Bill
A 3424
Establishes statewide standards and PD for K-12 school counselors and creates a DOE State School Counselor Liaison to coordinate counseling, SEL, and college/career planning.
Status and timeline
- Introduced: February 1, 2024
- Passed both houses (Senate 39-0; Assembly majorities in 2025) with committee amendments.
- Approved/enacted: 2025 (enacted as P.L.2025, c.133; bill materials indicate approval in August 2025).
- Effective date: Immediately upon enactment.
Purpose
A3424 establishes statewide requirements and supports for K–12 school counselors, requires professional development expectations, sets program content expectations for counselor-preparation programs at colleges/universities, and creates a State School Counselor Liaison position in the Department of Education (DOE) to coordinate and promote comprehensive school counseling services.
Key provisions and changes
- Definition: “School counselor” means an individual who holds and works under a New Jersey standard educational services certificate with a school counselor endorsement.
- Role and duties of school counselors (applies to counselors employed by school districts, charter schools, and renaissance school projects): expected roles include
- recognizing/responding to students’ mental health and social-emotional needs;
- designing and delivering comprehensive counseling programs that promote student achievement;
- providing services such as academic/career planning, classroom counseling lessons, short-term counseling, referrals for long-term supports, family/teacher/community collaboration, attending IEP and student-focused meetings when appropriate, and data analysis to identify student needs.
- Professional development: The State Board of Education must establish PD requirements and must require that each school counselor complete training in areas including (but not limited to):
- mental health awareness, suicide prevention, crisis intervention, trauma-informed practices;
- cultural competency and responsiveness;
- the New Jersey Tiered System of Supports (NJ Tiers) and systematic delivery of interventions;
- social and emotional learning (SEL) program delivery;
- college and career readiness.
- Counselor-preparation programs: The State Board must require that accredited college/university programs leading to the school counselor certificate incorporate:
- the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) national model for comprehensive school counseling programs (or a State‑approved model); and
- training in the delivery of SEL programming and postsecondary/career planning.
- State School Counselor Liaison:
- The Commissioner of Education must appoint a Liaison who holds a standard educational services certificate with a director of school counseling services endorsement and has experience in SEL delivery and postsecondary/career advisement.
- Duties: serve as DOE resource and liaison to counselors and districts; promote and coordinate PD; monitor and disseminate relevant changes and research; initiate/participate in research on counseling practices and youth mental health.
- Reporting: the Liaison must report annually to the Governor and the Legislature summarizing activities and recommendations.
Implementation and rulemaking
- The State Board of Education is directed to adopt rules and regulations as needed to implement the law under the Administrative Procedures Act.
Fiscal and operational impact
- Office of Legislative Services (OLS) estimates an indeterminate annual State expenditure increase associated with establishing the Liaison position.
- If a new hire is made, estimated salary range $75,000–$100,000 plus benefits (OLS estimates total personnel cost in roughly $122,000–$171,000 range depending on benefit assumptions).
- Potential marginal State and local costs for developing PD, modifying higher education programs, and district workload tied to training requirements; costs are expected to be indeterminate and likely modest beyond the Liaison position.
Sponsors and related measures
- Sponsors (per version): Assemblywoman Verlina Reynolds-Jackson; Assemblywoman Michele Matsikoudis; Senators Angela V. McKnight and Shirley K. Turner; with multiple co-sponsors.
- Related/companion bills: S1784, S2522 (and prior-session A5339).
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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