House Bill 1455

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 37-9-79, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE AN ALLOTMENT OF FUNDS TO SCHOOL DISTRICTS FOR THE PURPOSE OF EMPLOYING SCHOOL GUIDANCE COUNSELORS BASED UPON SCHOOL STUDENT ENROLLMENT; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1. Section 37-9-79, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

37-9-79. (1) Beginning with the 2007-2008 school year, in addition to the funding allotted under the Adequate Education Program, each school district shall be allotted funding to employ school guidance counselors based upon the following formula:

STATE-FUNDED COUNSELOR STUDENT ENROLLMENT BY SCHOOL

1/2 1-150

1 151-250

1-1/2 251-400

2 401-550

2-1/2 551-700

3 701-850

3-1/2 851-1000

4 1001-1150

4-1/2 1151-1300

5 1301-1450

5-1/2 1451-1600

(2) 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.

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

(4) 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, 2007.