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 and qualifications of school counselors, emphasizing their role in providing developmental, preventive, and remedial guidance to students. It also mandates that school counselors spend a significant portion of their time in direct counseling relationships with students and limits their involvement in administrative tasks unless specified by a written agreement.

Additionally, the bill introduces new funding provisions for hiring school counselors, specifying a ratio of one counselor for every 250-300 students in elementary and middle schools and one counselor for every 400-450 students in high schools, while still requiring at least one counselor in every school. The legislation also sets forth a foundation allowance for professional student support services, which will be adjusted to align with the new counselor-to-student ratio starting in the 2025-2026 fiscal year. This comprehensive approach aims to enhance the availability and effectiveness of counseling services in West Virginia's public schools.

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