A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to ensure that school counselors spend their time providing direct services to students.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  Article 21 of Chapter 115C of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new section to read:
"§ 115C-316.1.  Duties of school counselors.
School counselors shall implement a comprehensive developmental school-counseling program in their schools. Counselors shall spend at least eighty percent (80%) of their work time providing direct services to students. These direct services shall consist of:
(1)	Delivery of the school guidance curriculum through large-group guidance, interdisciplinary curriculum development, group activities, and parent workshops;
(2)	Individual student planning through individual or small-group assistance and individual or small-group advisement; and
(3)	Responsive services through consultation with students, families, and staff; individual and small-group counseling; crisis counseling; referrals; and peer facilitation.
Direct services do not include the coordination of standardized testing.
During the remainder of their work time, counselors shall spend adequate time on school-counseling program support activities that consist of professional development; consultation, collaboration, and training; and program management and operations."
SECTION 2.  Prior to the 2004‑2005 school year, each local board of education shall develop a transition plan for implementing Section 1 of this act, within existing resources, by reassigning duties within its schools.
The State Board of Education shall distribute guidelines to all local school administrative units on the implementation of this act.
SECTION 3.  The State Board of Education shall report to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee on the implementation of this act.
SECTION 4. This act is effective when it becomes law.  Section 1 of this act applies to school years beginning with the 2004‑2005 school year.