article: SECTION 1. RESOURCE STAFF FOR STUDENTS. Title X of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 8001 et. seq) is amended by adding at the end the following: ``PART L--RESOURCE STAFF FOR STUDENTS ``SEC. 10993. FINDINGS. ``Congress finds the following: ``(1) Although 7,500,000 children under the age of 18 require mental health services, fewer than 1 in 5 of these children receive the services. ``(2) Across the United States, counseling professionals have an extremely busy caseload and often students do no get the help they need. The current national average ratio of students to counselors in elementary and secondary schools is 513:1. ``(3) Schools in the United States need more mental health professionals, and the funds needed to hire staff to specifically serve students. ``(4) The maximum recommended ratio of students-to- counselors is 250:1. ``(5) Existing counselors are severely taxed to perform duties that are largely administrative in nature, such as scheduling. They are burdened with many demands regarding placement in colleges, texting, career guidance, and the like. ``(6) Student populations are expected to grow significantly over the next few years. School-based services for students will be in great demand. With expected large scale retirements, more than 100,000 new dedicated resource staff for students will be needed to increase student-to-staff service availability. ``(7) The Federal support for reducing the student-to-staff ratio would pay for itself, through reduced violence and substance abuse, and through improvements in students' academic achievement. ``SEC. 10994. PURPOSE. ``The purpose of this part is to assist States and local educational agencies recruit, train, and hire 100,000 school-based resource staff to specifically work with students-- ``(1) to reduce the student-to-counseling ratios nationally, in grades 6-12, to an average of 1 such staff for every 250 students as recommended in a report by the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences relating to schools and health, issued in 1997; ``(2) to help address the mental, emotional, and developmental needs of public school students; and ``(3) to support other school staff and teachers in reaching students early before problems arise, conducting behavioral interventions to improve school discipline, and developing the awareness and skills to identify early warning signs of violence and the need for mental health services. ``SEC. 10995. STUDENT RESOURCE STAFF PROGRAM. ``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall award grants under this section to establish or expand the number of resource staff available for students' needs. ``(1) Distribution.--In awarding grants under this section, the Secretary shall allocate funds proportionately based on the population that is less than 18 years of age in the States. ``(2) Duration.--A grant under this section shall be awarded for a period not to exceed three years. ``(b) Applications.-- ``(1) In general.--Each local educational agency desiring a grant under this section shall submit an application to the Secretary at such time, in such manner, and accompanied by such information as the Secretary may reasonably require. ``(2) Contents.--Each application for a grant under this section shall-- ``(A) describe the secondary public school population to be targeted by the program, the particular personal, social, emotional, education, and career development needs of such population, and the current school counseling resources available for meeting such needs; ``(B) describe the activities, services, and training to be provided by the program and the specific approaches to be used to meet the needs described in subparagraph (A); ``(C) describe the methods to be used to evaluate the outcomes and effectiveness of the program; ``(D) document that the applicant has the personnel qualified to develop, implement, and administer the program; ``(E) assure that the funds made available under this part for any fiscal year will be used to supplement and, to the extent practicable, increase the level of funds that would otherwise be available from non-Federal sources for the program described in the application, and in no case supplant such funds from non-Federal sources. ``(c) Use of Funds.--Grants funds under this section shall be used to initiate or expand student resource staff programs that comply with the purpose under section 10994. ``(d) Definitions.--For purposes of this part the term `resource staff' means an individual who has documented competence and training in mental health to be able to provide services to children and adolescents in a school setting and who-- ``(1) possesses State licensure or certification in mental health granted by an independent professional regulatory authority; ``(2) in the absence of such State licensure or certification, possesses national certification in mental health or in a related specialty granted by an independent professional organization; or ``(3) holds a minimum of a master's degree in school counseling from a program accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs or the equivalent; or ``(4) possesses a minimum of 60 graduate semester hours in school psychology from an institution of higher education and has completed 1,200 clock hours in a supervised school psychology internship, of which 600 hours shall be in the school setting, and possesses State licensure or certification in school psychology in the State in which the individual works; or ``(5) holds a master's degree in social work and is licensed or certified by the State in which services are to be provided or holds a school social work specialist credential. ``(e) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this part $3,500,000,000 for fiscal year 2000; $3,150,000,000 for fiscal year 2001; $2,800,000,000 for fiscal year 2002; $2,800,000,000 for fiscal year 2003; and $2,800,000,000 for fiscal year 2004 for the hiring of student resource staff.''.
summary: Amends the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to establish a grants program to assist States and local educational agencies (LEAs) to recruit, train, and hire 100,000 school-based resource staff to work with students to: (1) reduce the student-to-counselor ratios nationally, in grades six through 12, to an average of one such staff for every 250 students, as recommended in a 1997 report by the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences relating to schools and health; (2) help address the mental, emotional, and developmental needs of public school students; and (3) support other school staff and teachers in reaching students early before problems arise, conducting behavioral interventions to improve school discipline, and developing the awareness and skills to identify early warning signs of violence and the need for mental health services. Directs the Secretary of Education to make such grants, for up to three years for each grant, to establish or expand the number of resource staff available for students' needs . Requires such grant funds to be allocated on the basis of relative State population under 18 years of age. Sets forth requirements for LEA grant applications and uses of funds. Provides that resource staff means an individual who has documented competence and training in mental health to be able to provide services to children and adolescents in a school setting and who has specified types of licensure, certification, or educational qualifications. Authorizes appropriations for FY 2000 through 2004 for such program.