SCHOOL COUNSELORS' PROF. DEV'T H.B. 4181 (H-1):
SUMMARY OF BILL
REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE
House Bill 4181 (Substitute H-1 as reported without amendment)
Sponsor: Representative Brett Roberts
House Committee: Workforce and Talent Development
CONTENT
The bill would amend the Revised School Code to prohibit the Department of Education, beginning two years after the bill's effective date, from renewing an individual's school counselor credential unless the Department determined that the individual had completed Department-approved professional development, including at least 25 hours of professional development covering college preparation and selection counseling and at least 25 hours of professional development covering career counseling.
The Department would be required to approve the professional development for these purposes. The Department could approve a professional development program only if it determined that the content and curriculum met standards developed by the Department in consultation with the Department of Talent and Economic Development and groups representing school counselors, college admissions professionals, financial aid officers, employers, and others as the Department of Education determined appropriate. The Department would have to develop the standards by December 1, 2017.
MCL 380.1233 Legislative Analyst: Nathan Leaman
FISCAL IMPACT
The bill would have an indeterminate, yet minimal cost to the Department of Education, school districts, and intermediate school districts. The Department would experience administrative costs in researching, coordinating, and approving the various professional development opportunities available for school counselors to receive professional development. This would involve the Professional Preparation Services and Career and Technical Education units within the Department. The Department also would experience administrative costs to ensure that school counselors were meeting the minimum professional development requirements. This would involve the Professional Preparation Services and Information Technology units. At this time, these administrative costs are indeterminate, but would likely be minimal.
It is unlikely that the Department of Talent and Economic Development would experience additional costs outside of normal operation as a result of being consulted by the Department of Education.
School districts and intermediate school districts (ISDs) could experience administrative costs from creating, modifying, or expanding professional development opportunities for school counselors. Given the various differences in services provided by school districts and ISDs throughout the State, these costs are indeterminate, but would likely be minimal.
Date Completed: 10-4-17 Fiscal Analyst: Cory Savino
This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.