Introduced Version






HOUSE BILL No. 1295

_____


DIGEST OF INTRODUCED BILL



Citations Affected: IC 20-20; IC 20-28-5-16.

Synopsis: School counselors. Establishes specific target counselor/student ratios to be used for the hiring of school counselors, school social workers, and school psychologists. Requires the department of education, in cooperation with other appropriate associations, to develop a uniform job description for school counselors. Requires individuals seeking initial licensure for school counseling to provide evidence of performance in certain areas. Makes a technical correction.

Effective: July 1, 2010.





Porter




    January 12, 2010, read first time and referred to Committee on Education.







Introduced

Second Regular Session 116th General Assembly (2010)


PRINTING CODE. Amendments: Whenever an existing statute (or a section of the Indiana Constitution) is being amended, the text of the existing provision will appear in this style type, additions will appear in this style type, and deletions will appear in this style type.
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HOUSE BILL No. 1295



    A BILL FOR AN ACT to amend the Indiana Code concerning education.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Indiana:

SOURCE: IC 20-20-17-5; (10)IN1295.1.1. -->     SECTION 1. IC 20-20-17-5, AS ADDED BY P.L.1-2005, SECTION 4, IS AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2010]: Sec. 5. Subject to section 6 of this chapter, for a school corporation to be eligible to receive a grant under this chapter, the following must occur:
        (1) The superintendent of the school corporation must apply to the department for a grant on forms provided by the department.
        (2) The application for a grant must include the following information:
            (A) A detailed description of a proposal for initiating or expanding a school intervention or and career counseling program.
            (B) Evidence supporting the school corporation's need to implement the school intervention or and career counseling program.
            (C) The number of elementary school counselors employed by the school corporation.
            (D) The elementary school counselor/student ratio for the school corporation.
            (E) Any other pertinent information required by the department, including evidence guaranteeing that if the school corporation receives a grant under this chapter, the school corporation has developed a plan to evaluate the impact and results of the school corporation's program.
SOURCE: IC 20-20-17-6; (10)IN1295.1.2. -->     SECTION 2. IC 20-20-17-6, AS ADDED BY P.L.1-2005, SECTION 4, IS AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2010]: Sec. 6. The department may award grants to school corporations:
        (1) upon review of the applications received under section 5 of this chapter;
        (2) upon receipt of the recommendations from the advisory committee under section 10 of this chapter;
        (3) subject to available money; and
        (4) in accordance with the following priorities:
            (A) To the extent possible, to achieve geographic balance throughout Indiana and to include urban, suburban, and rural school corporations.
            (B) To address a documented need for new or expanded school intervention or and career counseling programs, including considering the percentage of students within the school corporation who are designated as at risk students.
            (C) To promote innovative methods for initiating or expanding school intervention or and career counseling programs.
            (D) To reward school corporations that propose school intervention or and career counseling programs that demonstrate the greatest potential for replication and implementation in Indiana.
            (E) To lower school counselor/student ratios where the ratios are excessively high.
SOURCE: IC 20-20-18-1; (10)IN1295.1.3. -->     SECTION 3. IC 20-20-18-1, AS ADDED BY P.L.1-2005, SECTION 4, IS AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2010]: Sec. 1. As used in this chapter, "fund" refers to the elementary school counselors, school social workers, and school psychologists fund established by section 4 of this chapter.
SOURCE: IC 20-20-18-3; (10)IN1295.1.4. -->     SECTION 4. IC 20-20-18-3, AS ADDED BY P.L.1-2005, SECTION 4, IS AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2010]: Sec. 3. As used in this chapter, "program" refers to an elementary school counseling program, a school social work program, or a school psychologist program carried out under this chapter:
        (1) for kindergarten through grade 6; and
        (2) by:
            (A) a licensed school counselor;
            (B) a licensed school social worker who has obtained at least a master's degree; or
            (C) a licensed school psychologist.
SOURCE: IC 20-20-18-4; (10)IN1295.1.5. -->     SECTION 5. IC 20-20-18-4, AS ADDED BY P.L.1-2005, SECTION 4, IS AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2010]: Sec. 4. (a) The elementary school counselors, school social workers, and school psychologists fund is established. The money in the fund shall be used to assist school corporations in placing school counselors, school social workers, and school psychologists in elementary schools through grants awarded as determined by the department under this chapter.
    (b) If a school corporation is awarded a grant under this chapter, the school corporation must:
        (1) agree to evaluate the impact and results of the school corporation's program; and
        (2) submit the school corporation's findings to the department.
    (c) The department shall administer the fund.
    (d) The fund consists of:
        (1) gifts to the fund;
        (2) appropriations from the general assembly; and
        (3) grants, including grants from private entities.
SOURCE: IC 20-20-18-5; (10)IN1295.1.6. -->     SECTION 6. IC 20-20-18-5, AS ADDED BY P.L.1-2005, SECTION 4, IS AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2010]: Sec. 5. Subject to section 6 of this chapter, for a school corporation to be eligible to receive a grant under this chapter, the following must occur:
        (1) The superintendent of the school corporation must apply to the department for a grant on a form provided by the department.
        (2) The application for a grant must include the following information:
            (A) A detailed description of a proposal for placing school counselors, school social workers, or school psychologists in elementary schools to provide services to students and their families.
            (B) Evidence supporting the school corporation's need to implement the program.
            (C) The number of elementary school counselors, school social workers, and school psychologists employed by the school corporation.
            (D) The elementary school:
                (i) school counselor/student ratio;
                (ii) school social worker/student ratio; and
                (iii) school psychologist/student ratio;
            for the school corporation.
            (E) Any other pertinent information required by the department, including evidence guaranteeing that if the school corporation receives a grant under this chapter, the school corporation will have developed a plan to evaluate the impact and results of the school corporation's program.
SOURCE: IC 20-20-18-6; (10)IN1295.1.7. -->     SECTION 7. IC 20-20-18-6, AS ADDED BY P.L.1-2005, SECTION 4, IS AMENDED TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2010]: Sec. 6. Upon review of the applications received under section 5 of this chapter, the department may award grants to school corporations subject to available money and in accordance with the following priorities:
        (1) To the extent possible, to achieve geographic balance throughout Indiana and to include urban, suburban, and rural school corporations.
        (2) To address a documented need for new or expanded programs, including consideration of the percentage of students within the school corporation who are designated as at risk students.
        (3) To lower:
            (A) student/school counselor ratios to at least one (1) school counselor to two hundred fifty (250) students;
            (B) student/social student/school social worker ratios to at least one (1) school social worker to four hundred (400) students; and
            (C) student/school psychologist ratios to at least one (1) school psychologist to one thousand (1,000) students.
        where the ratios are excessively high.
SOURCE: IC 20-28-5-16; (10)IN1295.1.8. -->     SECTION 8. IC 20-28-5-16 IS ADDED TO THE INDIANA CODE AS A NEW SECTION TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2010]: Sec. 16. After June 30, 2012, the department may not issue an initial school services license for school counseling to an individual unless the individual demonstrates mastery in the following areas:
        (1) Developmental guidance instruction.
        (2) Educational development.
        (3) Career development student assistance services.
        (4) Counseling strategies.
        (5) Prevention programming.
        (6) Crisis intervention leadership.
        (7) Advocacy for students.
        (8) Professional growth.

SOURCE: ; (10)IN1295.1.9. -->     SECTION 9. [EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2010] (a) Not later than July 1, 2011, the department of education, in cooperation with other appropriate associations, shall develop a uniform job description for school counselors.
    (b) This SECTION expires December 31, 2011.