33-1212A. COLLEGE AND CAREER ADVISORS AND STUDENT MENTORS. (1) College and career advising and student mentoring are essential components of students’ educational experience. Such advising and mentoring provide all students with an early opportunity to identify academic strengths, areas in need of improvement and areas of interest for the purpose of making informed choices and setting postsecondary education and career goals. The focus of college and career planning is to help students acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to achieve academic success and to be college and career ready upon high school graduation.
(2) School districts and charter schools may employ noncertificated staff to serve in the role of college and career advisors and student mentors. Appropriate alternative forms of advising and mentoring shall be research-based and may include the following:
(a) High contact programs such as:
(i) Near peer or college student mentors; and
(ii) Counselor, teacher or paraprofessional as advisor or mentor;
(b) Collaborative programs such as:
(i) Student ambassadors; and
(ii) Cooperative agreements with other school districts or postsecondary institutions; and
(c) Virtual coach or mentor programs.
(3) School districts and charter schools shall provide professional development in the area of college and career advising to all staff serving in the role of student mentors or advisors. All individuals providing services in the role of a college and career advisor must have a basic level of training or experience in the area of advising or mentoring to provide such services.
(4) School districts and charter schools shall notify parents or guardians of all students in grades 8 through 12 of the availability of college and career advising provided by the district and how to access such services.
(5) The state board of education shall promulgate rules necessary for the administration of this section.
History:
[33-1212A, added 2015, ch. 314, sec. 3, p. 1230; am. 2016, ch. 43, sec. 1, p. 93; am. 2021, ch. 207, sec. 5, p. 570.]