This bill aims to amend the Code of West Virginia to establish a statewide full-time professional counselor-to-student ratio of one counselor for every 250 students, while ensuring that every public school in the state has at least one professional counselor. The bill outlines the responsibilities of school counselors, including providing developmental, preventive, and remedial guidance, and emphasizes that counselors should spend at least 80% of their time in direct counseling with students. Additionally, it specifies that school counselors may not perform certain administrative duties without a written agreement, ensuring their primary focus remains on student support.

Furthermore, the bill introduces new funding provisions for hiring school counselors, stipulating that counties will receive funds based on the established counselor-to-student ratios, with specific ratios for elementary, middle, and high schools. It also mandates that the basic foundation allowance for professional student support personnel will be adjusted to align with the new counselor-to-student ratio starting in the 2025-2026 fiscal year. This legislative change is intended to enhance the availability of counseling services in public schools, thereby improving student support and addressing issues such as dropout prevention.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 18-5-18band18