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7 LONG TITLE
8 General Description:
9 This bill creates the Elementary School Counselor Program.
10 Highlighted Provisions:
11 This bill:
12 ▸ defines terms;
13 ▸ creates the Elementary School Counselor Program;
14 ▸ authorizes the State Board of Education to award grants to qualified local education
15 agencies to employ licensed school counselors; and
16 ▸ requires a local education agency that receives a grant to make an annual report to
17 the State Board of Education.
18 Money Appropriated in this Bill:
19 This bill appropriates:
20 ▸ to the State Board of Education -- Minimum School Program -- Related to Basic
21 School Program, an ongoing appropriation:
22 • from the Education Fund, $1,000,000.
23 Other Special Clauses:
24 This bill provides a special effective date.
25 Utah Code Sections Affected:
26 ENACTS:
27 53A-1-415, Utah Code Annotated 1953
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29 Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
30 Section 1. Section 53A-1-415 is enacted to read:
31 53A-1-415. Elementary School Counselor Program.
32 (1) As used in this section:
33 (a) "Board" means the State Board of Education.
34 (b) "College and career counseling" means the same as that term is defined in Section
35 53A-15-1601.
36 (c) "Intergenerational poverty" means the same as that term is defined in Section
37 35A-9-102.
38 (d) "Local education agency" or "LEA" means a school district or charter school.
39 (e) "Program" means the Elementary School Counselor Program created in this section.
40 (f) "Qualified LEA" means an LEA that:
41 (i) serves students in any one or all of grades kindergarten through grade 6; and
42 (ii) (A) does not employ a licensed school counselor at the school for which the LEA
43 plans to employ the licensed school counselor at the time of application for a grant to the
44 board; or
45 (B) already employs at the time of grant application a licensed school counselor at the
46 school for which the LEA plans to employ an additional licensed counselor through grant
47 funds, the already employed licensed counselor serves two or more schools within the LEA,
48 and the LEA intends through grant funds to hire an additional licensed counselor to reduce
49 workload.
50 (2) There is created the Elementary School Counselor Program, a grant program for
51 LEAs to improve student emotional and social support through access to licensed school
52 counselors.
53 (3) The board shall:
54 (a) subject to legislative appropriations and Subsection (4), award a grant to a qualified
55 LEA to employ a licensed school counselor; and
56 (b) in accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act,
57 make rules specifying:
58 (i) procedures for applying for and awarding grants under this section, including the
59 duration of a grant;
60 (ii) qualifying professional licenses for a school counselor employed in whole or in part
61 by a grant; and
62 (iii) annual reporting requirements for grantees in accordance with Subsection (7).
63 (4) The board shall award a grant to a qualified LEA giving first priority to a qualified
64 LEA with a high percentage, as determined by board rule under Subsection (3), of students
65 experiencing intergenerational poverty.
66 (5) (a) A qualified LEA shall provide local funds to match grant funds received under
67 this section to pay a licensed school counselor's salary.
68 (b) A qualified LEA may not use grant funds to fund a previously existing position.
69 (6) A licensed school counselor employed in whole or in part through a grant described
70 in this section:
71 (a) shall provide emotional and social support to students;
72 (b) may provide college and career readiness counseling; and
73 (c) may not at any one time serve more than two schools in a school district.
74 (7) A qualified LEA that receives a grant under this section shall include in an annual
75 report to the board:
76 (a) (i) measurable goals on improving student emotional and social support;
77 (ii) how the qualified LEA, through employment of a licensed school counselor and
78 other means, intends to meet those goals; and
79 (iii) whether the qualified LEA, after employing a licensed school counselor, has met
80 those goals; and
81 (b) if the qualified LEA decides to discontinue the licensed school counselor position,
82 the qualified LEA's reason for discontinuing the position.
83 Section 2. Appropriation.
84 The following sums of money are appropriated for the fiscal year beginning July 1,
85 2017, and ending June 30, 2018. These are additions to amounts previously appropriated for
86 fiscal year 2018. Under the terms and conditions of Title 63J, Chapter 1, Budgetary Procedures
87 Act, the Legislature appropriates the following sums of money from the funds or accounts
88 indicated for the use and support of the government of the state of Utah.
89 To State Board of Education -- Minimum School Program -- Related to Basic Program
90 From Education Fund, Ongoing
$1,000,000
91 Schedule of Programs:
92 Elementary School Counselor Program $1,000,000
93 The Legislature intends that the State Board of Education use the appropriation to the
94 State Board of Education under this section to award at least 25 grants to qualified LEAs as
95 part of the grant program described in Section 53A-1-415.
96 Section 3. Effective date.
97 This bill takes effect on July 1, 2017.