NY State Senate Bill 2025-S3785

Senate Bill S3785

2025-2026 Legislative Session

Directs the commissioner of education to study and report on the provision of services to public school students in grades 8 through 12 by guidance counselors

download bill text pdf

Current Bill Status - In Senate Committee Education Committee

Introduced
- In Committee Assembly
- In Committee Senate
- On Floor Calendar Assembly
- On Floor Calendar Senate
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
Delivered to Governor
Signed By Governor

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Actions

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	Assembly Actions - Lowercase Senate Actions - UPPERCASE
Jan 30, 2025	referred to education

2025-S3785 (ACTIVE) - Details

Current Committee:: Senate Education
Law Section:: Education
Versions Introduced in Other Legislative Sessions:: 2013-2014: S5369
2015-2016: S2866
2017-2018: S2105
2019-2020: S311
2021-2022: S3682
2023-2024: S2358

2025-S3785 (ACTIVE) - Summary

Directs the commissioner of education to study and report on the provision of services to public school students in grades 8 through 12 by guidance counselors.

2025-S3785 (ACTIVE) - Sponsor Memo

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S3785

SPONSOR: FELDER
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to direct the commissioner of education to examine, evaluate and
make recommendations on the provision of services by public school guid-
ance counselors to students in grades 8 through 12

 
PURPOSE:

To direct the commissioner of education to study and report on the
services provided by guidance counselors to public school students

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1 of the bill requires the commissioner of education to (a)
determine the ratio of guidance counselors to students; (b) the amount
of time guidance counselors spend with students in a school year; (c)
the number of students guidance counselors interview in a school quar-
ter; (d) the number of students in each grade that are interviewed by a
guidance counselor during a quarter; (e) the services guidance counse-

lors provide to students; (f) the number of hours guidance counselors
are available to students each school day; and (g) the type of services
that should be provided.

Section 2 of the bill requires the Commissioner of Education to submit a
report that shall include legislative proposals.

Section 3 of the bill is the effective date.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

School counselors can be a vital piece of the college readiness puzzle
for high school students. For instance, guidance counselors encouraging
students to take AP courses, help students through the college applica-
tion and financial aid process, and also connect students with community
resources to help them succeed both during high school and after gradu-
ation. School counselors work in collaboration with the entire school
community and are committed to the education and emotional development
of all students. However, many counselors are bogged down with tasks
that don't allow them to put their skills to work. In addition, there is
also a concern that the student to counselor ratio may be too high,
which makes it difficult for the counselor to help students achieve
their goals, whether it be college or work. This bill would require the
Commissioner of Education to undertake a comprehensive study of guidance
counselors on a school district and statewide basis to come up with
proposals to implement recommendations to help guidance counselors
fulfill their roll.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

2023/2024:S.2358 Referred to Education Committee

2021/2022:S.3682 Passed Senate Both Years

2019/2020:5.311 Passed Senate Both Years

2017/2018:S.2105 Passed Senate Both Years
2015/2016:S.2471- Passed Senate Both Years

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

To be determined

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.

2025-S3785 (ACTIVE) - Bill Text download pdf

                             
                     S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   3785
 
                        2025-2026 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             January 30, 2025
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  FELDER -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Education
 
 AN ACT to direct the commissioner of education to examine, evaluate  and
   make  recommendations  on  the  provision of services by public school
   guidance counselors to students in grades 8 through 12

   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section  1.  The commissioner of education is hereby directed to exam-
 ine, evaluate and make recommendations on the provision of  services  to
 public  school  students  in grades 8 through 12 by guidance counselors.
 Such commissioner shall study, with particular care:
   (a) the ratio of guidance counselors to students in grades  8  through
 12, by public school, school district and statewide;
   (b)  the  amount  of  time  each  guidance  counselor spends with each
 student in grades 8 through 12 during a school year, by  public  school,
 school district and statewide;
   (c)  the number of students in grades 8 through 12 each guidance coun-
 selor interviews during a  school  quarter,  by  public  school,  school
 district and statewide;
   (d)  the  number  of  students in each grade that are interviewed by a
 guidance counselor during a school quarter,  by  public  school,  school
 district and statewide;
   (e)  the  services guidance counselors provide to students in grades 8
 through 12, by public school and school district;
   (f) the number of hours guidance counselors are available to  students
 in  grades  8  through  12  each  school  day,  by public school, school
 district and statewide;
   (g) the types and frequency of guidance counselor services that should
 be provided to public school students in grades 8 through 12.
   § 2. On or before January 1, 2027, the commissioner of education shall
 submit a report of such commissioner's findings, conclusions and  recom-
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD05535-01-5

 S. 3785                             2
 
 mendations  to  the governor, the temporary president of the senate, the
 speaker of the assembly, and the  chairs  of  the  senate  and  assembly
 committees on education. Such report shall also include such legislative
 proposals  as the commissioner deems necessary to implement such commis-
 sioner's recommendations.
   § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.

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