Bill Caption

Relating to college and career readiness training for certain public school counselors.

Fiscal Notes

State

Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HB18, As Introduced: a negative impact of ($2,666,616) through the biennium ending August 31, 2017.

Local Government

School districts could incur additional costs in the form of contributions to the Teacher Retirement System (TRS) Trust Account for counselors attending the academies since the stipend authorized by the bill would be considered creditable compensation. School districts may incur costs for substitutes while counselors attend the academies. Costs could vary widely among districts.

Bill Analysis

HB 18 would require the Commissioner of Education to develop postsecondary education and career counseling academies for school counselors employed in a middle school, junior high school, or high school. The bill would solicit input from school counselors and community and business leaders when developing the academies. The bill would require the academies to include information about endorsements, alternative methods for earning credits not offered at school, academic performance requirements for admission to an IHE, regional workforce needs, and how to engage students and parents in postsecondary and career planning.The bill would provide counselors attending the academies with a stipend.

Vote Recommendation Notes

Counselors should be qualified to help children with future options about their education and career when counselors are hired by a school district. Due to the changing nature of requirements imposed on school districts, it is necessary for counselors to remain updated and knowledgeable about topics they are supposed to assist children in school with.  For this reason, we remain neutral on HB 18.