BILL ANALYSIS Ó
SENATE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION
Senator Carol Liu, Chair
2015 - 2016 Regular
Bill No: SB 451
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|Author: |Lara |
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|Version: |April 8, 2015 Hearing |
| |Date: April 22, 2015 |
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|Urgency: |No |Fiscal: |No |
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|Consultant:|Olgalilia Ramirez |
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Subject: Pupil instruction and services: educational
counseling
SUMMARY
This bill authorizes school districts that choose to provide a
comprehensive educational counseling program to include academic
counseling, as specified; requires professional development to
include strategies for counseling students about educational and
career options; and includes legislative intent language
regarding the role and responsibilities of school counselors.
BACKGROUND
Existing Law:
Authorizes school districts to provide a comprehensive
educational counseling program for all students that include
academic counseling, career and vocational counseling, personal
and social counseling. (Education Code § 49600)
Defines educational counseling to mean specialized services
provided by a school counselor possessing a valid Pupil
Personnel Services credential issued by the Commission on
Teacher Credentialing. (EC § 49600)
Requires students, as a condition of graduating from high
school, to successfully complete specified coursework, any
locally-imposed graduation requirements, and pass the high
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school exit exam. (EC § 60850)
ANALYSIS
This bill:
1. Authorizes school districts that choose to provide a
comprehensive educational counseling program to:
A. Provide specific academic counseling
services such as reviewing student records, meeting
with students and parents to discuss a student's
records, educational goals, and academic progress,
providing course work information, assisting students
having difficulty passing the high school exit exam,
and other services specified.
B. Provide career and vocational
counseling services such as those that help pupils
identify personal interests, skills, and abilities,
understand the relationship between academic
achievement and career success, and understand the
value of participating in career technical education
and work-based learning activities, among other things
as specified.
2. States legislative intent that school counselors
perform specified functions and services including:
A. Monitor and improve pupil behavior,
collaborate and coordinate with school and community
resources, engage in professional development
opportunities, use research-based strategies to reduce
stigma and conflict and improve student well-being.
B. Provide counseling intervention and
support services, promote and maintain a safe learning
environment by providing restorative justice
strategies, intervene to address school-related
problems, including issues related to chronic
absences, implement programs to promote the academic,
career, personal, and social development of all
students.
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3. Requires ongoing professional development related to
career and vocational counseling to include strategies for
pupils pursing postsecondary, career technical education,
multiple pathway, college, and global career opportunities.
4. Deletes an outdated provision relating to school
counselors providing services prior to January 1, 1987.
5. Makes other technical changes.
STAFF COMMENTS
1. Need for the bill. According to the author, counselors are
in a unique position to support teachers, administrators,
and schools as they work to improve student outcomes,
however, unlike many professions in the state's K-12 system
there are no standards or guidelines for school counselors.
The author further asserts as the state implements the
Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF), counselors can play a
critical role in meeting the state priorities outlined in
the Local Control Accountability Plans (LCAP) including
school climate, high school graduation rates, and access to
college preparation courses. This bill seeks to improve the
quality of educational counseling provided to students by
establishing guidelines and standards for school
counselors.
2. Middle and High School Supplemental Counseling program
(MHSSCP). The MHSSCP sought to increase the number of
school counselors that serve seventh- through twelfth-grade
students. These counselors would help to provide students
with information on all educational and vocational options
available to them and serve students who have failed or are
at risk of failing the California High School Exit Exam
(CAHSEE), as well as students who are at risk of not
graduating due to insufficient credits. According to
California Department of Education (CDE) funding for the
MHSSCP was included in the Pupil Retention Block Grant, a
state-funded categorical program that was discontinued as
of the 2013-14 fiscal year and now part of the Local
Control Funding Formula (LCFF). This bill closely aligns
guidelines, standards and counseling strategies with
similar requirements outlined in Middle and High School
Supplemental School Counseling Program (MHSSCP).
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3. Existing Standards for School Counselors. Existing law
authorizes the governing board of a school district to
provide educational counseling programs administered by
credentialed counselors for all students that include
academic counseling, career and vocational counseling,
personal and social counseling (EC Section 49600). This
statue was established in 1987 and according to the
California Association of School Counselors do not reflect
the issues facing students today, such as school bullying,
equity issues or those identified within the eight state
priorities.
Under Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) local education
agencies are required to complete a local control and
accountability plan (LCAP). The LCAP must include a
district's annual goals in each of the eight state priority
areas which include student achievement, student
engagement, student outcomes, school climate,
implementation of common core state standards, course
access, basic services and parental involvement. This bill
attempts to update educational counseling programs by
including elements of the eight state priority areas.
4. California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE). Existing law
authorizes the development of a high school exit exam in
English language arts and math that are aligned with
California academic content standards adopted by the State
Board of Education. All students in California public
schools must satisfy the CAHSEE requirement, as well as all
other state and local graduation requirements, to receive a
high school diploma. The primary purpose of the CAHSEE is
to: (1) significantly improve student achievement in public
high schools and (2) to ensure that students who graduate
from public high schools can demonstrate grade level
competency in reading, writing, and mathematics.
The State Board of Education adopted the California Common
Core Standards in English language arts and mathematics in
August 2010. The California High School Exit Examination
(CAHSEE) is aligned standards that were adopted by the
State Board of Education in 1997. The CAHSEE has not been
updated for alignment with current academic content
standards. As such, policy conversation around the CAHSEE
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have included suspending the assessment, updating or
replacing the exam with other measurements. This bill makes
several references to the high school exit exam and given
its uncertain future, staff recommends the bill be amended
to include "or its successor" after "high school exit
exam."
5. Correct drafting error. Author's amendment: The author
wishes the bill be amended to correct a drafting error by
reinstating the subsection on "career and vocational
counseling," under the section regarding "areas for which
pupils are required to receive counseling." Specifically,
on page 3 between lines 24 and 25 insert from page 6 lines
12 to 36.
6. Related and prior legislation.
SB 272 (Wiggins, 2009) would have codified the MHSSCP block
grant program by authorizing school districts that choose
to provide an educational counseling program to include
specific academic, career and vocational counseling. SB 727
was ultimately vetoed by the Governor, whose message read:
School district governing boards already have the
authority to
include the specified program requirements within its
comprehensive educational counseling program. Nothing
under
current law prohibits a district from doing so. As a
result, this bill is
unnecessary.
SUPPORT
California Association of School Counselors
California Teachers Association
OPPOSITION
None received.
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