BILL NUMBER: SB 272 AMENDED
BILL TEXT
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY JULY 16, 2009
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY JUNE 23, 2009
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY JUNE 1, 2009
INTRODUCED BY Senator Wiggins
(Coauthor: Assembly Member Torlakson)
FEBRUARY 24, 2009
An act to amend Section 49600 of the Education Code, relating to
educational counseling.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
SB 272, as amended, Wiggins. Educational counseling.
Existing law authorizes the governing board of any school district
to provide a comprehensive educational counseling program for all
pupils enrolled in the district. Existing law requires that
educational counseling include academic counseling, in which pupils
receive counseling regarding establishment and implementation of
educational plans, achievement of proficiency standards, completion
of required curriculum, and access to, and success in, higher
education, and career and vocational counseling, in which pupils are
assisted in planning for the future, becoming aware of their career
potential, developing realistic perceptions of work, and relating to
the work world.
This bill would state legislative intent relating to the role of
school counselors and counseling programs. The bill would , to
align academic counseling with the Middle and High School
Supplemental Counseling Program, authorize the academic
counseling component of educational counseling to also include an
individualized review of pupil's academic and deportment records and
of his or her career goals, and the opportunity for a counselor to
meet with each pupil and his or her parents or legal guardian to
explain the academic progress needed to complete middle or high
school, pass the high school exit examination, and be eligible for
admission to a 4-year institution of postsecondary education and the
availability of career technical education, among other things.
The bill would authorize the career and vocational counseling
component of educational counseling to include identifying personal
interests, skills, and abilities, career planning, course selection,
and career transition, and assisting pupils to understand the
changing work environment, the effect of work on lifestyle, the
relationship between academic achievement and career success, the
importance of maximizing career options, the value of participating
in career technical education and work-based learning activities and
programs, and the need to develop essential employable skills and
work habits, among other things.
The bill would require ongoing professional development related to
career and vocational counseling to include strategies for pupils
pursuing postsecondary education, career technical education,
multiple pathways, college, and global career opportunities.
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no.
State-mandated local program: no.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. Section 49600 of the Education Code is amended to read:
49600. (a) The governing board of any school district may provide
a comprehensive educational counseling program for all pupils
enrolled in the district.
For purposes of this section, "educational counseling" means
specialized services provided by a school counselor possessing a
valid credential with a specialization in pupil personnel services
who is assigned specific times to directly counsel pupils.
(b) It is the intent of the Legislature that school counselors do
all of the following:
(1) Engage with, advocate for, and provide support for all pupils
with respect to learning.
(2) Plan, implement, and evaluate programs to promote the
academic, career, personal, and social development of all pupils.
(3) Use multiple sources of information to monitor and improve
pupil behavior and achievement.
(4) Collaborate and coordinate with school and community
resources.
(5) Promote and maintain a safe learning environment for all
pupils.
(6) Engage in continued development as a professional school
counselor.
(c) It is the intent of the Legislature that a school district
that provides educational counseling to its pupils implement
structured and coherent counseling programs.
(d) Educational counseling may shall
include, but not be limited to, all of the following:
(1) Academic counseling, in which pupils receive counseling in the
following areas:
(A) Establishment and implementation, with parental involvement,
of the pupil's immediate and long-range educational plans.
(B) Optimizing progress towards achievement of proficiency
standards.
(C) Completion of the required curriculum in accordance with the
pupil's needs, abilities, interests, and aptitudes.
(D) Academic planning for access and success in higher education
programs including advisement on courses needed for admission to
public colleges and universities, standarized admissions tests, and
financial aid.
(E) In addition, to align academic counseling with the Middle and
High School Supplemental Counseling Program, academic counseling may
also include:
(E)
(i) Individualized review of the academic and
deportment records of a pupil.
(F)
(ii) Individualized review of the pupil's career goals,
and the available academic and career technical education
opportunities and community and workplace experiences available to
the pupil that may support the pursuit of those goals.
