CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
House Bill 0175




    Florida House of Representatives - 1997                 HB 175

        By Representative Rodriguez-Chomat






  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to education; creating a pilot

  3         program to increase the number of school

  4         counselors; establishing a ratio of counselors

  5         to students; requiring an evaluation; providing

  6         an appropriation; providing an effective date.

  7

  8  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

  9

10         Section 1.  There is hereby created a 3-year pilot

11  program in Dade, Orange, and Leon Counties to provide

12  additional counselors in the public schools.  In order to

13  advise students with regard to their abilities and aptitudes,

14  to assist students in the selection of credit courses required

15  for high school graduation, and to provide guidance regarding

16  educational and career options after high school, 200

17  additional counselors shall be hired to achieve, at a minimum,

18  the following ratios:

19         (1)  For elementary schools:

20         (a)  One counselor for each 800 students for school

21  year 1997-1998.

22         (b)  One counselor for each 700 students for school

23  year 1998-1999.

24         (c)  One counselor for each 600 students for school

25  year 1999-2000.

26         (2)  For middle schools:

27         (a)  One counselor for each 700 students for school

28  year 1997-1998.

29         (b)  One counselor for each 600 students for school

30  year 1998-1999.

31

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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.






    Florida House of Representatives - 1997                 HB 175

    552-126A-97






  1         (c)  One counselor for each 500 students for school

  2  year 1999-2000.

  3         (3)  For high schools:

  4         (a)  One counselor for each 600 students for school

  5  year 1997-1998.

  6         (b)  One counselor for each 500 students for school

  7  year 1998-1999.

  8         (c)  One counselor for each 400 students for school

  9  year 1999-2000.

10

11  If appropriated funds are not sufficient to achieve the ratios

12  set forth in this section, each of the three school districts

13  shall receive a FTE prorated share of available funds.

14         Section 2.  Each pilot program school district shall

15  conduct an evaluation of the pilot program and provide a

16  report with recommendations to the President of the Senate and

17  the Speaker of the House of Representatives by December 1,

18  2000.

19         Section 3.  There is hereby appropriated from the

20  General Revenue Fund to the Department of Education the sum of

21  $8 million to be allocated on a FTE pro rata basis to the

22  school districts in Dade, Orange, and Leon Counties for the

23  purpose of carrying out the provisions of this act.

24         Section 4.  This act shall take effect July 1, 1997.

25

26            *****************************************

27                          HOUSE SUMMARY

28
      Creates a 3-year pilot program in Dade, Orange, and Leon
29    Counties to provide additional counselors in the public
      schools, based on a ratio of counselors to students in
30    the elementary, middle, and high schools.  Requires
      evaluation of the pilot program with recommendations to
31    the Legislature.  Provides an appropriation.

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