Requires the department of education to report information regarding counselors, social workers and psychologists in schools and to implement a plan to increase the school counselor, school social worker and school psychologist to student ratio to nationally accepted standards and provide funding for such.
Summary
This bill requires the Commissioner of Education to produce an annual report on school counselors, school social workers, and school psychologists in each school in New York. The report must include the number of full- and part-time staff in each school, student-to-staff ratios for each of the three roles, and whether any of these professionals are serving more than one school. After issuing the report, the commissioner must also prepare a proposal for increasing staffing levels to meet nationally accepted ratios recommended by professional associations.
The bill also authorizes the commissioner to provide additional state aid to school districts for approved base-year expenditures related to employing school counselors, school social workers, and school psychologists. The commissioner would set an annual cost allowance for these positions, and districts could receive aid up to that allowance for eligible expenditures. The act would take effect immediately.
Impact
The bill would amend the Education Law by adding new reporting and planning duties to Section 305 and a new aid provision to Section 3602. It would create a statewide data collection and reporting requirement on school mental health staffing, and it would establish a mechanism for additional state funding to help districts hire or retain counselors, social workers, and psychologists. School districts, the Education Department, and state budget administrators would be directly affected, especially districts with staffing shortages or high student-to-counselor ratios.
Sentiment
Based on the bill text and caption, the measure appears to be framed as a student support and school mental health initiative, with an overall supportive policy intent. No committee transcripts or recorded votes were provided, so there is no documented debate or formal vote history to indicate opposition or amendments. The bill’s emphasis on staffing ratios and funding suggests it is intended to address a widely recognized need for more school-based mental health personnel.
Contention
The main potential points of contention are likely to be fiscal and implementation-related. The bill would require the state to gather detailed staffing data, develop a proposal to reach nationally accepted ratios, and potentially provide additional aid to districts, which could raise concerns about cost, administrative burden, and whether statewide ratios should account for local and regional differences. The bill itself anticipates this issue by directing the commissioner to consider the specific needs of individual districts and the region in which they are located.
Same As
Requires the department of education to report information regarding counselors, social workers and psychologists in schools and to implement a plan to increase the school counselor, school social worker and school psychologist to student ratio to nationally accepted standards and provide funding for such.
Requires the department of education to report information regarding counselors, social workers and psychologists in schools and to implement a plan to increase the school counselor, school social worker and school psychologist to student ratio to nationally accepted standards and provide funding for such.
Requires the department of education to report information regarding counselors, social workers and psychologists in schools and to implement a plan to increase the school counselor, school social worker and school psychologist to student ratio to nationally accepted standards and provide funding for such.
Requires the department of education to report information regarding counselors, social workers and psychologists in schools and to implement a plan to increase the school counselor, school social worker and school psychologist to student ratio to nationally accepted standards and provide funding for such.
In intermediate units, repealing provisions relating to psychological services; in professional employees, further providing for definitions and providing for school social workers; and, in school health services, further providing for health services and providing for school counselors, school psychologists, school social workers and school nurses.
To Amend The Human Services Workers In The Schools Program; And To Include Mental Health Counselors In The Human Services Workers In The Schools Program.
Requires the department of education to report information regarding counselors, social workers and psychologists in schools and to implement a plan to increase the school counselor, school social worker and school psychologist to student ratio to nationally accepted standards and provide funding for such.
Includes licensed school psychologists under the provisions of the general laws governing the regulations of psychologists and expands the licensing of school psychologists for independent practice.
Includes licensed school psychologists under the provisions of the general laws governing the regulations of psychologists and expands the licensing of school psychologists for independent practice.