(G)
(iii) Opportunity for a counselor to meet with each
pupil and, if practicable, the parents or legal guardian of the pupil
to discuss the academic and deportment records of the pupil, his or
her educational options, the coursework and academic progress needed
for satisfactory completion of middle or high school, passage of the
high school exit examination, eligibility for admission to a
four-year institution of postsecondary education, including the
University of California and the California State University, and the
availability of career technical education. That discussion shall
also address the availability of intensive instruction and services
as required pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 37254, for up to
two consecutive academic years after the completion of grade 12 or
until the pupil has passed both parts of the high school exit
examination, whichever comes first, for those pupils who have not
passed one or both parts of the high school exit examination by the
end of grade 12. The educational options discussed at the meeting
shall include, to the extent these services are available, the
college preparatory program and career technical education programs,
including regional occupational centers and programs and similar
alternatives available to pupils within the school district.
(H)
(iv) Identification of pupils who are at risk of not
graduating with the rest of their class, are not earning credits at a
rate that will enable them to pass the high school exit examination,
or do not have sufficient training to allow them to fully engage in
their chosen career.
(I)
(v) In schools that enroll pupils in grades 10 and 12,
development of a list of coursework and experience necessary to
assist each pupil in his or her respective grade who has not passed
one or both parts of the high school exit examination or has not
satisfied, or is not on track to satisfy, the curricular requirements
for admission to the University of California and the California
State University, and to successfully transition to postsecondary
education or employment.
(J)
(vi) In schools that enroll pupils in grade 7,
development of a list of coursework and experience necessary to
assist each pupil in grade 7 who is deemed to be at the
far-below-basic level in English language arts or mathematics
pursuant to the California Standards Tests administered to pupils in
grade 6, to successfully transition to high school and meet all
graduation requirements, including passing the high school exit
examination.
(K)
(vii) In schools that enroll pupils in grade 7,
development of a list of coursework and experience necessary to
assist each pupil in grade 7 to begin to satisfy the curricular
requirements for admission to the University of California and the
California State University.
(L)
(viii) Provision of a copy of the lists developed
pursuant to subparagraphs (J) and (K) clauses
(vi) and (vii) to a pupil and his or her parent or legal
guardian, ensuring that the list of coursework and experience is part
of the cumulative records of a pupil.
(M)
(ix) Informing each pupil who has failed to pass one or
both parts of the high school exit examination of the option of
intensive instruction and services.
(N)
(x) Development of a list of coursework and experience
for a pupil enrolled in grade 12 including, in addition to the items
identified in subparagraphs (H) to (M)
clauses (iv) to (ix) , inclusive, options for continuing his or
her education if he or she fails to meet graduation requirements.
These options shall include, but not be limited to, all of the
following:
(i)
(I) Enrolling in an adult education program.
(ii)
(II) Enrolling in a community college.
(iii)
(III) Continuing enrollment in the pupil's current
school district.
(iv)
(IV) Continuing to receive intensive instruction and
services for up to two consecutive academic years after completion of
grade 12 or until the pupil has passed both parts of the high school
exit examination, whichever comes first.
(O)
(xi) Provision of a copy of the list of coursework and
experiences developed pursuant to subparagraph (N)
clause (x) to the pupil and his or her parent or legal
guardian, ensuring that the list of coursework and experience is part
of the cumulative records of a pupil.
(P)
(xii) Offering and scheduling an individual conference
with each pupil in grades 10 and 12 who has failed to pass one or
both parts of the high school exit examination or has not satisfied,
or is not on track to satisfy, the curricular requirements for
admission to the University of California and the California State
University and to successfully transition to postsecondary education
or employment, and with each pupil in grade 7 who is deemed to be at
the far-below-basic level in English language arts or mathematics
pursuant to the California Standards Tests and is unlikely to
successfully transition to high school and meet all graduation
requirements, including passing the high school exit examination, and
with his or her parent or legal guardian, and a school counselor.
