REPORT OF CONFERENCE COMMITTEE

 

MADAM PRESIDENT AND MR. SPEAKER:

 

   We, the undersigned conferees, have had under consideration the amendments to the following entitled BILL:

 

S. B. No. 2441:  School guidance counselors; define authorized program activities.

 

  We, therefore, respectfully submit the following report and recommendation:

 

 

  1.  That the House recede from its Amendment No. 1.

 

  2.  That the Senate and House adopt the following amendment:

 

     Amend by striking all after the enacting clause and inserting in lieu thereof the following:

 

     SECTION 1.  (1)  Beginning with the 2002-2003 school year, the assignment of K-12 school guidance counselors to the particular schools within the district shall be at the discretion of the local school board with the following restrictions:

          (a)  No individual shall be employed as a school guidance counselor without a minimum of a Master's Degree in Guidance and Counseling, or in an emergency situation, an appropriate certification as determined by the Commission on Teacher and Administrator Education, Certification and Licensure and Development; and

          (b)  School guidance counselors shall provide the following comprehensive counseling services:   

              (i)  Academic and personal/social counseling;

              (ii)  Student assessment and assessment counseling;

              (iii)  Career and educational counseling;

              (iv)  Individual and group counseling (large/small);

              (v)  Crisis intervention and preventive counseling;

              (vi)  Referrals to community agencies;

              (vii)  Educational consultations and collaboration with teachers, administrators, parents and community leaders;

              (viii)  Educational and career placement services;

              (ix)  Follow-up counseling services;

              (x)  Conflict resolution; and

              (xi)  Other counseling duties or other duties as assigned by the school principal.

     (2)  School guidance counselors shall abide by the American School Counselor Association Code of Ethics.

     (3)  The State Department of Education may adopt regulations regarding the activities of the school guidance counselor as are not inconsistent with this section.

     SECTION 2.  This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2002.

     Further, amend by striking the title in its entirety and inserting in lieu thereof the following:

 

     AN ACT TO DEFINE THE COMPREHENSIVE COUNSELING SERVICES TO BE PROVIDED BY SCHOOL GUIDANCE COUNSELORS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

CONFEREES FOR THE SENATE	CONFEREES FOR THE HOUSE
X (SIGNED:)	X (SIGNED:)
Alice Harden	Joseph L. Warren
X (SIGNED:)	X (SIGNED:)
Cindy HydeSmith	Leonard Morris
X (SIGNED:)	X (SIGNED:)
Robert L. Johnson III	Cecil Brown