FSCA Advocacy Session October 22, :00-5:25

Advocacy Agenda 4:00-4:50-Carole Green, Capital Strategies 4:50-5:25 Break-out by Florida Region

Day on the Hill November 18, 2015 Can you come out and support?

Florida Regions Advocacy Contacts North West North East Central West Central Central EastJeannie Maddox Charlena Durrance South West South EastDaniel Shapiro Cheryl Bottini

Break-Out by Region 1. Assign 1-2 Head Contacts to be responsible for… 1. Attending Advocacy Committee meetings (via conference call). 2. Disseminating information to counties within your region and back to the FSCA Advocacy Committee. 2. Implement a plan and prepare to share information at next advocacy meeting November 8 th at 7:00 p.m. 1. Visit/call/ local representatives by November 6 th using the talking points (roles, services, impact). 3. Fill out contact form with name, school district, address, phone number. 4. Consider attending A Day on the Hill scheduled for November 18 th. 1. Report possible attendance at Nov. 8 th meeting. Florida Regions Volunteer Advocacy Committee Members North West North East Central West Central Central EastJeannie Maddox Charlena Durrance South West South EastDaniel Shapiro Cheryl Bottini Suggestions

FSCA’s Advocacy Committee Chair: Summer Kuba FSCA President: Stephanie Larson FSCA Board Member: Rebecca Schumacher FSCA Board Member: Carolyn Berger FSCA Board Member: Peg Real

Legislator Information Legislator Contact InfoTitle Representative Erik Fresen R-114, Miami (305) Chairman of the House Education Appropriation Subcommittee and is supportive of this issue. Representative Bob Cortes R-30, Maitland (407) Sits on the House Choice & Innovation Subcommittee and is very supportive of the issue. Representative Marlene O’Toole R-33, the Villages (352) Chair of the House Education Committee. Representative Danny Burgess R-38, Zephyrhills (813) He is interested as a possible bill sponsor. He is very supportive. Senator John Legg R-17, Lutz (813) Chairman of the Senate Education Pre-K-12 committee. Senator Don Gaetz R-1, Destin (850) Chairman of the Senate Appropriation Subcommittee on Education. Senator Anitere Flores R-37, Miami (305) Senate Fiscal Policy Chair Senator Nancy Detert R-28, Sarasota (941) Senate Bill Sponsor. We need to recognize her and thank her for the support of School Counselors.

Talking Points for Florida School Counselors Association Bill O Requires that school counselors spend a minimum of 80 percent of their contractual time to delivery of services to students as outlined by the American School Counselor Association. O Delivery of services include direct services provided to students, parents and school staff. O Direct Services may include: O School counseling core curriculum O Individual student planning O Responsive services O Indirect services

Talking Points O Certified school counselors shall have a minimum of a Master’s Degree in School Counseling. O Certified school counselors shall have the appropriate certification as determined by the Florida Department of Education. O 194 schools in Florida have no school counselors. Encourage support that school counselors be employed in every school.

Talking Points O Certified school counselors shall have 60 clock hours or a three credit course in College and Career Readiness (CCR) required for re-certification. This would include the following areas of study for CCR programs at the elementary, middle and high school levels: O developing a college-going culture O academic advising for rigorous coursework O financial aid advising O financial literacy O college applications and enrollment O strategies for Senior graduates’ summer transition to college matriculation O strategies for FAFSA completion O family CCR advising O postsecondary opportunities O development of work-ready skills

Talking Points O Rationale for CCR requirement: State and national workforce projections predict that over 60 percent of Florida jobs will require some form of postsecondary education or training by the year 2020, yet currently, only 38 percent of working-age Floridians hold an associate’s degree or higher. O A small sampling of current school counselors from a survey administered in the spring 2015 indicated 67 percent of these school counselors have been working in the field six or more years.

Talking Points O Further responses included: O 63% have one or no career readiness course; but with six or more years working in the field and out from graduate work, course work in this subject area has expanded and changed significantly. O 47% have no college readiness course; and O 88% would you participate if available, in a comprehensive CCR training program.