SENATE BILL 341
By Lowe
HOUSE BILL 1130
By Farmer
HB1130
000908
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AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49,
relative to school counselors.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49, Chapter 3, Part 1, is amended by
adding the following as a new section:
(a)
(1) Subject to appropriation, the department shall allocate to each LEA
sufficient funds for the LEA to employ one (1) full-time licensed professional
school counselor position at each high school in the LEA that enrolls at least six
hundred (600) students in grades ten through twelve (10-12).
(2) If an LEA employs one (1) or more part-time licensed professional
school counselors at a high school that enrolls at least six hundred (600)
students in grades ten through twelve (10-12), then the LEA may use any funds
received pursuant to subdivision (a)(1) to employ the part-time licensed
professional school counselor on a full-time basis. An LEA that converts a part-
time licensed professional school counselor position to a full-time position
pursuant to this subdivision (a)(2) satisfies the requirement in subsection (b).
(3) If an LEA employs one (1) full-time licensed professional school
counselor for every two hundred fifty (250) student members of the LEA, then the
LEA may use any funds received pursuant to subdivision (a)(1) to supplant the
cost to the LEA of employing the number of full-time licensed professional school
counselors required to meet the specified ratio.
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(b) Each LEA shall employ one (1) full-time licensed professional school
counselor at each high school for which the LEA receives funding pursuant to this
section. This subsection (b) does not require an LEA that employs one (1) full-time
licensed professional school counselor position for every two hundred fifty (250) student
members of the LEA to employ any additional full-time licensed professional school
counselor positions beyond the number required for the LEA to meet the specified ratio.
(c) The funds allocated to an LEA pursuant to this section are in addition to the
funds allocated to the LEA for purposes of the TISA.
(d)
(1) The state board may promulgate rules, in consultation with the
department, to establish the roles and responsibilities required of a full-time
licensed professional school counselor whose position is funded pursuant to this
section that exceed those required of school counselors in § 49-6-303.
(2) The state board shall promulgate rules, in consultation with the
department, to establish the amount of time each full-time licensed professional
school counselor whose position is funded pursuant to this section must dedicate
to providing high school students the preventative and developmental counseling
services required in § 49-6-303(b), one (1) or more of the counseling and
guidance services listed in § 49-5-302(b), and any of the services required to
comply with any additional roles and responsibilities established by the state
board pursuant to subdivision (d)(1); provided, that each full-time licensed
professional school counselor must dedicate at least seventy percent (70%) of
the counselor's time to working directly with high school students.
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SECTION 2. This act is not an appropriation of funds, and funds shall not be obligated
or expended pursuant to this act unless the funds are specifically appropriated by the general
assembly.
SECTION 3. For purposes of promulgating rules, this act takes effect upon becoming a
law, the public welfare requiring it. For all other purposes, this act takes effect July 1, 2025, the
public welfare requiring it, and applies to the 2025-2026 school year and each school year
thereafter.