The Florida School Counselor Association (FSCA) announced that HB 753 has reached its final House committee stop, marking the last hurdle before consideration by the full Florida House. Meanwhile, the Senate companion, SB 1036, has passed all Senate committees and now awaits a floor vote.

Together, these milestones represent significant legislative progress toward strengthening school counselor certification and evaluation standards statewide.

FSCA has worked throughout the legislative session to ensure both bills:

• Align certification requirements with graduate-level school counselor preparation
  
  
• Remove examination barriers unrelated to school counseling practice
  
  
• Align evaluations with the Florida School Counseling Standards
  
  

These provisions clarify the professional role of school counselors and ensure that certification and evaluation language accurately reflects the services counselors are trained and certified to deliver.

“These milestones reflect years of relationship-building and sustained advocacy,” said Dr. Carmen Larson, Co-Chair of FSCA’s Advocacy & Government Relations Committee. “Advancing both HB 753 and SB 1036 through all the respective committees demonstrates meaningful progress toward ensuring the statute reflects the professional standards that guide school counselors’ work.”

“Our focus has always been on students,” added Belinda Dees, Co-Chair of FSCA’s Advocacy & Government Relations Committee. “Aligning certification and evaluation language with professional standards strengthens accountability while clarifying the essential role school counselors play in academic achievement, career readiness, and student well-being.”

The results of this committee work and the leadership of the Co-Chairs are one of many of the FSCA services that advance and support Florida School Counselors.

FSCA DELIVERS and is THE Home for Florida School Counselors