The individual conference shall be scheduled, to the extent feasible,
according to the following requirements:
(i)
(I) For a pupil enrolled in grade 7, the conference
shall occur before January of that school year in which the pupil is
enrolled in grade 7.
(ii)
(II) For a pupil enrolled in grade 10, the conference
shall occur between the spring of that school year in which the pupil
is enrolled in grade 10 and the fall of the following school year in
which the pupil would be enrolled in grade 11. For a school
operating on a multitrack, year-round calendar, the conference for a
pupil enrolled in grade 10 shall occur in the timeframe that is
equivalent to that specified timeframe for a school operating on a
traditional calendar.
(iii)
(III) For a pupil enrolled in grade 12, the conference
shall occur after November of that school year in which the pupil is
enrolled in grade 12, but before March of the same school year. For a
school operating on a multitrack, year-round calendar, the
conference for a pupil enrolled in grade 12 shall occur in the
timeframe that is equivalent to that specified timeframe for a school
operating on a traditional calendar.
(Q)
(xiii) Information provided by the school counselor,
during the individual conference described in subparagraph
(P) clause (xii) , to a pupil and his or her
parent or legal guardian regarding all of the following:
(i)
(I) Consequences of not passing the high school exit
examination.
(ii)
(II) Programs, courses, and career technical education
options available to the pupil as needed for satisfactory completion
of middle or high school.
(iii)
(III) Cumulative records and transcripts of the pupil.
(iv)
(IV) Results of standardized and diagnostic assessments
of the pupil.
(v)
(V) Remediation strategies, high school courses, and
alternative education options available to the pupil, including, but
not limited to, informing the pupil of the option to receive
intensive instruction and services for up to two consecutive academic
years after completion of grade 12 or until the pupil has passed
both parts of the high school exit examination, whichever comes
first.
(vi)
(VI) Information on postsecondary education and
training.
(vii)
(VII) The score of the pupil on the English language
arts or mathematics portion of the California Standards Test
administered in grade 6, as applicable.
(viii)
(VIII) Eligibility requirements, including coursework
and test requirements, and the progress of the pupil toward
satisfaction of those requirements for admission to four-year
institutions of postsecondary education, including the University of
California and the California State University.
(ix)
(IX) The availability of financial aid for
postsecondary education.
(2) Career and vocational counseling, in which pupils are assisted
in doing the following:
(A) Planning for the future, including, but not limited to,
identifying personal interests, skills, and abilities, career
planning, course selection, and career transition.
(B) Becoming aware of personal preferences and interests that
influence educational and occupational exploration, career choice,
and career success.
(C) Developing realistic perceptions of work, the changing work
environment, and the effect of work on lifestyle.
(D) Understanding the relationship between academic achievement
and career success, and the importance of maximizing career options.
(E) Understanding the value of participating in career technical
education and work-based learning activities and programs, including,
but not limited to, service learning, regional occupational programs
and centers, partnership programs, job shadowing, and mentoring
experiences.
(F) Understanding the need to develop essential employable skills
and work habits.
(G) Understanding the variety of four-year colleges and
universities, community college vocational and technical preparation
programs, as well as admission criteria and enrollment procedures.
(3) Personal and social counseling, in which pupils receive
counseling pertaining to interpersonal relationships for the purpose
of promoting the development of their academic abilities, careers and
vocations, personalities, and social skills.
(e) Ongoing professional development related to career and
vocational counseling shall include strategies for counseling pupils
pursuing postsecondary education, career technical education,
multiple pathways, college, and global career opportunities.
(f) Nothing in this section shall be construed as prohibiting
persons participating in an organized advisory program approved by
the governing board of a school district, and supervised by a school
district counselor, from advising pupils pursuant to the organized
advisory program.
(g) Notwithstanding any provisions of this section to the
contrary, any person who is performing these counseling services
pursuant to law authorizing the performance thereof in effect before
January 1, 1987, shall be authorized to continue to perform those
services on and after that date without compliance with the
additional requirements imposed by this section.