S 1259 General Bill, By Mescher
 A BILL TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION
 59-26-88 SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT SCHOOL COUNSELORS CERTIFIED BY THE NATIONAL
 BOARD FOR CERTIFIED COUNSELORS, INC., (NBCC) SHALL HAVE A RECERTIFICATION
 CYCLE CONSISTENT WITH THE RECERTIFICATION CYCLE FOR NBCC CERTIFICATION, AND
 THAT SCHOOL COUNSELORS MOVING INTO THIS STATE SHALL BE EXEMPT FROM CERTAIN
 STATE CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS, AND TO PROVIDE THAT SCHOOL COUNSELORS SHALL
 RECEIVE A SPECIFIED INCREASE IN PAY AND MAY BE REIMBURSED ON A LOAN AND
 FORGIVENESS BASIS FOR THE COST OF NBCC CERTIFICATION.

   03/16/00  Senate Introduced and read first time SJ-27
   03/16/00  Senate Referred to Committee on Education SJ-27

TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 59-26-88 SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT SCHOOL COUNSELORS CERTIFIED BY THE NATIONAL BOARD FOR CERTIFIED COUNSELORS, INC., (NBCC) SHALL HAVE A RECERTIFICATION CYCLE CONSISTENT WITH THE RECERTIFICATION CYCLE FOR NBCC CERTIFICATION, AND THAT SCHOOL COUNSELORS MOVING INTO THIS STATE SHALL BE EXEMPT FROM CERTAIN STATE CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS, AND TO PROVIDE THAT SCHOOL COUNSELORS SHALL RECEIVE A SPECIFIED INCREASE IN PAY AND MAY BE REIMBURSED ON A LOAN AND FORGIVENESS BASIS FOR THE COST OF NBCC CERTIFICATION.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION 1. The 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Section 59-26-88. (A) School counselors certified by the National Board for Certified Counselors, Inc., (NBCC) shall enter a recertification cycle for their South Carolina certificate consistent with the recertification cycle for NBCC certification, and NBCC certified school counselors moving to this State are exempted from initial certification requirements and are eligible for continuing contract status and their recertification cycle will be consistent with NBCC certification. School counselors receiving national certification from NBCC shall receive an increase in pay for the life of the certification. The pay increase must be determined annually in the appropriations act. However, it is the intent of the General Assembly that the increase must be at least seven thousand five hundred dollars. The established amount must be added to the annual pay of the nationally certified school counselor.

(B) The State Department of Education shall develop guidelines and administer the programs whereby school counselors applying to NBCC for certification may receive a loan equal to the amount of the application fee. One-half of the loan principal amount and interest must be forgiven when the required portfolio is submitted to NBCC. School counselors attaining certification within three years of receiving the loan shall have the full loan principal amount and interest forgiven.

(C) The State Department of Education shall review the certification standards of NBCC regarding school counselors to ensure they are at least comparable to those of National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) regarding teachers. The State Department of Education shall report its findings to the General Assembly on or before July 1, 2000."

SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.