STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________

                                           447

                               2025-2026 Regular Sessions

                    IN SENATE

                                       (Prefiled)

                                     January 8, 2025
                                       ___________

        Introduced  by  Sens. GOUNARDES, COONEY, JACKSON, RAMOS, SALAZAR -- read
          twice and ordered printed, and when printed to  be  committed  to  the
          Committee on Education

        AN  ACT  to amend the education law, in relation to requiring a guidance
          counselor in each elementary, intermediate, middle,  junior  high  and
          senior high school

          The  People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:

     1    Section 1. The education law is amended by adding a new section  803-c
     2  to read as follows:
     3    §  803-c. Full-time school guidance counselors required in elementary,
     4  intermediate, middle, junior high and senior high schools.  The board of
     5  education or trustees of every school district in the state shall on and
     6  after July first, two thousand twenty-six employ at least one  certified
     7  or licensed school guidance counselor in each of the schools under their
     8  jurisdiction  exclusive  of  any  school  guidance  counselors funded or
     9  mandated through any special education funding, aid, regulation or stat-
    10  ute.  Such school guidance counselor shall perform such  duties  includ-
    11  ing,  but  not limited to:  coordinating with the instructional staff to
    12  prepare students to participate effectively in their current and  future
    13  educational  programs,  helping  students  who  exhibit  any attendance,
    14  academic, behavioral or adjustment problems, educating students concern-
    15  ing avoidance of child sexual abuse, and encouraging  parental  involve-
    16  ment.
    17    § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.


         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD01376-01-5