Amended in Senate April 8, 2015

Senate BillNo. 451


Introduced by Senator Lara

February 25, 2015


An act to amend Section 49600 of the Education Code, relating to pupil instruction and services.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

SB 451, as amended, Lara. Pupil instruction and services: educational counseling.

Existing law authorizes the governing board of a school district to provide a comprehensive educational counseling program for all pupils enrolled in the schools of the district, and, if the program is provided, requires educational counseling to include both academic counseling and career and vocational counseling in specified areas.

This bill would instead require educational counseling to include academic counseling in specified areas, and would provide that educational counseling may include specified areas, including, among others, career and vocational counseling. The bill would state the Legislature’s intent that school counselors perform specified functions and services, and would require professional development related to career and vocational counseling to include strategies for counseling pupils in specified areas. The bill would make a conforming change by deleting a provision relating to school counselors providing services prior to January 1, 1987.

Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no. State-mandated local program: no.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

P2    1

SECTION 1.  

Section 49600 of the Education Code is amended
2to read:

3

49600.  

(a) The governing board of a school district may
4provide a comprehensive educational counseling program for all
5pupils enrolled in the school district. It is the intent of the
6Legislature that a school district that provides educational
7counseling to its pupils implement a structured and coherent
8counseling program.

9(b) For purposes of this section, “educational counseling” means
10specialized services provided by a school counselor possessing a
11valid credential with a specialization in pupil personnel services
12who is assigned specific times to directly counsel pupils.

13(c) It is the intent of the Legislature that school counselors do
14all of the following:

15(1) Engage with, advocate for, and provide support for, all pupils
16with respect to learning and achievement.

17(2) Plan, implement, and evaluate programs to promote the
18academic, career, personal, and social development of allbegin delete pupils.end delete
19begin insert pupils, including pupils from low-income families, foster youth,
20homeless youth, undocumented youth, and pupils at all levels of
21academic, social, and emotional abilities.end insert

22(3) Use multiple sources of information to monitor and improve
23pupil behavior and achievement.

24(4) Collaborate and coordinate with school and community
25resources.

26(5) Promote and maintain a safe learning environment for all
27pupils by providing restorative justice practices, positive behavior
28interventions, and support services.

29(6) Intervene to ameliorate school-related problems, including
30issues related to chronic absences.

31(7) Use research-based strategies to reduce stigma, conflict, and
32pupil-to-pupil mistreatment and bullying.

33(8) Improve school climate and pupil well-being.

34(9) Enhance pupils’ social and emotional competence, character,
35health, civic engagement, cultural literacy, and commitment to
36lifelong learning and the pursuit of high-quality educational
37programs.

P3    1(10) Provide counseling interventions and support services for
2pupils classified as English learners, eligible for free or
3reduced-price meals, or foster youth, includingbegin delete providingend delete
4begin insert enhancingend insert equity and access to the education system and
5community services.

6(11) Engage in continued development as a professional school
7counselor.

begin delete

8(e)

end delete

9begin insert(d)end insert Educational counseling shall include academic counseling,
10in which pupils receive counseling in the following areas:

11(1) begin deleteEstablishment end deletebegin insertDevelopment end insertand implementation, with
12parental involvement, of the pupil’s immediate and long-range
13educational plans.

14(2) Optimizing progress towards achievement of proficiency
15standards.

16(3) Completion of the required curriculum in accordance with
17the pupil’s needs, abilities, interests, and aptitudes.

18(4) Academic planning for access and success in higher
19education programs, including advisement on courses needed for
20admission to public colleges and universities, standardized
21admissions tests, and financial aid.

begin delete

22(f)

end delete

23begin insert(e)end insert Educational counseling may also include counseling in any
24of the following:

25(1) Individualized review of the academic and deportment
26records of a pupil.

27(2) Individualized review of the pupil’s career goals, and the
28available academic and career technical education opportunities
29and community and workplace experiences available to the pupil
30that may support the pursuit of those goals.

31(3) Opportunity for a counselor to meet with each pupil and, if
32practicable, the parents or legal guardian of the pupil to discuss
33the academic and deportment records of the pupil, his or her
34educational options, the coursework and academic progress needed
35for satisfactory completion of middle or high school, passage of
36the high school exit examination, education opportunities at
37community colleges, eligibility for admission to a four-year
38institution of postsecondary education, including the University
39of California and the California State University, and the
40availability of career technical education. That discussion shall
P4    1also address the availability of intensive instruction and services
2as required pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 37254, for up to
3two consecutive academic years after the completion of grade 12
4or until the pupil has passed both parts of the high school exit
5examination, whichever comes first, for those pupils who have not
6passed one or both parts of the high school exit examination by
7the end of grade 12. The educational options discussed at the
8meeting shall include, to the extent these services are available,
9the college preparatory program and career technical education
10programs, including regional occupational centers and programs
11and similar alternatives available to pupils within the school
12district.

13(4) Identifying pupils who are at risk of not graduating with the
14rest of their class, are not earning credits at a rate that will enable
15them to pass the high school exit examination, or do not have
16sufficient training to allow them to fully engage in their chosen
17career.

