Bill Text: TX HB1720 | 2013-2014 | 83rd Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to the duties and number of certified counselors in public schools.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2013-03-04 - Referred to Public Education [HB1720 Detail]
Download: Texas-2013-HB1720-Introduced.html
83R3744 KKA-D | ||
By: Workman | H.B. No. 1720 |
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relating to the duties and number of certified counselors in public | ||
schools. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Section 33.002, Education Code, is amended by | ||
amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (d) to read as | ||
follows: | ||
(a) From funds appropriated for the purpose or other funds | ||
that may be used for the purpose, the commissioner shall distribute | ||
funds for programs under this subchapter. In distributing those | ||
funds, the commissioner shall give preference to a school district | ||
that received funds under this subsection for the preceding school | ||
year and then to the districts that have the highest concentration | ||
of students at risk of dropping out of school, as described by | ||
Section 29.081. To receive funds for the program, a school | ||
district must apply to the commissioner. For each school year that | ||
a school district receives funds under this subsection, the | ||
district shall allocate an amount of local funds for school | ||
guidance and counseling programs that is equal to or greater than | ||
the amount of local funds that the school district allocated for | ||
that purpose during the preceding school year. Subsections (b) and | ||
(c) apply [ |
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receives funds as provided by this subsection. | ||
(d) A school district with 250 or more students enrolled in | ||
high school grades shall employ a counselor certified under the | ||
rules of the State Board for Educator Certification for each high | ||
school in the district. A school district shall employ at least one | ||
counselor for every 250 high school students in the district. | ||
SECTION 2. Section 33.006, Education Code, is amended by | ||
amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsection (c) to read as | ||
follows: | ||
(b) In addition to a school counselor's primary | ||
responsibility under Subsection (a), the counselor shall, to the | ||
extent possible considering the counselor's primary | ||
responsibility: | ||
(1) participate in planning, implementing, and | ||
evaluating a comprehensive developmental guidance program to serve | ||
all students and to address the special needs of students: | ||
(A) who are at risk of dropping out of school, | ||
becoming substance abusers, participating in gang activity, or | ||
committing suicide; | ||
(B) who are in need of modified instructional | ||
strategies; or | ||
(C) who are gifted and talented, with emphasis on | ||
identifying and serving gifted and talented students who are | ||
educationally disadvantaged; | ||
(2) consult with a student's parent or guardian and | ||
make referrals as appropriate in consultation with the student's | ||
parent or guardian; | ||
(3) consult with school staff, parents, and other | ||
community members to help them increase the effectiveness of | ||
student education and promote student success; | ||
(4) coordinate people and resources in the school, | ||
home, and community; | ||
(5) with the assistance of school staff, interpret | ||
standardized test results and other assessment data that help a | ||
student make educational and career plans; and | ||
(6) deliver classroom guidance activities or serve as | ||
a consultant to teachers conducting lessons based on the school's | ||
guidance curriculum. | ||
(c) Except as provided by Subsection (b)(5), a high school | ||
counselor may not be required or permitted to perform functions | ||
associated with the administration of assessment instruments | ||
required or authorized under Subchapter B, Chapter 39. Functions | ||
prohibited under this subsection include scheduling or monitoring | ||
the administration of assessment instruments. | ||
SECTION 3. Subchapter E, Chapter 42, Education Code, is | ||
amended by adding Section 42.2519 to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 42.2519. ADDITIONAL STATE AID FOR CERTIFIED HIGH | ||
SCHOOL COUNSELORS. (a) For each school year, from funds that may | ||
be used for the purpose, a school district is entitled to state aid | ||
in an amount, as determined by the commissioner, sufficient to | ||
assist the district in employing the number of certified high | ||
school counselors required by Section 33.002(d). | ||
(b) The amount of state aid to which a school district is | ||
entitled under this section is in addition to the amount of revenue | ||
to which the district is entitled under Section 42.2516(b). This | ||
subsection expires September 1, 2017. | ||
(c) The commissioner shall adopt rules as necessary to | ||
administer this section. | ||
SECTION 4. This Act applies beginning with the 2013-2014 | ||
school year. | ||
SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2013. |