FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
Second Regular Session 
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SE~fE 
S. No. a i!2 
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'12 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
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The Constitution, Article 14, Section I provides: "The State shall protect and promote the 
right of all citizens to quality education at all levels and shall take appropriate steps to make such 
education accessible to all." 
According to Unicef, while net enrolment in primary school is high at 85 percent as of 
school year 2007 to 2008, this rate reportedly drastically declines to 62 percent in high school in 
the same school year. 
On the other hand, drop-out rates are doubled as children reach secondary school. 
Around 11.64 million out-of-school youth and others situated in impoverished urban cities and 
far-flung communities still need to be reached. I 
The American School Counselor Association and the American Counseling Association 
recommend a ratio of one school counselor to 250 students and a lower ratio for counselors 
working primarily with students at risk2 
Hence, this bill seeks to provide funding for additional counselors in high schools with 
high drop-out rates. These additional counselors would work intensively with students at risk and 
would collaborate with parents, teachers, tutors, employers, and others to create a comprehensive 
plan to get these students back on the right tracle 
1 htto://www.uniceforgiphilippinesl8900.htmL 
2 http://lindasanchez.house.goy/index.php/press-room/ archiyed-news/20 1 O-press-releases/ 5 63 ?task~yjew. 
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FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
Second Regular Session 
) 
'12 
FEB13 P?:16 
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Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
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AN ACT 
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CREATING A DEMONSTRATION PROJECT TO FUND ADDITIONAL SECONDARY 
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SCHOOL COUNSELORS IN TROUBLED SCHOOLS TO REDUCE THE DROPOUT RATE 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled,' 
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SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as "Put School Counselors Where 
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They Are Needed Act"; 
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SECTION 2. Definition of Terms. - For purposes of this Act, the term: 
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(1) "Adjusted cohort" means the students who entered third year high school together, 
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and any students that transferred into the cohort in third year through fourth year high school 
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minus any students removed from the cohort. 
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(2) "Cohort removal" means to remove students from the cohort, the school or local 
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educational agency must confirm that the student has (a) transferred out; (b) is in the custody of 
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the juvenile justice system; (c) or is deceased. 
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(3) "Four-year adjusted cohort graduation rate" means the number of students who earned 
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a regular high school diploma at the conclusion of their fourth year, before their fourth year, or 
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during a summer session immediately following their fourth year, divided by the number of 
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students who formed the adjusted cohort for that graduating class. 
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(4) "Transfers in" means the students who enroll or re-enroll after the begiiming of the 
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entering cohort's first year in high school, up to and including in fourth year. 
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(5) 'Transfers out" means the students the school or local educational agency has 
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confirmed have transferred to another school or other educational program for which they are 
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expected to receive a regular high school diploma. Confirmation of a student's transfer to another 
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school or program requires formal documentation that the student enrolled in the receiving 
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school. Students enrolled in other alternative educational program that does not issue or provide 
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credits toward the issuance of a regular high school diploma are not considered transfers out. 
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Students who were el1l'olled, but for whom there is no confirmation of transfer or completion, 
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may not be labeled transfers or errors, but must remain in the cohort as non-graduates for 
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reporting and accountability purposes. 
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(6) "Treatment of other leavers and withdrawals" means students who were retained in 
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high school level, left school for any other reason may not be counted as transfers out for the 
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purpose of calculating graduation rates and must remain in the adjusted cohort. 
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For purposes of this Act, those high schools that start after third year high school, the 
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cohort shall be calculated based on the earliest high school grade. 
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(7) "Regular high school diploma" means the standard high school diploma awarded to 
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the preponderance of students, or a higher diploma, and does not include celiificates of 
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attendance, or any lesser diploma award. 
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For those students who have significant cognitive disabilities and are assessed using an 
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alternate assessment aligned to alternate achievement standards, receipt of a regular high school 
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diploma or government-defined alternate diploma shall be counted as graduates with a regular 
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high school diploma for the purposes of this Act. No more than one percent of students can be 
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counted as graduates with a regular high school diploma under this subparagraph. 
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SECTION 3. Demonstration Project For Additional Secondary School Counselors. - The 
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Secretary of Education (here called the "Secretary") shall carry out a demonstration project 
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under which the Secretary makes grants on a competitive basis to secondary public schools and 
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have a four-year adjusted cohort graduation rate of 60 percent or lower. 
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A grant under this Act shall be for a period of four years and may be used for the 
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following: 
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(1) to provide additional school cOlUlselors during that period; and 
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(2) to provide additional resources (such as professional development expenses or travel 
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expenses for home visits, and any services and materials referred to in this Act) and to pay 
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overhead expenses. 
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A participating school should aim to provide one additional counselor per 250 students at 
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risk. 
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SECTION 4. Scope of Counseling. - The additional school counselors shall identify 
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students who are at risk of not graduating in four years and shall provide counseling primarily to 
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those students. The counselors may identify such students at any time, but shall strive to identify 
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them before they enter third year high school. Services shall be provided as long as necessary, 
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including to the extent allowable and appropriate, after the student's cohort graduation date. The 
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counseling: 
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(1) may include a full panoply of services, including an individual graduation plan and 
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other resources, such as appropriate course placement and supplemental services (to include not 
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only supplemental educational services tutoring if available at the school site, but also other 
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tutoring as necessary, along with supplemental books and materials); and 
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(2) shall include meetings with each student so identified and with the teachers, tutors, 
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supplemental educational services providers, and parents of the student, and may also include 
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meetings with other relevant individuals, such as a probation officer, mentor, coach, or employer 
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of the student. 
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SECTION 5. Supplement Not Supplant. - The additional school counselors provided 
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through funds under this Act must be in addition to any employees who work in the secondary 
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school guidance or counseling office, such as counselors, college admissions specialists, career 
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development specialists, guidance information specialists, or any other professional or 
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paraprofessional. 
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SECTION 6. Additional Grant Periods. - A school that receives a grant under this Act 
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and demonstrates adequate improvement over the period of the grant is eligible to receive a 
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second grant for a second period. If the school again demonstrates adequate improvement over 
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that second period, the school is eligible to receive a third grant for a third period. The third grant 
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shall provide amounts that decrease for each year of the third period. 
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For purposes of this Act, a school demonstrates adequate improvement over a grant 
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period if the four-year adjusted cohort graduation rate increases (or is projected to increase) by 
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10 percent or more over that period. 
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SECTION 7. Selection. - The Secretary shall carry out the demonstration project in at 
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least 10 schools. The first five schools selected to participate shall each be from a different 
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region. 
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SECTION 8. Authorization of Appropriations. - There are authorized to be appropriated 
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to carry out this Act Ten Million Pesos (PIO,OOO,OOO.OO) for each of fiscal years 2012 through 
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2015. 
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SECTION 9. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act shall be declared 
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unconstitutional, any other provision not affected thereby shall remain in full force and effect. 
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SECTION 10. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, orders, rules and regulations, or 
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parts !hereof inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed or amended accordingly. 
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SECTION 11. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
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publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved, 
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