Minnesota Legislature
SF 1966
as introduced - 92nd Legislature (2021 - 2022) Posted on 04/20/2022 08:20am
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A bill for an act
relating to education; modifying provisions for school counselors and requiring
training on mental illness; requiring a report; amending Minnesota Statutes 2020,
sections 121A.39; 122A.14, by adding a subdivision.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
Section 1.
Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 121A.39, is amended to read:
121A.39 SCHOOL COUNSELORS.
(a) A school district deleted text begin is strongly encouraged to have an adequate student-to-counselor
ratio for its students beginning in the 2015-2016 school year and laterdeleted text end new text begin or charter school
must provide counseling services to promote the academic and mental health of its pupils
and must employ personnel, including at least one full-time equivalent licensed school
counselor, in each school buildingnew text end .
(b) A school counselor deleted text begin shalldeleted text end new text begin mustnew text end 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.
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(c) Appropriate duties for school counselors include:
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(1) advisement and appraisal for academic planning;
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(2) orientation, coordination, and academic advising for new students;
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(3) interpreting cognitive, aptitude, and achievement tests;
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(4) providing counseling to students who have disciplinary problems;
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(5) providing counseling to students who are tardy or absent;
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(6) providing short-term individual and small-group counseling services to students;
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(7) consulting with teachers to schedule and present school counseling curriculum lessons
based on developmental needs and needs identified through data;
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(8) interpreting student records analyzing grade-point averages in relationship to
achievement consulting with teachers about building classroom connections, effective
classroom management, and the role of noncognitive factors in student success;
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(9) analyzing disaggregated schoolwide and school counseling program data;
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(10) advocating for students at individual education plan meetings, student study teams,
and school attendance review boards, as necessary;
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(11) consulting with the school principal to identify and resolve student issues, needs,
and problems; and
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(12) protecting student records and information in accordance with state and federal
regulations.
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(d) Inappropriate duties for school counselors include:
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(1) building the master schedule;
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(2) coordinating paperwork and data entry of all new students;
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(3) coordinating cognitive, aptitude, and achievement testing programs;
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(4) signing excuses for students who are tardy or absent;
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(5) performing disciplinary actions or assigning discipline consequences;
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(6) providing long-term counseling in schools to address psychological disorders;
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(7) covering classes when teachers are absent or to create teacher planning time
maintaining student records;
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(8) computing grade-point averages;
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(9) supervising classrooms or common areas;
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(10) keeping clerical records;
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(11) assisting with duties in the principal's office;
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(12) coordinating schoolwide individual education plans, student study teams, response
to intervention plans, multi-tiered systems of supports, and school attendance review boards;
and
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(13) serving as a data entry clerk.
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Sec. 2.
Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 122A.14, is amended by adding a subdivision to
read:
new text begin Subd. 11. new text end
new text begin Mental illness. new text end
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The board must adopt rules that require all school administrators
renewing a license to include in the renewal requirements at least two hours of mental illness
training. The training must include at least one hour of suicide prevention training in each
licensure renewal period that is a nationally recognized evidence-based program. At least
one additional hour of training must include understanding the key warning signs of
early-onset mental illness in children and adolescents, trauma, accommodations for students'
mental illness, parents' roles in addressing students' mental illness, fetal alcohol spectrum
disorders, autism, and de-escalation methods, among other similar topics.
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Sec. 3. new text begin LICENSURE RENEWAL REQUIREMENTS.
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The Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board must examine the licensure
renewal requirements under Minnesota Statutes, section 122A.187, and make
recommendations on what licensure renewal requirements are suitable for other licensed
educators, including school counselors. Recommendations must be submitted in a report to
the legislative committees having jurisdiction over education by July 1, 2022.
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new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end
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This section is effective the day following final enactment.
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