(ii) Student time on task. (a) For kindergarten through grade 12, increased student time on task shall be designed to provide students with additional instruction time in content areas needed to facilitate student attainment of State learning Standard that deepens their content knowledge and conceptual understandings through rigorous academic engagement. Increased student time on task may be accomplished by one or more of the following: (1) Lengthened school day, pursuant to the following: (i) when additional instruction is provided at the middle and high school level, such instruction shall emphasize content areas and instruction in subjects required for graduation; and (ii) student support services shall be provided, which may include, but are not limited to, guidance, counseling, attendance, parent outreach, behavioral support, or instruction in study skills which are needed to support improved academic performance.

(j) Guidance programs and comprehensive developmental school counseling/guidance programs. (1) Guidance programs for public schools for school years prior to the 2019-2020 school year and for non-public schools. (i) Public Schools. Each school district shall have a guidance program for all students. (a) In grades K-6, the program shall be designed in coordination with the teaching staff to prep students to participate effectively in their current and future educational programs, to help students who exhibit any attendance, academic, behavioral or adjustment problems, to educate students concerning avoidance of child sexual abuse, and to encourage parental involvement. (b) In grades 7-12, the guidance program shall include the following activities or services: (1) an annual review of each student's educational progress and career plans, with such reviews to be conducted with each student individually or with small groups by personnel certified or licensed as school counselors; (2) instruction at each grade level to help students learn about various careers and about career planning skills conducted by personnel certified or licensed as school counselors, or by classroom teachers in cooperation with school counselors; (3) other advisory and individual or group counseling assistance to enable students to benefit from the curriculum, to help students develop and implement postsecondary education and career plans, to help students who exhibit any attendance, academic, behavioral or adjustment problems and to encourage parental involvement, provided that advisory assistance shall be provided by teachers or counselors, or by certified teaching assistants under the supervision of counselors or teachers, and that such individual or group counseling assistance shall be provided by certified or licensed school counselors or by certified or licensed school psychologists or certified or licensed school social workers in cooperation with school counselors; and (4) the services of personnel certified or licensed as school counselors. (c) Each school district shall develop a district plan which sets forth the manner in which the district shall comply with the requirements of this subdivision. The City School District of the City of New York shall submit a separate plan for each community school district, for the High School Division and for the Special Education Division. Such plan shall be filed in the district offices and shall be available for review by any individual. The plan shall present program objectives, which describe expectations of what students will learn from the program; activities to accomplish the objectives; specification of staff members and other resources assigned to accomplish the objectives; and provisions for the annual assessment of program results. The plan shall be reviewed annually by the school districts, and revisions shall be made as necessary. (ii) Nonpublic schools. Each nonpublic secondary school shall provide a guidance and counseling program for students in grades 7-12. (2) Comprehensive developmental school counseling/guidance programs. Beginning with the 2019-2020 school year, each school district shall have a comprehensive developmental school counseling/guidance program, for all students in kindergarten through grade 12. Each school district shall also ensure that all students in grades kindergarten through twelve have access to a certified school counselor(s), which for the city school district of the City of New York and the city school district of the City of Buffalo shall include a licensed guidance counselor(s) pursuant to Part 80 of the commissioner's regulations. (i) For all grades kindergarten through twelve, district and building level comprehensive developmental school counseling/guidance programs shall prepare students to participate effectively in their current and future educational programs as age appropriate, and be designed to address multiple student competencies including career/college readiness Standard, and academic and social/emotional development Standard. The comprehensive developmental school counseling/guidance program (program) shall include the following activities or services: (a) In grades kindergarten through five, the program shall be designed by a certified school counselor in coordination with the teaching staff, and any appropriate pupil personnel service providers, for the purpose of preparing students to participate effectively in their current and future educational programs, to provide information related to college and careers, and to assist students who may exhibit challenges to academic success, including but not limited to attendance or behavioral concerns, and where appropriate make a referral to a properly licensed professional and/or certified pupil personnel service provider, as appropriate, for more targeted supports. (b) For students in grades six through twelve, certified school counselors shall provide an annual individual progress review plan, which shall reflect each student's educational progress and career plans. For a student with disability, the plan shall be consistent with the student's individualized education program; (c) school counseling/guidance core curriculum instruction for the purpose of addressing student competencies related to career/college readiness, academic skills and social/emotional development by a certified school counselor(s); (d) other direct student services which may include, but need not be limited to, responsive services, crisis response, group counseling, individual counseling, appraisal, assessment and advisement, for the purpose of enabling students to benefit from the curriculum, assisting students to develop and implement postsecondary education and career plans, assisting students who exhibit attendance, academic, behavioral or adjustment concerns and encouraging parental involvement. Provided that nothing herein shall prohibit certified or licensed school psychologists or certified or licensed school social workers pursuant to Part 80 of the commissioner's regulations from providing other direct student services within their applicable scope of practice; (e) indirect student services which may include but need not be limited to, referrals to appropriately licensed or certified individuals, consultation, collaboration, leadership, advocacy, and teaming. (ii) Each school district shall develop district-wide and building-level comprehensive developmental school counseling/guidance plans which set forth the manner in which the district shall comply with the requirements of this subdivision. In the case of the City School District of the City of New York, the Department of Education shall submit separate plans for each community school district, for the High School Division and for the Special Education Division. Such district and building level plans shall be developed by or under the direction of certified school counselor(s) and be updated annually, available for review at the district offices and each school building, and made available on the district's website. (a) Each plan shall be developed annually and shall include program objectives, activities, program development and maintenance planning, school counseling curriculum, professional learning planning, evaluation methods based on data analysis of program results and closing the gap analysis reports to inform program improvement, and assessment of the resources necessary to support positive student outcomes. (b) Each plan shall also include the preparation of a program outcomes report that includes an analysis of all systematic components of a comprehensive developmental school counseling/guidance program as defined by this subdivision. Such report shall be annually presented to the board of education, or in the case of the City School District of the City of New York, the Chancellor of the City School District of the City of New York or to the extent provided by law, the board of education of the City School District of the City of New York. (iii) Each school district shall establish a comprehensive developmental school counseling/guidance program advisory council to be comprised of representative stakeholders (such as parents, members of the board of education, school building and/or district leaders, community-based service providers, teachers, certified school counselors and other pupil personnel service providers in the district including school social workers and/or school psychologists). In the case of the City School District of the City of New York, the Department of Education shall establish a comprehensive developmental school counseling/guidance program advisory council for each community school district. The advisory council shall meet no less than twice a year for the purpose of reviewing the comprehensive developmental school counseling/guidance program plan and advising on the implementation of the school counseling/guidance program. The advisory council shall create and submit an annual report to the board of education, or in the case of the City School District of the City of New York, the Chancellor of the City School District of the City of New York, or to the extent provided by law, the board of education of the City School District of the City of New York. (3) Nothing in this section shall be construed to authorize any individual to provide professional services where certification is required under Part 80 of the commissioner's regulations or where licensure is required under Title VIII of the Education Law.

Guidance addresses requirement of the provision of school counseling services in elementary grade levels (K-8).