Education (Curriculum)

This bill establishes new educational requirements for individuals seeking to become licensed school counselors in Colorado. To qualify for an initial school counselor license, applicants must now hold a master's degree or higher specifically in school counseling from an accredited institution, with the program requiring at least 48 graduate semester credit hours. The legislation aims to ensure that school counselors entering the profession have comprehensive graduate-level preparation in counseling practices, student development, and strategies to support students facing behavioral and academic challenges. This change directly affects current and future school counselor candidates in Colorado who must meet these updated academic standards to obtain their professional license.

The bill requires the department of education to:Ensure that standardized summative assessments are administered to students to the minimum extent possible; andApply for a federal waiver for federal assessment requirements, if necessary.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)