Subpart 1. Scope of practice. A school counselor is authorized to provide to kindergarten through grade 12 students school counseling services that focus on the promotion of preventive and educational strategies to enhance the cognitive, emotional, and behavioral development; effective decision-making skills; and resiliency capabilities of students.

Subp. 2. Requirements for Tier 3 license. A Tier 3 license issued under part 8710.0313 must be issued to a school counselor if the applicant: A. hold a master's degree or the equivalent from a college or university that is regionally accredited by the association for the accreditation of colleges and secondary schools; and B. show verification of completing a Professional Educator Licensing and Standard Board preparation program approved under chapter 8705 leading to the licensure of school counselors in subpart 3 or provide evidence of having completed a preparation program in school counseling accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Services.

Subp. 3. Subject matter standard. A candidate for licensure as a school counselor must complete a preparation program under subpart 2, item B, that must include the candidate's demonstration of the knowledge and skills in items A to K. A. A school counselor understands the central concepts, tools of inquiry, and structures of professional school counseling and creates learning experiences that make education meaningful for students. The school counselor must understand:

• (1) the major theories, assumptions, professional challenges and ethics, individual and group counseling methods, skills, and techniques that are central to professional school counseling;
• (2) basic diagnostic classifications and referral mechanisms of the helping professions;
• (3) comprehensive professional school counseling and guidance program development, implementation, management, and evaluation;
• (4) the role and function in the total organizational, curricular, and academic structure of the school;
• (5) the organizational structure and changing needs of the school;
• (6) human growth and development;
• (7) individual and group appraisal techniques;
• (8) the need for and ability to demonstrate effective communication and human relations skills;
• (9) social and cultural pluralism and diversity;
• (10) consultation techniques;
• (11) career theories, stages of career development, the changing world of work, school-to-work transitions, and lifestyle development;
• (12) educational, career, and vocational interest assessment techniques and demonstrate the ability to provide accurate interpretations in this regard;
• (13) academic curricular requirements of students in their respective school settings;
• (14) career and academic postsecondary requirements and expectations;
• (15) the special learning challenges facing students including collaboration with special education teams;
• (16) the need for student advocacy, including crisis intervention, suicide prevention and intervention, violence prevention, conflict and disciplinary resolution and mediation, and how to mediate conflict and intervene effectively in conflict management and disciplinary prevention and intervention situations; and
• (17) the integration of services model and coordination with related human services and how to effectively collaborate with human service networks.