Stricken language would be deleted from and underlined language would be added to the law as it existed prior to this session of the General Assembly. Act 1949 of the Regular Session State of Arkansas 85th General Assembly A Bill Regular Session, 2005 HOUSE BILL 2868 By: Representative Goss For An Act To Be Entitled AN ACT TO PROVIDE CAREER COUNSELING FOR STUDENTS; AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES. Subtitle AN ACT TO PROVIDE CAREER COUNSELING FOR STUDENTS. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS: SECTION 1. Arkansas Code § 6-18-1004 is amended to read as follows: 6-18-1004. School district plan. (a)(1) Each school district shall develop and implement a plan which ensures that individual student services are coordinated in a manner utilizing such techniques as differentiated staffing so as to make maximum use of the contribution of each service. (2) Only those trained and certified in the appropriate specialty or following a Department of Education Deficiency Removal Plan will be assigned to carry out the duties of each service. (b) Each school district plan shall reflect the use of alternative methods of classroom management. Such methods may include, but are not limited to, the following: (1) Behavioral contracting; (2) Dispute resolution; (3) Classroom meetings; (4) Logical consequences; (5) Assertive discipline; and *KAC582* 03-05-2005 14:44 KAC582 HB2868 (6) Behavior modification; and (7) Career and academic counseling. (c)(1) Each school district plan shall provide for a district-level tracking system for school dropouts and for students who fail to reach proficiency on state-mandated assessments. (2) The tracking system shall include provisions for student services personnel in all schools to conduct an exit interview of students who are dropping out of school and for follow-up of such students when possible. (d) The superintendent of a school district not in substantial compliance with the terms of its plan may be requested to appear before the Senate and House Interim Committees on Education. SECTION 2. Arkansas Code § 6-18-1005 is amended to read as follows: 6-18-1005. Student services program defined. (a) A "student services program" is defined as a coordinated effort which shall include, but is not limited to: (1) Guidance and counseling services, which shall include, but are not limited to: (A) The availability of individual and group counseling to all students; (B) Orientation programs for new students at each level of education and for transferring students; (C) Academic advisement for class selection by establishing academic goals in elementary, middle, and high school; (D) Consultation with parents, faculty, and out-of-school agencies concerning student problems and needs; (E) Utilization of student records and files; (F) Interpretation of standardized criterion-referenced and norm-referenced testing and dissemination of results to the school, students, parents, and community; (G) The following up of early school dropouts and graduates; (H) A school-initiated system of parental involvement; (I) An organized system of informational resources on which to base educational and vocational decision making; 2 03-05-2005 14:44 KAC582 HB2868 (J) Educational, academic assessment, and career guidance counseling, including advising students on the availability of vocational national college assessments, workforce opportunities; and alternative programs that could provide successful high school completion opportunities and postsecondary opportunities for students at risk of dropping out of school; (K) Coordinating administration of the Test for Adult Basic Education or the General Educational Development pretest to students by designating appropriate personnel, other than the school guidance counselor, to administer the tests; and (L) Classroom guidance which shall be limited to thirty- minute class sessions, not to exceed three (3) per day or ten (10) per week; and (M) Guidance in understanding the relationship between classroom performance and success in school; (2) Psychological services, which shall include, but are not limited to, the following: (A) Evaluation of students with learning or adjustment problems; (B) Evaluation of students in exceptional child education programs; (C) Consultation and counseling with parents, students, and school personnel to ensure that all students are ready to succeed and that all students are preparing for college and work; (D) A system for the early identification of learning potential and factors which affect the child's educational performance; (E) A system of liaison and referrals, with resources available outside the school; and (F) Written policies which assure ethical procedures in psychological activities; (3) Visiting teacher and school social work services, which shall include, but are not limited to, the following: (A) Providing casework to assist in the prevention and remediation of problems of attendance, behavior, adjustment, and learning; and (B) Serving as liaison between the home and school by 3 03-05-2005 14:44 KAC582 HB2868 making home visits and referring students and parents to appropriate school and community agencies for assistance; (4) Occupational Career services, which shall include, but are not limited to, the dissemination of career education information, appropriate course-taking patterns, and follow-up studies the effect of taking more rigorous courses so that students are better prepared for college and work success; (5) Group conflict resolution services, which shall include, but are not limited to, the following: (A) Educational and social programs that help students develop skills enabling them to resolve differences and conflicts between groups; (B) Programs designed to promote understanding, positive communication, and a greater utilization of a race relations specialist or human relations specialist to assist in the development of intergroup skills; and (C) Programs designed to prevent bullying. (6) Health services, which shall include, but are not limited to, the following: (A) Students with special health care needs, including the chronically ill, medically fragile, and technology-dependent, and students with other health impairments shall have an individualized health care plan. (B) Invasive medical procedures required by students and provided at the school shall be performed by trained, licensed personnel who are licensed to perform the task subject to § 17-87-102(2)(D) or other professional licensure statutes. The regular classroom teacher shall not perform these tasks. (C) Custodial health care services required by students under an individualized health care plan shall be provided by trained school employees other than the regular classroom teachers; and (7) The distribution of a suicide prevention public awareness program developed for distribution by the interprogram task force established by the Lieutenant Governor's Teenage Suicide Prevention Task Force. (b) School counselors shall spend at least seventy-five percent (75%) of work time each week providing direct counseling related to students and shall devote no more than twenty-five percent (25%) of work time each week to 4 03-05-2005 14:44 KAC582 HB2868 administrative activities provided that the activities relate to the provision of guidance services. SECTION 3. Arkansas Code Title 6, Chapter 18, Subchapter 10 is amended to add an additional section to read as follows: 6-18-1009. Career development. (a) Each school counselor shall provide a career planning process for each student to include career awareness, employment readiness, career information, and the knowledge and skill necessary to achieve career goals. (b) School counselors shall also encourage parents, during regular parent conferences, to support partnerships in their children's learning and career planning process. APPROVED: 04/11/2005 5 03-05-2005 14:44 KAC582 HB2868 6 03-05-2005 14:44 KAC582