1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to education; requiring adequate levels of school counseling services; 
1.3 	appropriating money;proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 
1.4 	121A.
1.5 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.6 	Section 1. [121A.24] LICENSED SCHOOL COUNSELORS.
1.7 		Subdivision 1.Counselors. A school district shall provide adequate school counseling 
1.8 	services to its students. A school district may directly employ or contract for licensed school 
1.9 	counselors.
1.10 		Subd. 2.Ratio. For the 2017-2018 school year and later, the ratio of students to licensed 
1.11 	school counselors must not exceed 400 enrolled students in kindergarten through grade 12 
1.12 	per licensed school counselor. In any year, a school district's ratio may exceed this amount 
1.13 	by up to 20 percent, provided that the five-year average does not exceed the ratio of 400 
1.14 	enrolled students per licensed school counselor.
1.15 		Subd. 3.School counseling aid. A school district is eligible for school counseling aid 
1.16 	equal to $....... times the number of full-time equivalent licensed school counselors employed 
1.17 	or under contract to the school district.

1.18 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective for the 2017-2018 school year and later.

1.19 	Sec. 2. SCHOOL COUNSELORS; APPROPRIATION.
 1.20 	$....... in fiscal year 2018 and $....... in fiscal year 2019 are appropriated from the general 
1.21 	fund to the commissioner of education for school counseling aid under Minnesota Statutes, 
1.22 	section 121A.24.