NC H837

Requires local school boards, state-operated schools, charter schools, and regional schools to employ at least one full-time, permanent school counselor for every 300 high school students beginning July 1, 2021, reducing to one counselor per 250 students by July 1, 2022.

Mandates that schools with fewer than 300 students (250 after July 1, 2022) have access to a school counselor for at least two instructional days per week.

Requires school counselors to spend at least 80% of work time providing direct student services, including school guidance curriculum, individual student planning, responsive services, and excludes standardized testing coordination from direct services.

Directs the State Board of Education to adopt professional development requirements for school counselors including annual training on college access issues and college admissions processes and strategies.

Appropriates $6.1 million for the 2021-2022 fiscal year and $19.5 million for the 2022-2023 fiscal year to increase school counselor positions through the Instructional Support Allotment.