AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49, relative to school counselors.
Summary
SB0341 would require the Tennessee Department of Education, subject to appropriation, to allocate funds to local education agencies (LEAs) so that each qualifying high school can employ at least one full-time licensed professional school counselor. The funding applies to high schools enrolling at least 600 students in grades 10-12, and LEAs that already employ part-time counselors at those schools may use the funds to convert those positions to full-time. The bill also allows LEAs that already meet a counselor-to-student ratio of one full-time counselor for every 250 students to use the funds to offset the cost of meeting that ratio.
The measure directs the State Board of Education, in consultation with the department, to adopt rules defining the duties of these funded counselors and the amount of time they must spend on counseling services. The bill requires that at least 70% of each funded counselor’s time be spent working directly with high school students, while also allowing time for preventative and developmental counseling, guidance services, and any additional responsibilities established by rule. The bill expressly states that the new funding is in addition to TISA funding and is not itself an appropriation; no money may be spent unless the General Assembly specifically appropriates funds.
Impact
SB0341 would amend Title 49 of the Tennessee Code to create a new state funding framework for school counselor positions in qualifying high schools. It would affect LEAs, high school staffing practices, and the State Board of Education’s rulemaking authority, while also clarifying that the program is supplemental to TISA and contingent on future appropriations. The bill would apply beginning with the 2025-2026 school year.
Sentiment
The available voting history shows clear support at the committee stage: the Senate Education Committee recommended passage on a unanimous 8-0 vote and sent the bill to the Senate Finance, Ways, and Means Committee. No committee transcript was provided, so there is no recorded debate in the materials, but the vote suggests generally favorable sentiment toward expanding school counseling resources.
Contention
The main policy issue embedded in the bill is funding: although it creates a counselor staffing requirement and funding mechanism, it explicitly depends on a future appropriation, so implementation would hinge on budget decisions. Another potential point of contention is the rulemaking authority given to the State Board of Education to define counselor duties and the amount of time spent on direct student services, including the requirement that at least 70% of time be student-facing. The bill also distinguishes between schools that receive the new funding and LEAs that already meet a 1:250 counselor ratio, which may raise questions about equity, compliance, and how funds are distributed among districts.
AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 8; Title 33; Title 36; Title 49; Title 52; Title 56; Title 63 and Title 68, relative to professional counselors.
AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 8; Title 33; Title 36; Title 49; Title 52; Title 56; Title 63 and Title 68, relative to professional counselors.