Senate Bill 0904
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Florida Senate - 1998 SB 904
By Senator Gutman
34-503A-98 See CS/HB 175
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; providing for grant allocations;
5 requiring an evaluation; providing an effective
6 date.
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8 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
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10 Section 1. There is hereby created a 3-year pilot
11 program, contingent upon the provision of a specific
12 appropriation for this purpose, for school districts to
13 provide additional certified school counselors in the public
14 schools. In order to positively impact school attendance,
15 student behavior, the graduation rate, the school climate, and
16 parent involvement; to advise students in the decisionmaking
17 process with regard to a student's abilities, aptitudes, and
18 interests; to better assist students in the selection of a
19 program of study appropriate for a student's career goals; to
20 provide guidance regarding career awareness and postsecondary
21 educational options; and to help in the successful transition
22 to the world of work, this funding shall be used to hire
23 additional certified school counselors to result in a low
24 student to counselor ratio of no greater than 300 to 1 for an
25 individual school.
26 Section 2. Funding shall be awarded to school
27 districts through a process established and administered by
28 the Commissioner of Education. The commissioner may select
29 schools to receive the additional counselor grant allocation
30 based on high student to counselor ratios and any other
31 criteria that the school district deems appropriate in
1
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Florida Senate - 1998 SB 904
34-503A-98 See CS/HB 175
1 addressing students' educational, behavioral, and career
2 goals.
3 Section 3. A school district involved in the 3-year
4 pilot program shall conduct an evaluation of the pilot program
5 and provide a report with recommendations to the President of
6 the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives by
7 December 1, 2001.
8 Section 4. This act shall take effect July 1, of the
9 year in which enacted.
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12 LEGISLATIVE SUMMARY
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Creates a 3-year pilot program to provide additional
14 counselors in the public schools, based on a ratio of
counselors to students in the schools. Requires
15 evaluation of the pilot program with recommendations to
the Legislature.
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