Bill > HB249

This bill amends the Public School Code of 1949 to establish comprehensive guidelines for school counseling services across Pennsylvania's educational institutions. The legislation requires each school entity (including school districts, charter schools, and technical schools) to develop and implement a written school counseling plan that focuses primarily on academic and career development support for students. The plan must be implemented by a certified school counselor, reviewed annually, and aligned across kindergarten through 12th grade. Key provisions include defining direct and indirect counseling services, specifying how counselors should spend their time, and mandating specific components such as a foundation, management, delivery, and accountability framework. The bill emphasizes academic advisement, career planning, and specific interventions like addressing bullying and suicide prevention, while explicitly prohibiting medical guidance, social-emotional learning, critical race theory, and behavioral health services. Importantly, the legislation requires significant parental involvement, including annual notifications about counseling programs, the ability to review counseling materials, and the option to opt into certain counseling services. The bill also establishes a private right of action for parents who believe they have been denied meaningful involvement in their child's counseling services, giving parents more control and transparency in their children's school counseling experiences.

Education

https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/billinfo/bill_history.cfm?syear=2025&sind=0&body=H&type=B&bn=249