A. School counselors shall spend the majority of their time on providing direct counseling related to students. Responsibilities of the school counselor shall not include the administration of discipline, substitute teaching or administrative clerical duties. Refer to the Louisiana State Comprehensive Guidance and Counseling Model.

B. Each secondary school shall provide school counselors at a ratio of 1:450 or a major fraction thereof. Each elementary school and middle school shall provide school counselors when enrichment formula funds are provided.

C. A planned, comprehensive counseling program that is preventive and developmental in nature shall be provided in the school through an interdisciplinary approach.

• 1. These services shall include, but not be limited to providing counseling, educational information, career/occupational information, personal/social information services, referral services, consultation, orientation, testing, placement, and follow-up.
• 2. Individual and group counseling services shall be provided to students at all levels, as well as to teachers, administrators and parents.
• 3. Individualized counseling shall be provided to students to ensure appropriate placement into and exit from the courses and course sequences that are available for curricular requirements.
• 4. Immediate assistance shall be provided for students who experience problems, and long-range services shall be made available when necessary.
• 5. Each school shall have in the student counseling area or library center, guidance materials to aid students in their educational, vocational, personal, social, health, and civic development. NOTE: Refer to the Louisiana State Comprehensive Guidance and Counseling Model.

A. The terms “guidance counselor,” “guidance director,” and “practice of school guidance counseling” for the purposes of this Chapter shall have the meaning respectively ascribed to them in this Section. B. “Guidance counselor” is a member of the school faculty who by training and background, is qualified to engage in educational and vocational guidance. The purpose of a guidance counselor is to help students to arrive at their full potential through a process involving direct contact between the counselor and a student, parents, teachers, school administrators and/or others. C. “Guidance director” is a member of the school faculty who functions as a guidance counselor but has the following additional responsibilities in the school system: (1) The director aids teachers by gathering and interpreting facts which will enable the student to take advantage of the educational opportunities available and to maximize personal growth and development. (2) The director fosters a greater understanding between teachers and parents of the emotional, social, and academic problems of the individual student as well as the potentialities and limitations of the student. D (1) The “practice of school guidance counseling” means the rendering, offering to render, or supervising those who render to individuals or groups of pupils within the elementary, secondary, and postsecondary schools, services involving the application of counseling procedures for learning how to solve problems and make decisions. (2) In the practice of counseling: (a) The counselor serves as an advocate for children within the adult structure of the school and community and has as his or her prime responsibility, services to and for the pupil, and (b) The counselor does not include among his or her responsibilities the administration of disciplinary action, substitute teaching, or administrative clerical duties. (3) A guidance counselor shall devote not less than two-thirds of each academic school year to the practice of school guidance counseling.

The Louisiana State Board of Education is authorized and directed to use these funds for the purpose of providing employment for guidance counselors and directors in each parish and city school system.

The guidance counselors and directors shall be selected by and be responsible to the local school officials in each parish and city school system.

Each school guidance counselor employed in a public high school shall complete an academic profile for each student in the ninth grade using LA ePortal, or any other appropriate web-based student guidance system. The profile shall include but not be limited to the student’s academic and personal goals, planning for college, exploring careers, participation in extracurricular activities, and other skills and interests. All information contained in the profile also shall be included in the student’s individual graduation plan developed pursuant to R.S. 17:183.2 and 2925. The counselor shall involve the student and the student’s parent or legal guardian in completing the student’s profile and shall meet with the student and his parent or legal guardian to review and revise the profile accordingly each year that the student is enrolled in the school.