MS HB221

Requires the State Board of Education, jointly with the State Department of Health and Mississippi Department of Human Services, to establish a four-year professional school counselors pilot program in three school districts with high incidences of teenage pregnancy or school violence, beginning in the 2016-2017 school year through 2019-2020.

Mandates participating school districts place a minimum of one professional school counselor in each school and requires counselors to spend at least 80% of contractual time delivering direct services including academic counseling, crisis intervention, conflict resolution, and career guidance.

Prohibits school counselors in the pilot program from counseling students that abortion can be used to prevent the birth of a baby.

Requires annual evaluation of the pilot program's effectiveness in reducing teen pregnancy and school violence rates, with selection of districts based on data analysis including dropout rates, accreditation levels, and demographic profiles.

Mandates the State Department of Education submit a report to legislative committees by January 1, 2020, including comparative data on pregnancies and school violence before and during the pilot program, with a recommendation on whether to implement the program statewide.