(1) DEFINITIONS.
(a) Alternative Education Program (AEP) - an educational program that serves
students who are eligible to remain in the regular classroom but are more likely to
succeed in a nontraditional setting such as that provided in an alternative education
program, as well as students who are excluded from the regular classroom because of
disciplinary reasons.
(b) Counseling – a process where some students receive assistance from professionals
who assist them to overcome emotional and social problems or concerns which may
interfere with learning.
(c) Guidance – a process of regular assistance that all students receive from parents,
teachers, school counselors, and others to assist them in making appropriate educational
and career choices.
(d) School Climate Management – systematic plan for addressing the factors that
affect school climate including a consistent management style and leadership by the
principal, a code of expected behavior, a code of disciplinary responses, a code of ethics
for educators, a Student Support Team, delivery of counseling and psychological mental
health services, methods to reduce absences and increase attendance, physical health
support services, efforts to enlist parent and community support, utilization of volunteers,
support by and for the parent teacher organization, a preventive safety plan and a crisis
response plan, staff development, and the maintenance program for the school’s physical
plant.
(e) School Counseling and Guidance Services – guidance program planning,
implementation and evaluation; individual and group counseling; classroom and smallgroup
guidance; career and educational development; parent and teacher consultation;
and referral.
(f) School Health Services – a process to address medically related health and safety
issues and address requests by parents and physicians that the school provide appropriate
health procedures to allow students to remain in school and increase opportunities for
academic success.
(g) School Psychological Services - psychoeducational evaluation; crisis
intervention; case study; consultation to student support teams, parents, teachers, and
administrators; behavioral observations and analysis; and psychological counseling.
(h) School Social Work/Visiting Teacher Services – technical assistance on school
climate issues; assessment and intervention, including written social histories; individual,
group, and family counseling; and networking of appropriate home, school, and
community services to address identified student problems.
(i) Student Support Services (SSS) – integrated and collaborative programs of school
counseling and guidance services, school climate management and student discipline,
school health services, school psychology services, alternative education programs, and
school social work/visiting teacher services, provided individually or through a team
approach, to all students at all grade levels.
(2) REQUIREMENTS.
(a) Each local school system shall develop a Student Services Plan that prescribes and
identifies programs and services that incorporate school climate improvement and
management processes.
(b) Each Student Services Plan must minimally include guidelines for the systematic
provision of the following components:
1. Alternative education programs
2. School psychological services
3. School climate management
4. School counseling and guidance services
5. School health services
6. School social work/visiting teacher services
(c) The local board of education (LBOE) shall provide for a School Climate
Management Process to include improved student behavior and discipline in accordance
with state and federal laws and State Board of Education rules regarding the Improved
Student Learning Environment and Discipline Act of 1999.
(d) The LBOE shall provide for School Guidance and Counseling Services in
accordance with state and federal laws, State Board of Education rules, and department
guidelines.
(e) The LBOE shall provide School Social Work/Visiting Teacher Services by
promoting home, school, and community cooperation to address the needs of the at-risk
student population characterized by poverty, high absenteeism, academic failure,
pregnancy, disruptive behavior or other student dysfunctions.
(f) The LBOE shall provide for School Psychological Services sufficient to satisfy
federal and state regulations and additional legal obligations incurred through court
agreement.
(g) The LBOE shall provide an Alternative Education Program in accordance with
state and federal laws, State Board of Education rules, and department guidelines.
(h) The LBOE shall provide for a School Health Nurse Program and must establish
policies and procedures regarding a School Health Nurse Program in accordance with
state and federal laws.