House Approves Bill to Create Sample Standard School Counselor Job Description to Promote Key Role

COLUMBUS – The Ohio House showed bipartisan support Wednesday to legislation, sponsored by State Representatives Andrea White (R-Kettering) and Jessica Miranda (D-Forest Park), requiring the Ohio Department of Education (ODE) to create an official recommended job description for school counselors based on current ODE standards.

“Day in and day out, our school counselors are confronted by a myriad of challenges helping students and families – particularly these past few years,” said White. “Our counselors are evaluated based on meeting critical standards created by ODE to help students with academics, career and personal and social development.  A recommended job description will provide guidance to school districts on how they can fully utilize our school counselors’ masters-level training to help maximize their impact in supporting our students and families.”

The legislation will require the ODE within 120-days of the bill’s effective date to create a sample job description for school counselors employed by public schools. 

White noted that Ohio is the only state without a dedicated school counselor liaison in its state education department, so, H.B. 333 looks to correct the issue by requiring the Superintendent of Public Institutions to designate at least one employee of the department to serve as a liaison for school counselors across the state.

H.B. 333 has support from the Ohio School Counselor Association, the Ohio Education Association and the Ohio Association for Counselor Education and Supervision. 

The legislation will now head to the Ohio Senate for further consideration.