18(5) In schools that enroll pupils in grades 10 and 12, developing
19a list of coursework and experience necessary to assist each pupil
20in his or her grade who has not passed one or both parts of the high
21school exit examination or has not satisfied, or is not on track to
22satisfy, the curricular requirements for admission to the University
23of California and the California State University, and to
24 successfully transition to postsecondary education or employment.

25(6) Developing a list of coursework and experience necessary
26to assist each pupil in middle school to successfully transition to
27high school and meet all graduation requirements, including
28passing the high school exit examination.

29(7) In schools that enroll pupils in grades 6 to 12, inclusive,
30developing a list of coursework and experience necessary to assist
31each pupil to begin to satisfy the curricular requirements for
32admission to the University of California and the California State
33University.

34(8) Providing a copy of the lists developed pursuant to
35paragraphs (6) and (7) to a pupil and his or her parent or legal
36guardian, ensuring that the list of coursework and experience is
37part of the pupil’s cumulative record.

38(9) Informing each pupil who has failed to pass one or both
39parts of the high school exit examination of the option of intensive
40instruction and services.

P5    1(10) Developing a list of coursework and experience for a pupil
2enrolled in grade 12, including options for continuing his or her
3education if he or she fails to meet graduation requirements. These
4options shall include, but are not limited to, all of the following:

5(A) Enrolling in an adult education program.

6(B) Enrolling in a community college.

7(C) Continuing enrollment in the pupil’s current school district.

8(D) Continuing to receive intensive instruction and services for
9up to two consecutive academic years after completion of grade
1012 or until the pupil has passed both parts of the high school exit
11examination, whichever comes first.

12(11) Providing a copy of the list of coursework and experiences
13developed pursuant to paragraph (10) to the pupil and his or her
14parent or legal guardian, ensuring that the list of coursework and
15experience is part of the cumulative records of a pupil.

16(12) Offering and scheduling an individual conference with
17each pupil in grades 10 and 12 who has failed to pass one or both
18parts of the high school exit examination or has not satisfied, or
19is not on track to satisfy, the curricular requirements for admission
20to the University of California and the California State University
21and to successfully transition to postsecondary education or
22employment, and providing the following information to the pupil
23and his or her parent or legal guardian:

24(A) Consequences of not passing the high school exit
25examination.

26(B) Programs, courses, and career technical education options
27available to the pupil as needed for satisfactory completion of
28middle or high school.

29(C) Cumulative records and transcripts of the pupil.

30(D) Results of standardized and diagnostic assessments of the
31pupil.

32(E) Remediation strategies, high school courses, and alternative
33education options available to the pupil, including, but not limited
34to, informing the pupil of the option to receive intensive instruction
35and services for up to two consecutive academic years after
36completion of grade 12 or until the pupil has passed both parts of
37the high school exit examination, whichever comes first.

38(F) Information on postsecondary education and training.

P6    1(G) The score of the pupil on the English language arts or
2mathematics portion of the California Standards Test administered
3in grade 6, as applicable.

4(H) Eligibility requirements, including coursework and test
5requirements, and the progress of the pupil toward satisfaction of
6those requirements for admission to four-year institutions of
7postsecondary education, including the University of California
8and the California State University.

9(I) The availability of financial aid for postsecondary education.

10(13) Career and vocational counseling, in which pupils are
11assisted in doing all of the following:

12(A) Planning for the future, including, but not limited to,
13identifying personal interests, skills, and abilities, career planning,
14course selection, and career transition.

15(B) Becoming aware of personal preferences and interests that
16influence educational and occupational exploration, career choice,
17and career success.

18(C) Developing realistic perceptions of work, the changing work
19environment, and the effect of work on lifestyle.

20(D) Understanding the relationship between academic
21achievement and career success, and the importance of maximizing
22career options.

23(E) Understanding the value of participating in career technical
24education and work-based learning activities and programs,
25including, but not limited to, service learning, regional occupational
26centers and programs, partnership programs, job shadowing, and
27mentoring experiences.

28(F) Understanding the need to develop essential employable
29skills and work habits.

30(G) Understanding the variety of four-year colleges and
31universities and community college vocational and technical
32preparation programs, as well as admission criteria and enrollment
33procedures.

34(14) Personal and social counseling, in which pupils receive
35counseling pertaining to interpersonal relationships for the purpose
36of promoting the development of their academic abilities, careers
37and vocations, and personal and social skills.

begin delete

38(g)

end delete

39begin insert(f)end insert Professional development related to career and vocational
40counseling shall include strategies for counseling pupils pursuing
P7    1postsecondary education, career technical education, multiple
2pathways, college, and global career opportunities.

begin delete

3(h)

end delete

4begin insert(g)end insert Nothing in this section shall be construed as prohibiting
5persons participating in an organized advisory program approved
6by the governing board of a school district, and supervised by a
7school district counselor, from advising pupils pursuant to the
8organized advisory program.



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