MS HB287

Establishes a four-year professional school counselors pilot program in three school districts with high incidences of teenage pregnancy or school violence, beginning in the 2018-2019 school year and continuing through 2021-2022

Requires the State Department of Education, State Department of Health, and Mississippi Department of Human Services to jointly select the three participating school districts based on data analysis, considering factors such as dropout rates, alternative school placements, and demographic profiles

Mandates each participating school district place a minimum of one professional school counselor in each school to provide comprehensive counseling services including academic, personal/social, career, crisis intervention, and conflict resolution counseling

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

Requires the State Department of Education to submit a report to four legislative committees before January 1, 2022, containing comparative data on teen pregnancies and school violence before and during each year of the program, with a recommendation on whether to implement the program statewide