Dear School Counselors,
Many of you have called, emailed or asked me about the issue of being called guidance counselors or school counselors. I think some of you and probably more of your principals think it is a preference or recommendation rather than a law issued by the Tennessee legislature.
I've been in many schools this past year and still see "guidance office" over many of your doors. In case you are not aware, a state law was passed in 1999 in Tennessee to formally changing our name from guidance counselor to school counselor. Professional school counselors, the American School Counseling Association, Tennessee School Counseling Association, and the Tennessee Department of Education have been working diligently to reconfigure the professional identity of PSCs from its historical guidance epistemology to a comprehensive developmental model. The professional school counselor is a certified/licensed educator (must have a Master's or higher in TN), is trained in school counseling with unique qualifications, and has skills to address all students’ academic, personal/social and career development needs. Professional school counselors implement a comprehensive school counseling program that promotes and enhances student achievement.
I hope that as you begin implementation of the TN Comprehensive Model of School Counseling you will truly see yourself as Professional School Counselors and will begin sharing this information with principals, teachers and other stakeholders. If I can help or support you in this mission, please do not hesitate to contact me.
See language of law below:
It was Bill number 302 passed May 24, 1999: An act to rededsignate guidance counselors as school counselors and to amend TCA (Tennessee Code Annotated), Title 49, accordingly. Be it enacted by the general assembly of the State of Tennessee: Section 1. TCA, Section 49-5-402(a), is amended by deleting the words "guidance counselor" wherever they appear and substituting the words "school counselor".
Section 2. TCA, Section 49-5-402(d), is amended by deleting the words "guidance counselor" wherever they appear and substituting the words "school counselor".
Section 3. TCA, Section 49-6-303, is amended by deleting the words "guidance counselors" wherever they appear and substituting the words "school counselor" or "school counselors".
Section 4. TCA Section 49-6-4017, is amended by deleting the words "guidance counselor" wherever they appear and substituting the words "school counselor".
Section 5. The Tennessee Code Commission is authorized and requested to change any other references to "guidance counselor" or "guidance counselors" to "school counselor" or "school counselors" wherever they appear in conformity with this act.
Section 6. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it.
PASSED: May 24, 1999
Approved this 14th day of June 1999
Best regards,