Bill > H0618

This bill, effective July 1, 2026, aims to ensure school counselors focus more on direct student support by requiring them to spend at least 80 percent of their time providing "direct services" (face-to-face or virtual interactions with students for academic, career, and social-emotional development) or "indirect services" (actions taken on behalf of students based on counselor-student interactions), as defined by the Vermont Comprehensive School Counselor Framework. This means school counselors, who are licensed or hold a master's degree in guidance and counseling, should spend no more than 20 percent of their time on "school support services," which are defined as tasks outside the scope of direct and indirect student services, such as administrative duties or roles like 504 coordinators, testing coordinators, or substitute teachers, which the bill notes can pull counselors away from their primary responsibilities.

Education

https://legislature.vermont.gov/bill/status/2026/H.618