The manual provides schools and districts with guidelines for the development, implementation, evaluation, and enhancement of a comprehensive school counseling program. As part of the responsive services component, school counselors may offer referrals for other services, including mental health services, to parents if extended counseling services may be appropriate to address the students' needs.

1. A program to provide school counselors in grades kindergarten through nine is established. Any public elementary school, middle school, junior high school, or combination of such schools, containing such grades which meet the criteria pursuant to this section shall be eligible for a state financial supplement to employ a school counselor. Eligibility criteria are: the school shall have a minimum enrollment of one hundred twenty-five pupils per school site, shall have a breakfast program, and shall serve at least forty percent of its lunches to pupils who are eligible for free or reduced price meals according to federal guidelines.

2. A school district which contains such eligible schools may apply to the department of elementary and secondary education for a state financial supplement to employ a school counselor in those schools named in the application and in no other schools of the district. The state financial supplement shall not exceed ten thousand dollars per school counselor. No more than one school counselor per school shall be supplemented by the state pursuant to this section, except that a district may apply for an additional school counselor if the enrollment at the school equals four hundred or more pupils. School counselors thus employed pursuant to this section shall at a minimum engage in direct counseling activities with the pupils of the school during a portion of the school day which represents that portion of the school counselor’s salary which is supplemented by the state pursuant to this section.

3. The state board of education shall promulgate rules and regulations for the implementation of this section. Such rules shall include identifying any qualifications for school counselors which may be in addition to those promulgated pursuant to section 168.021, establishing application procedures for school districts, determining a method of awarding state financial supplements in the event that the number of applications exceeds the amounts appropriated therefor, and establishing an amount of state financial supplement per school counselor based upon the salary schedule of the district.

1. Beginning with the 2018-19 school year, the board of education of a school district or a charter school that is a local educational agency may establish an academic and career counseling program in cooperation with parents and the local community that is in the best interest of and meets the needs of students in the community. School districts and local educational agencies may use the Missouri comprehensive school counseling program as a resource for the development of a district’s or local educational agency’s program. The department of elementary and secondary education shall develop a process for recognition of a school district’s academic and career counseling program established in cooperation with parents and the local community no later than January 1, 2019.

2. The state board of education s hall promulgate rules and regulations for the implementation of this section. Any rule or portion of a rule, as that term is defined in section 536.010, that is created under the authority delegated in this section shall become effective only if it complies with and is subject to all of the provisions of chapter 536 and, if applicable, section 536.028. This section and chapter 536 are nonseverable, and if any of the powers vested with the general assembly pursuant to chapter 536 to review, to delay the effective date, or to disapprove and annul a rule are subsequently held unconstitutional, then the grant of rulemaking authority and any rule proposed or adopted after August 28, 2018, shall be invalid and void.

I-6--Guidance and counseling is an essential and fully integrated part of the instructional program.

• 1. A district-wide guidance and counseling program has been developed and is fully implemented in every building consistent with the Missouri Comprehensive Guidance and Counseling Program framework.
• 2. The K-12 guidance curriculum is in place, integrated into the regular curriculum where appropriate, and is regularly reviewed and revised as part of the district's evaluation plan.
• 3. All students, beginning no later than seventh grade, participate in an individual planning process designed to assist in a successful transition to college, technical school, the military, or the workforce.
• 4. All students have access to responsive services that assist them in addressing issues and concerns that may affect their academic, career, and personal/social needs.
• 5. System support and management activities are in place to ensure full implementation, evaluation, and continued improvement of the district's comprehensive guidance program.