49607.
(a) The State Department of Education shall convene a voluntary working group for purposes of developing a master plan for pupil support services.(b) The members of the working group shall include representatives from each of the following categories:
(1) Pupil support services experts, including, but not limited to, school counselors, school psychologists, school nurses, librarians, school social workers, and child welfare and attendance supervisors.
(2) Classroom teachers.
(3) School administrators.
(4) Classified school employees.
(5) Parents or guardians.
(6) Pupils.
(7) School finance experts.
(8) Licensed mental health care providers.
(9) Pupil financial aid experts.
(10) Academic and learning support experts.
(11) Representatives from institutions of higher education that offer a credential in pupil personnel services.
(c) Members of the working group shall represent the breadth of the categories described in subdivision (b) and shall be culturally, ethnically, and geographically diverse.
(d) Members of the working group shall participate without compensation, but may receive reimbursement for expenses related to meetings, as determined by the Superintendent of Public Instruction.
(e) The department, with the advice and assistance of the working group, shall perform the following duties:
(1) Develop recommendations and findings, using any reports the working group may deem appropriate, including, but not limited to, the study conducted pursuant to Section 49605, and any findings and recommendations relating to counseling and pupil support that are developed as a result of the Joint Committee to Develop a Master Plan for Education-Kindergarten through University, for the establishment of a five-year master plan for pupil support services.
(2) Determine the appropriate pupil-to-school counselor ratios for elementary schools, middle schools, and high schools based on the results of the study conducted pursuant to Section 49605.
(3) Develop a five-year master plan for pupil support services to provide a design for offering incentives to schools to meet the pupil support services ratios determined pursuant to paragraph (2) by 2009. The master plan shall differentiate between elementary school, middle school, and high school pupil support services. The master plan shall include, but not be limited to, recommendations regarding all of the following:
(A) Possible sources of incentives for local educational agencies to meet the ratios for pupil support services, including, but not limited to, an analysis of the following:
(i) Capacity for recruiting and retaining credentialed student support personnel to work in the schools.
(ii) Training and professional development issues.
(iii) Recommendations for program standards.
(iv) Methods for assessing program quality and pupil outcomes.
(v) Linkages and collaboration with sources of pupil support outside of the schoolsite.
(B) The design and implementation of effective pupil support services and programs, including, but not limited to, requirements for guidance counselors to advise all pupils and parents or guardians on the importance of higher education, coursework designed to prepare pupils for higher education, and financial aid availability and requirements.
(f) The master plan for pupil support services shall consider and build upon the foundation developed by the Joint Committee to Develop a Master Plan for Education-Kindergarten through University with a view toward implementing a strategic plan for pupil support services.
(g) The department shall report on the master plan to the Governor and the Legislature by no later than January 1, 2004.
(h) The total amount of funds that may be used to implement this section shall not exceed sixty-five thousand dollars ($65,000).