Education Code section 49602

Any information of a personal nature disclosed by a pupil 12 years of age or older in the process of receiving counseling from a school counselor as specified in Section 49600 is confidential. Any information of a personal nature disclosed to a school counselor by a parent or guardian of a pupil who is 12 years of age or older and who is in the process of receiving counseling from a school counselor as specified in Section 49600 is confidential. The information shall not become part of the pupil record, as defined in subdivision (b) of Section 49061, without the written consent of the person who disclosed the confidential information. The information shall not be revealed, released, discussed, or referred to, except as follows:

(a)

Discussion with psychotherapists as defined by Section 1010 of the Evidence Code, other health care providers, or the school nurse, for the sole purpose of referring the pupil for treatment.

(b)

Reporting of child abuse or neglect as required by Article 2.5 (commencing with Section 11165) of Chapter 2 of Title 1 of Part 4 of the Penal Code.

(c)

Reporting information to the principal or parents of the pupil when the school counselor has reasonable cause to believe that disclosure is necessary to avert a clear and present danger to the health, safety, or welfare of the pupil or the following other persons living in the school community: administrators, teachers, school staff, parents, pupils, and other school community members.

(d)

Reporting information to the principal, other persons inside the school, as necessary, the parents of the pupil, and other persons outside the school when the pupil indicates that a crime, involving the likelihood of personal injury or significant or substantial property losses, will be or has been committed.

(e)

Reporting information to one or more persons specified in a written waiver after this written waiver of confidence is read and signed by the pupil and preserved in the pupil’s file.
Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, a school counselor shall not disclose information deemed to be confidential pursuant to this section to the parents of the pupil when the school counselor has reasonable cause to believe that the disclosure would result in a clear and present danger to the health, safety, or welfare of the pupil.
Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, a school counselor shall disclose information deemed to be confidential pursuant to this section to law enforcement agencies when ordered to do so by order of a court of law, to aid in the investigation of a crime, or when ordered to testify in any administrative or judicial proceeding.
Nothing in this section shall be deemed to limit access to pupil records as provided in Section 49076.
Nothing in this section shall be deemed to limit the counselor from conferring with other school staff, as appropriate, regarding modification of the pupil’s academic program.
It is the intent of the Legislature that counselors use the privilege of confidentiality under this section to assist the pupil whenever possible to communicate more effectively with parents, school staff, and others.
No person required by this section to keep information discussed during counseling confidential shall incur any civil or criminal liability as a result of keeping that information confidential.
As used in this section, “information of a personal nature” does not include routine objective information related to academic and career counseling.

Source: Section 49602, https://leginfo.­legislature.­ca.­gov/faces/codes_displaySection.­xhtml?lawCode=EDC§ionNum=49602.­ (accessed May 4, 2025).

Last Updated

Apr. 24, 2025

§ 49602’s source at ca​.gov