SF 3892

Introduction - 94th Legislature (2025 - 2026)

Posted on 03/03/2026 08:54 a.m.

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 deleted text begin an adequate student-to-counselor
ratio for its students beginning in the 2015-2016 school year and later deleted text end new text begin 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 new text end .

(b) A school counselor shall deleted text begin 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. deleted text end new text begin 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:
new text end

new text begin (1) helping individual students with academic, career, or postsecondary planning and
goal setting;
new text end

new text begin (2) delivering school counseling classroom instruction in the areas of academic
development, social and emotional development, and postsecondary and career development;
new text end

new text begin (3) providing instruction that proactively enhances awareness of mental health and
promotes positive, healthy behaviors to help students become productive members of society;
new text end

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

new text begin (5) helping students with crisis intervention focused on mental health or situational
concerns such as grief, loss, or other difficult transitions;
new text end

new text begin (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;
new text end

new text begin (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;
new text end

new text begin (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
new text end

new text begin (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.
new text end

new text begin (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.
new text end