1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to education; providing for a school 
  1.3             counselor demonstration site pilot program; 
  1.4             appropriating money. 
  1.5   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.6      Section 1.  [SCHOOL COUNSELOR DEMONSTRATION SITE PILOT 
  1.7   PROGRAM.] 
  1.8      Subdivision 1.  [ESTABLISHMENT.] A pilot program beginning 
  1.9   in the 2001-2002 school year is established for the development 
  1.10  and operation of at least ten demonstration sites in elementary, 
  1.11  middle, and high schools to measure the effectiveness of a 
  1.12  school counselor to student ratio of 1 to 250. 
  1.13     Subd. 2.  [APPLICATION; SELECTION CRITERIA.] School 
  1.14  districts may submit an application to participate in this 
  1.15  program to the commissioner of children, families, and learning 
  1.16  in the form and manner established by the commissioner.  The 
  1.17  commissioner shall consult with school counselor preparation 
  1.18  programs in post-secondary institutions to develop selection 
  1.19  criteria.  Demonstration sites must be located throughout the 
  1.20  state and include comparable numbers of urban, suburban, and 
  1.21  rural sites with at least four sites in elementary schools, two 
  1.22  sites in middle schools, and four sites in high schools. 
  1.23     In order to participate, an applicant must be able to work 
  1.24  in collaboration with a school counselor preparation program in 
  1.25  a post-secondary institution to facilitate best-practice 
  2.1   approaches and accountability measurements.  Applicants already 
  2.2   employing school counselors and those not employing school 
  2.3   counselors will be given equal consideration for a grant. 
  2.4      Subd. 3.  [REPORT.] The commissioner shall report annually 
  2.5   to the house and senate education committees on the 
  2.6   implementation and effectiveness of the pilot program.  
  2.7      Subd. 4.  [EXPIRATION.] This section expires June 30, 2006. 
  2.8      Sec. 2.  [APPROPRIATION.] 
  2.9      $....... in fiscal year 2002 and $....... in fiscal year 
  2.10  2003 are appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner 
  2.11  of children, families, and learning for the purpose of section 
  2.12  1.  Any balance in the first year does not cancel but is 
  2.13  available in the second year.