
the cafeteria, a hallway, the playground or bus lines.
Section 1304-F. Monitoring and support.
(a) Posting of plan.-- Each school entity shall be
responsible for posting its plan on the school entity's publicly
accessible Internet website or, in the alternative, on the
publicly accessible Internet website of the school entity's
school district, under the category of State-required
information.
(b) Oversight.--Beginning with the 2022-2023 school year,
the department shall monitor each school entity to ensure
implementation and compliance with this article.
(c) Departmental duties.--The department shall:
(1) Employ at least one individual who is certified as a
school counselor.
(2) Provide a multilevel system of support to school
entities to assist in complying with this article.
(3) Provide guidance and technical assistance to school
entities to support equitable access to school counseling
services.
Section 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
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