Pupil instruction and services: educational counseling.

Existing law authorizes the governing board of a school district to provide a comprehensive educational counseling program for all pupils enrolled in the schools of the district, and, if the program is provided, requires educational counseling to include both academic counseling and career and vocational counseling in specified areas. This bill would state the Legislature's intent that school counselors also perform specified other functions and services to support pupil learning and achievement and would specify that educational counseling may also include counseling in specified other areas, including, but not limited to, individualized review of a pupil's career goals. The bill would require professional development related to career and vocational counseling to include strategies for counseling pupils in specified areas. The bill would make a conforming change by deleting a provision relating to school counselors providing services prior to January 1, 1987.