School counselors requirements modifications

A bill for an act

relating to education; modifying requirements for school counselors; amending

Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 121A.39.

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

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 121A.39, is amended to read:

121A.39 SCHOOL COUNSELORS.

(a) A school district is strongly encouraged to have
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an adequate student-to-counselor

ratio for its students beginning in the 2015-2016 school year and later
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a minimum of one

school counselor in every kindergarten through grade 12 school building. School leaders

are encouraged to collaborate with school counselors to prioritize needs, identify strategies

that will have the largest impact, and engage other educators in the delivery of the

comprehensive school counseling curriculum
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.

(b) A school counselor shall
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assist a student in meeting the requirements for high school

graduation, college and career exploration, and selection, college affordability planning,

and successful transitions into postsecondary education or training.
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provide preventive and

developmentally appropriate school counseling programs to kindergarten through grade 12

students to help enhance academic development, social and emotional development, and

postsecondary and career development for all students. A school counselor must spend at

least 80 percent of their working time engaged in direct, multitiered services to students,

including but not limited to the following services:
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(1) helping individual students with academic, career, or postsecondary planning and

goal setting;

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(2) delivering school counseling classroom instruction in the areas of academic

development, social and emotional development, and postsecondary and career development;

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(3) providing instruction that proactively enhances awareness of mental health and

promotes positive, healthy behaviors to help students become productive members of society;

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(4) engaging in short-term individual and small group counseling to students;

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(5) helping students with crisis intervention focused on mental health or situational

concerns such as grief, loss, or other difficult transitions;

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(6) making referrals to appropriate school and community resources for long-term support

for students with mental health issues, including suicidal ideation, violence, abuse, anxiety,

and depression, with the intent of removing barriers to learning;

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(7) consulting and collaborating with families, teachers, other student support personnel,

administrators, school staff, and community members to support and advocate for the

achievement and success of all students;

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(8) collecting and analyzing school and student data to identify areas of success, needs,

or challenges, and creating goals to close gaps in achievement, opportunity, or accessibility

of information; or

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(9) acting as a systems change agent to create an environment that promotes and supports

all students' success in areas including enrollment patterns, equity, and access.

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(c) A school counselor must, as a minimum requirement to be employed as a school

counselor, hold an appropriate license granted by the Professional Educator Licensing and

Standards Board.

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