H-982                _______________________________________________

                                                   HOUSE BILL NO. 1655

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                               51st Legislature                              1989 Regular Session

By Representatives Schoon, Valle, G. Fisher, Peery, Walker, Phillips, Rayburn, Cole, P. King, K. Wilson, Baugher, Ferguson, Smith, Pruitt, Winsley, Wineberry and Todd

Read first time 2/1/89 and referred to Committees on Education/Appropriations (3/1/89).

AN ACT Relating to elementary school counselors; adding new sections to chapter 28A.03 RCW; and making an appropriation.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.     The citizens of the state of Washington recognize that there are a number of crises in our modern society that affect children, including child abuse, drug and alcohol abuse, and the large number of children who drop out of school.  The pressures of modern life can have a serious impact on the ability of children to learn.  Therefore, the elementary school counselor program is established.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.     (1) The superintendent of public instruction may grant funds to school districts for the planning, development, and implementation of an elementary school counseling program based on one counselor per three hundred full-time equivalent elementary school students.  For school districts having a total elementary school population of fewer than three hundred full-time elementary students, one half-time counselor shall be provided for the district or a district may enter into a cooperative arrangement with other school districts within the area or contract for services with the educational service district or with qualified individuals within the local community.

          (2) Interested school districts shall file an application for funds that includes the following:

          (a) A letter of commitment from the school district to adopt a comprehensive elementary school counseling plan and to define the relationship to the school counselor to local community resources;

          (b) Methods for evaluating the effectiveness of the program;

(c) Policies on the confidentiality standards applicable to the program;

          (d) Policies on the notification and provision of services for parents and family;

          (e) Referral procedures for dealing with community and state agencies; and

          (f) Scope of the services to be provided.

          (3) Schools or school districts entering into a cooperative program may file a joint application.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.     The superintendent of public instruction may adopt rules to implement the elementary school counselor program.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4.     Sections 1 through 3 of this act are each added to chapter 28A.03 RCW.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5.     The sum of forty-seven million seven hundred fifty-five thousand dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the biennium ending June 30, 1991, from the general fund to the superintendent of public instruction for the purposes of this act.