Outline of the state of Kentucky
Kentucky
Required

School Counseling Elementary Grade Levels—K-8

School Counseling Elementary Grade Levels—K-8

State law requires the provision of school counseling or guidance services in elementary grade levels (K-8).

Kentucky Revised Statutes 158.4416 Trauma-informed approach to education — Definitions — School counselor or school-based mental health services provider to facilitate creation of trauma-informed team — Training and guidance of school personnel to assist in recognizing and dealing with issues of student trauma — Application to charter schools — Collaboration for provision of services between two or more school districts or between school districts and educational cooperatives, or other public or private entities — Annual report to department of number and placement of school counselors in each district, source of funding, summary of job duties, and percentage of time devoted to each duty — Department of Education to make available toolkits to develop trauma-informed approach in schools — Plan and strategies for implementing trauma-informed approach.

(1) For purposes of this section:

  • (a) “School counselor” means an individual who holds a valid school counselor certificate issued in accordance with the administrative regulations of the Education Professional Standard Board; (3)
  • (a) Beginning July 1, 2021, or as funds and qualified personnel become available, each school district and each public charter school shall employ at least one (1) school counselor in each school with the goals of having one (1) school counselor for every two hundred fifty (250) students and the school counselor spending sixty percent (60%) or more of his or her time in direct services to students.
  • (b) A school counselor or school-based mental health services provider at each school shall facilitate the creation of a trauma-informed team to identify and assist students whose learning, behavior, and relationships have been impacted by trauma. The trauma-informed team may consist of school administrators, school counselors, school-based mental health services providers, family resource and youth services coordinators, school nurses, and any other school or district personnel.
  • (c) Each school counselor or school-based mental health services provider providing services pursuant to this section, and the trauma-informed team members described in paragraph (b) of this subsection, shall provide training, guidance, and assistance to other administrators, teachers, and staff on:
    1. Recognizing symptoms of trauma in students;
    1. Utilizing interventions and strategies to support the learning needs of those students; and
    1. Implementing a plan for a trauma-informed approach as described in subsection (5) of this section.
  • (e) No later than November 1, 2019, and each subsequent year, the local school district superintendent shall report to the department the number and placement of school counselors in the district. The report shall include the source of funding for each position, as well as a summary of the job duties and work undertaken by each counselor and the approximate percent of time devoted to each duty over the course of the year.
Policy Type
Statute
Source
Kentucky Revised Statutes