Bill Text: NC S745 | 2017-2018 | Regular Session | Amended


Bill Title: Fully Fund School Counselors & Psychologists

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2018-05-29 - Ref To Com On Rules and Operations of the Senate [S745 Detail]

Download: North_Carolina-2017-S745-Amended.html

GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 2017

S                                                                                                                                                     1

SENATE BILL 745

 

 

Short Title:      Fully Fund School Counselors & Psychologists.

(Public)

Sponsors:

Senators McKissick, Chaudhuri, and Foushee (Primary Sponsors).

Referred to:

Rules and Operations of the Senate

May 29, 2018

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT TO FULLY FUND SCHOOL COUNSELORS AND SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS OVER THREE YEARS.

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‑316.2.  Appropriation for School Counselors and Psychologists.

(a)        Beginning with the 2018‑2019 fiscal year, there is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Public Instruction for the following fiscal years the following amounts to the instructional support allotment:

Fiscal Year                                                                                             Appropriation 2018‑2019      $87,300,000                                                                                              2019‑2020       $174,700,000 

2020‑2021 and each subsequent fiscal year thereafter                           $262,000,000.

(b)        When developing the base budget, as defined by G.S. 143C‑1‑1, for each fiscal year specified in subsection (a) of this section, the Director of the Budget shall include the appropriated amount for that fiscal year.

(c)        Funds appropriated pursuant to subsection (a) of this section shall be allocated to local school administrative units to increase positions for school counselors and school psychologists to the following statewide ratios of personnel to students in the following fiscal years:

Fiscal Year                                                                             Counselors     Psychologists

2018‑2019                                                                               1:322               1:1,234

2019‑2020                                                                               1:282               1:895

2020‑2021 and each subsequent fiscal year thereafter           1:250               1:700.       

(d)       School counselors hired from funds provided pursuant to subsection (a) of this section shall have, as a first responsibility, preventative and responsive services, as provided in G.S. 115C‑316.1(3), including mental health counseling."

SECTION 2.  G.S. 115C‑316.1(a)(3) reads as rewritten:

"(3)      Providing preventative and responsive services through consultation with students, families, and staff; individual and small group counseling; crisis counseling; referrals; and peer facilitation."

SECTION 3.  This act becomes effective July 1, 2018.

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