[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3567 Introduced in House (IH)]
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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 3567
To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to create a
demonstration project to fund additional secondary school counselors in
troubled title I schools to reduce the dropout rate.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 21, 2025
Ms. Sanchez (for herself, Mr. Panetta, Mr. Evans of Pennsylvania, Mrs.
Dingell, Mr. Davis of Illinois, Mr. Johnson of Georgia, Ms. Norton, and
Mr. Smith of Washington) introduced the following bill; which was
referred to the Committee on Education and Workforce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to create a
demonstration project to fund additional secondary school counselors in
troubled title I schools to reduce the dropout rate.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Put School Counselors Where They're
Needed Act''.
SEC. 2. DEMONSTRATION PROJECT FOR ADDITIONAL SECONDARY SCHOOL
COUNSELORS.
Part D of title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of
1965 (20 U.S.C. 6421 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the
following:
``Subpart 4--Demonstration Project for Additional Secondary School
Counselors
``SEC. 1441. FINDINGS.
``The Congress finds the following:
``(1) Nationally, only 86.5 percent of students graduate
from high school with a regular high school diploma.
``(2) Every school year, around 520,000 American high
school students drop out without earning a high school diploma
or an alternative credential.
``(3) Only about 71 percent of American students with
limited English proficiency graduated on time from high school.
``(4) Only about 80 percent of Black students, 82 percent
of Hispanic students, and 74 percent of American Indian/Alaska
Native students graduate on time from high school with a
regular diploma, compared to 89 percent of White students and
93 percent of Asian/Pacific Islander students.
``(5) Only about 71 percent of American students with
disabilities graduated on time from high school.
``(6) High school is the final transition into adulthood
and the world of work as students begin defining their
independence and forging their own pathways. As our next
generation of leaders, our youth, are deciding their futures,
they are faced with many challenges, including peer pressure
and bullying, high-stakes testing, the challenges of college
admissions, the scholarship and financial aid application
process, and entrance into an ever more competitive job market.
Students need guidance and skills to help them navigate these
complex decisions, which have serious and life-changing
consequences.
``(7) School counseling programs are essential for students
to achieve optimal personal growth, acquire positive social
skills and values, set appropriate career goals, and realize
full academic potential to become productive, contributing
members of the world community.
``(8) Professional secondary school counselors are highly
qualified educators with a mental health perspective who
understand and respond to the challenges presented by today's
diverse student population.
``(9) The professional secondary school counselor holds a
master's degree or higher in school counseling (or the
substantial equivalent), and is certified or licensed by the
State in which the counselor works.
``(10) Professional secondary school counselors are
integral to the total educational program. They provide
proactive leadership that engages all stakeholders in the
delivery of programs and services to help the student achieve
success in school. Professional secondary school counselors
align and work with the school's mission to support the
academic achievement of all students as they prepare for the
ever-changing world of the 21st century.
``(11) Professional secondary school counselors'
opportunities to assist students are often hindered by
extraordinarily high student-to-counselor ratios. Currently,
the average student-to-counselor ratio in America's public
schools is 376 to 1. The American School Counselor Association,
the American Counseling Association, and the National
Association for College Admissions Counseling all recommend a
ratio of one school counselor to 250 students and a lower ratio
for counselors working primarily with students at risk.
``SEC. 1442. DEMONSTRATION PROJECT.
``(a) In General.--From amounts made available to carry out this
subpart, the Secretary shall carry out a demonstration project under
which the Secretary makes grants on a competitive basis to secondary
schools that receive funds under this title and have a four-year
adjusted cohort graduation rate of 60 percent or lower.
``(b) Grants.--A grant under this subpart shall be for a period of
4 years and may be used--
``(1) to provide additional school counselors during that
period; and
``(2) to provide additional resources (such as professional
development expenses or travel expenses for home visits, and
any services and materials referred to in subsection (d)) and
to pay overhead expenses.
``(c) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that a
participating school should aim to provide, under subsection (b)(1),
one additional counselor per 250 students at risk.
``(d) Scope of Counseling.--The additional school counselors shall
identify students who are at risk of not graduating in 4 years and
shall provide counseling primarily to those students. The counselors
may identify such students at any time, but shall strive to identify
them before they enter grade 9. Services shall be provided as long as
necessary, including to the extent allowable and appropriate, after the
student's cohort graduation date. The counseling provided--
``(1) may include a full panoply of services, including an
individual graduation plan and other resources, such as
appropriate course placement and supplemental services (to
include not only supplemental educational services tutoring if
available at the school site, but also other tutoring as
necessary, along with supplemental books and materials); and
``(2) shall include meetings with each student so
identified and with the teachers, tutors, supplemental
educational services providers, and parents of the student, and
may also include meetings with other relevant individuals, such
as a probation officer, mentor, coach, or employer of the
student.
``(e) Supplement Not Supplant.--Funds under this subpart shall be
used to supplement, not supplant, funds from non-Federal sources. The
additional school counselors provided through funds under this subpart
must be in addition to any employees who work in the secondary school
guidance or counseling office, such as counselors, college admissions
specialists, career development specialists, guidance information
specialists, or any other professional or paraprofessional.
``(f) Additional Grant Periods.--
``(1) In general.--A school that receives a grant under
this subpart and demonstrates adequate improvement over the
period of the grant is eligible to receive a second grant for a
second period. If the school again demonstrates adequate
improvement over that second period, the school is eligible to
receive a third grant for a third period. The third grant shall
provide amounts that decrease for each year of the third period
and require the school to provide corresponding increases in
non-Federal funds.
``(2) Adequate improvement.--For purposes of paragraph (1),
a school demonstrates adequate improvement over a grant period
if the four-year adjusted cohort graduation rate increases (or
is projected to increase) by 10 percent or more over that
period.
``(g) Selection.--The Secretary shall carry out the demonstration
project in at least 10 schools. The first five schools selected to
participate shall each be from a different State.
``SEC. 1443. DEFINITION.
``(a) In General.--For purposes of this subpart, the term `regular
high school diploma' means the standard high school diploma awarded to
the preponderance of students in the State that is fully aligned with
State standards, or a higher diploma, and does not include GEDs,
certificates of attendance, or any lesser diploma award.
``(b) Special Rule.--For those students who have significant
cognitive disabilities and are assessed using an alternate assessment
aligned to alternate achievement standards, receipt of a regular high
school diploma or State-defined alternate diploma aligned with
completion of their entitlement under the Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act shall be counted as graduates with a regular high school
diploma for the purposes of this Act. No more than 1 percent of
students can be counted as graduates with a regular high school diploma
under this subparagraph.
``SEC. 1444. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
``There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this subpart
$5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2029.''.
SEC. 3. CONFORMING AMENDMENT; TABLE OF CONTENTS.
(a) Conforming Amendment.--Section 1002(d) of the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6302(d)) is amended by
inserting ``(other than subpart 4)'' after ``part D,''.
(b) TOC.--The table of contents in section 2 of the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act of 1965 is amended by inserting after the item
relating to section 1432 the following:
``Subpart 4--Demonstration Project for Additional Secondary School
Counselors
``Sec. 1441. Findings.
``Sec. 1442. Demonstration project.
``Sec. 1443. Definition.
``Sec. 1444. Authorization of appropriations.''.
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