H.R. 3567

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3567 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 3567

To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to create a 
demonstration project to fund additional secondary school counselors in 
troubled title I schools to reduce the dropout rate.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

May 21, 2025

Ms. Sanchez (for herself, Mr. Panetta, Mr. Evans of Pennsylvania, Mrs. 
Dingell, Mr. Davis of Illinois, Mr. Johnson of Georgia, Ms. Norton, and 
Mr. Smith of Washington) introduced the following bill; which was 
referred to the Committee on Education and Workforce

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to create a 
demonstration project to fund additional secondary school counselors in 
troubled title I schools to reduce the dropout rate.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Put School Counselors Where They're 
Needed Act''.

SEC. 2. DEMONSTRATION PROJECT FOR ADDITIONAL SECONDARY SCHOOL 
COUNSELORS.

Part D of title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 
1965 (20 U.S.C. 6421 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the 
following:

``Subpart 4--Demonstration Project for Additional Secondary School 
Counselors

``SEC. 1441. FINDINGS.

``The Congress finds the following:
``(1) Nationally, only 86.5 percent of students graduate 
from high school with a regular high school diploma.
``(2) Every school year, around 520,000 American high 
school students drop out without earning a high school diploma 
or an alternative credential.
``(3) Only about 71 percent of American students with 
limited English proficiency graduated on time from high school.
``(4) Only about 80 percent of Black students, 82 percent 
of Hispanic students, and 74 percent of American Indian/Alaska 
Native students graduate on time from high school with a 
regular diploma, compared to 89 percent of White students and 
93 percent of Asian/Pacific Islander students.
``(5) Only about 71 percent of American students with 
disabilities graduated on time from high school.
``(6) High school is the final transition into adulthood 
and the world of work as students begin defining their 
independence and forging their own pathways. As our next 
generation of leaders, our youth, are deciding their futures, 
they are faced with many challenges, including peer pressure 
and bullying, high-stakes testing, the challenges of college 
admissions, the scholarship and financial aid application 
process, and entrance into an ever more competitive job market. 
Students need guidance and skills to help them navigate these 
complex decisions, which have serious and life-changing 
consequences.
``(7) School counseling programs are essential for students 
to achieve optimal personal growth, acquire positive social 
skills and values, set appropriate career goals, and realize 
full academic potential to become productive, contributing 
members of the world community.
``(8) Professional secondary school counselors are highly 
qualified educators with a mental health perspective who 
understand and respond to the challenges presented by today's 
diverse student population.
``(9) The professional secondary school counselor holds a 
master's degree or higher in school counseling (or the 
substantial equivalent), and is certified or licensed by the 
State in which the counselor works.
``(10) Professional secondary school counselors are 
integral to the total educational program. They provide 
proactive leadership that engages all stakeholders in the 
delivery of programs and services to help the student achieve 
success in school. Professional secondary school counselors 
align and work with the school's mission to support the 
academic achievement of all students as they prepare for the 
ever-changing world of the 21st century.
``(11) Professional secondary school counselors' 
opportunities to assist students are often hindered by 
extraordinarily high student-to-counselor ratios. Currently, 
the average student-to-counselor ratio in America's public 
schools is 376 to 1. The American School Counselor Association, 
the American Counseling Association, and the National 
Association for College Admissions Counseling all recommend a 
ratio of one school counselor to 250 students and a lower ratio 
for counselors working primarily with students at risk.

``SEC. 1442. DEMONSTRATION PROJECT.

``(a) In General.--From amounts made available to carry out this 
subpart, the Secretary shall carry out a demonstration project under 
which the Secretary makes grants on a competitive basis to secondary 
schools that receive funds under this title and have a four-year 
adjusted cohort graduation rate of 60 percent or lower.
``(b) Grants.--A grant under this subpart shall be for a period of 
4 years and may be used--
``(1) to provide additional school counselors during that 
period; and
``(2) to provide additional resources (such as professional 
development expenses or travel expenses for home visits, and 
any services and materials referred to in subsection (d)) and 
to pay overhead expenses.
``(c) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress that a 
participating school should aim to provide, under subsection (b)(1), 
one additional counselor per 250 students at risk.
``(d) Scope of Counseling.--The additional school counselors shall 
identify students who are at risk of not graduating in 4 years and 
shall provide counseling primarily to those students. The counselors 
may identify such students at any time, but shall strive to identify 
them before they enter grade 9. Services shall be provided as long as 
necessary, including to the extent allowable and appropriate, after the 
student's cohort graduation date. The counseling provided--
``(1) may include a full panoply of services, including an 
individual graduation plan and other resources, such as 
appropriate course placement and supplemental services (to 
include not only supplemental educational services tutoring if 
available at the school site, but also other tutoring as 
necessary, along with supplemental books and materials); and
``(2) shall include meetings with each student so 
identified and with the teachers, tutors, supplemental 
educational services providers, and parents of the student, and 
may also include meetings with other relevant individuals, such 
as a probation officer, mentor, coach, or employer of the 
student.
``(e) Supplement Not Supplant.--Funds under this subpart shall be 
used to supplement, not supplant, funds from non-Federal sources. The 
additional school counselors provided through funds under this subpart 
must be in addition to any employees who work in the secondary school 
guidance or counseling office, such as counselors, college admissions 
specialists, career development specialists, guidance information 
specialists, or any other professional or paraprofessional.
``(f) Additional Grant Periods.--
``(1) In general.--A school that receives a grant under 
this subpart and demonstrates adequate improvement over the 
period of the grant is eligible to receive a second grant for a 
second period. If the school again demonstrates adequate 
improvement over that second period, the school is eligible to 
receive a third grant for a third period. The third grant shall 
provide amounts that decrease for each year of the third period 
and require the school to provide corresponding increases in 
non-Federal funds.
``(2) Adequate improvement.--For purposes of paragraph (1), 
a school demonstrates adequate improvement over a grant period 
if the four-year adjusted cohort graduation rate increases (or 
is projected to increase) by 10 percent or more over that 
period.
``(g) Selection.--The Secretary shall carry out the demonstration 
project in at least 10 schools. The first five schools selected to 
participate shall each be from a different State.

``SEC. 1443. DEFINITION.

``(a) In General.--For purposes of this subpart, the term `regular 
high school diploma' means the standard high school diploma awarded to 
the preponderance of students in the State that is fully aligned with 
State standards, or a higher diploma, and does not include GEDs, 
certificates of attendance, or any lesser diploma award.
``(b) Special Rule.--For those students who have significant 
cognitive disabilities and are assessed using an alternate assessment 
aligned to alternate achievement standards, receipt of a regular high 
school diploma or State-defined alternate diploma aligned with 
completion of their entitlement under the Individuals with Disabilities 
Education Act shall be counted as graduates with a regular high school 
diploma for the purposes of this Act. No more than 1 percent of 
students can be counted as graduates with a regular high school diploma 
under this subparagraph.

``SEC. 1444. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.

``There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this subpart 
$5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 through 2029.''.

SEC. 3. CONFORMING AMENDMENT; TABLE OF CONTENTS.

(a) Conforming Amendment.--Section 1002(d) of the Elementary and 
Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 6302(d)) is amended by 
inserting ``(other than subpart 4)'' after ``part D,''.
(b) TOC.--The table of contents in section 2 of the Elementary and 
Secondary Education Act of 1965 is amended by inserting after the item 
relating to section 1432 the following:

``Subpart 4--Demonstration Project for Additional Secondary School 
Counselors

``Sec. 1441. Findings.
``Sec. 1442. Demonstration project.
``Sec. 1443. Definition.
``Sec. 1444. Authorization of appropriations.''.
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