PA HB249

Requires all Pennsylvania school entities (school districts, charter schools, cyber charter schools, intermediate units, and career/technical schools) to develop and implement written school counseling plans focused on academic and career support for K-12 students

Mandates plans be implemented by Pennsylvania-certified school counselors and explicitly prohibits inclusion of medical guidance, social and emotional learning, critical race theory, or behavioral health content in counselor frameworks

Requires immediate parental notification when students are identified as at-risk for suicide or involved in bullying incidents, and mandates parents be present during all social and emotional counseling sessions with written opt-in consent required

Establishes a private right of action allowing parents to sue school governing bodies if they are denied meaningful involvement in their child's counseling services without good cause

Takes effect immediately upon enactment and requires school entities to post their counseling plans on publicly accessible websites