16 Ky. Admin. Regs. 3:060

Current through Register Vol. 51, No. 5, November 1, 2024

Section 16 KAR 3:060 - School counselor, provisional and standard certificates, all grades

RELATES TO: KRS 156.101, 156.160, 161.020, 161.028, 161.030

NECESSITY, FUNCTION, AND CONFORMITY: KRS 161.028(1) authorizes the Education Professional Standards Board (EPSB) to establish standards and requirements for obtaining and maintaining a teaching certificate and for programs of preparation for teachers and other professional school personnel, and KRS 161.030(1) requires all certificates issued under KRS 161.010 to 161.126 to be issued in accordance with the administrative regulations of the EPSB. This administrative regulation establishes the preparation and certification program for school counselors, at all grade levels.

Section 1. Conditions and Prerequisites.

(1) The provisional and standard certificate for school counselor shall be issued in accordance with KRS Chapter 161 and 16 KAR Chapters 3 and 6 to an applicant who has completed the approved program of preparation which corresponds to the certificate at an educator preparation institution approved in accordance with 16 KAR 5:010.

(2) The school counseling program shall be subject to the program approval requirements established in 16 KAR 5:010 and shall incorporate the Kentucky Standards of Preparation for School Counselors.

(3) The provisional and standard certificate for school counselor established under this administrative regulation shall be valid for the position of school counselor for all grade levels, primary through grade twelve.

Section 2.

(1) The provisional certificate for school counselor shall be issued to an applicant who meets the requirements of 16 KAR 2:010, Section 3(1), and has completed an approved master's level program in school counseling.

(2) The provisional certificate for school counselor shall be issued for a period of five (5) years and may be renewed upon application to the EPSB, compliance with 16 KAR 2:010, Section 3(1), and submission of proof of the completion of a minimum of three (3) semester hours of graduate credit in the areas of counseling or school counseling.

(3) An applicant with a valid Kentucky teaching certificate who has completed the coursework for the standard certificate for school counselor, but has not met the employment requirements of Section 3 of this administrative regulation, may renew the provisional school counselor certificate upon meeting the requirements of 16 KAR 4:060 for the renewal of the applicant's teaching certificate.

(4) If there is a lapse of a provisional certificate for school counselor for lack of meeting the renewal requirements, certification may be reissued at a later date upon application to the EPSB, compliance with 16 KAR 2:010, Section 3(1), and the submission of proof of the completion of a minimum of six (6) semester hours of graduate credit in the areas of counseling or school counseling.

Section 3.

(1) The standard certificate for school counselor shall be issued to an applicant who meets the requirements of 16 KAR 2:010, Section 3(1) and one (1) of the following qualification options:

(a) Option I:

1. Successful completion of an approved master's level program in school counseling;

2. Successful completion of an additional three (3) to six (6) credit hours from an approved graduate level counseling or school counseling program;

3. One (1) year of full time employment as a provisionally- certified school counselor in a public school or nonpublic school that meets the state performance standards as established in KRS 156.160 or that has been accredited by a regional or national accrediting association;

4. A valid Kentucky Professional teaching certificate; and

5. A minimum of one (1) year of full time classroom teaching experience on a Professional Teaching Certificate in a public school or a nonpublic school that meets the state performance standards as established in KRS 156.160 or that has been accredited by a regional or national accrediting association; or

(b) Option II:

1. Successful completion of an approved master's level program in school counseling;

2. Successful completion of an additional three (3) to six (6) credit hours from an approved graduate level counseling or school counseling program; and

3. A minimum of two (2) years of full-time employment as a provisionally certified school counselor.

(2) The standard certificate for school counselor shall be issued for a period of five (5) years and shall be renewed subsequently for five (5) year periods upon application to the EPSB, compliance with 16 KAR 2:010, Section 3(1), and completion of:

(a) Two (2) years of experience as a certified school counselor;

(b) Three (3) semester hours of additional graduate credit in counseling or school counseling; or

(c) The Effective Instructional Leadership Act hours as specified by the Kentucky Department of Education in KRS 156.101. It shall be the responsibility of the school counselor to provide documentation of this training to the local school superintendent who recommends certificate renewal.

(3) If there is a lapse in the standard certificate for school counselor for lack of meeting renewal requirements, the certificate may be reissued at a later date upon application to the EPSB, compliance with 16 KAR 2:010, Section 3(1), and completion of twelve (12) clock hours of counselor role specific training for each year since the expiration of the certificate up to a maximum of seventy-five (75) clock hours or six semester hours of additional graduate credit appropriate to position of school counselor.

Section 4. Validity of Prior Certificates.

(1) A valid Provisional or Standard Certificate for Guidance Counselor grades K-8, 5-12, or 7-12 issued prior to August 5, 2005 shall be valid for the position of school counselor for any school configurations containing at least one (1) grade level listed on the certificate.

(2) An individual who holds a valid Kentucky provisional or standard guidance counselor certificate, grades K-8, grades 7-12, or grades 5-12 shall be eligible to extend that certificate to a provisional or standard school counselor certificate, all grades, upon application to the EPSB, compliance with 16 KAR 2:010, Section 3(1), and proof of the following:

(a) Successful completion of a minimum three (3) credit hours from an approved graduate level counseling or school counseling program. The additional graduate semester hours shall be designed to address content of the preparation program not previously addressed and that provides the candidate with knowledge relevant to counseling all grades; and

(b) A recommendation from the institution of higher education for the appropriate certificate.

Section 5. Incorporation by Reference.

(1) "Kentucky Standards of Preparation for School Counselors", 2019, is incorporated by reference.

(2) This material may be inspected, copied, or obtained, subject to applicable copyright law at the Education Professional Standards Board, 300 Sower Boulevard, 5th Floor, Frankfort, Kentucky 40601, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

(3) This material is also available on the EPSB's Web site at http://www.epsb.ky.gov/course/view.php?=2.

16 KAR 3:060

16 Ky.R. 678; eff. 12-6-1989; Recodified from 704 KAR 20:530, 7-2-2002; 31 Ky.R. 1850; 32 Ky.R. 26; eff. 8-5-2005; 47 Ky.R. 2614; 48 Ky.R. 763; eff. 11-30-2021.

STATUTORY AUTHORITY: KRS 161.020, 161.028, 161.030