| |
| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to employment of certified school counselors by school |
|
|
districts. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Section 33.002, Education Code, is amended to |
|
|
read as follows: |
|
|
Sec. 33.002. CERTIFIED SCHOOL COUNSELOR. (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), (b-1), and (c) apply [This section applies] |
|
|
only to a school district that receives funds as provided by this |
|
|
subsection. Funds distributed under this subsection are in |
|
|
addition to any other funds available for programs under this |
|
|
subchapter, including funds provided under Section 42.2519. |
|
|
(b) A school district [with 500 or more students enrolled in
|
|
|
elementary school grades] shall employ a school counselor certified |
|
|
under the rules of the State Board for Educator Certification for |
|
|
each: |
|
|
(1) elementary school in the district, if the district |
|
|
has 350 or more students enrolled in elementary school grades; |
|
|
(2) middle school in the district, if the district has |
|
|
350 or more students enrolled in middle school grades; and |
|
|
(3) junior high school in the district, if the |
|
|
district has 350 or more students enrolled in junior high school |
|
|
grades. |
|
|
(b-1) A school district shall employ at least one school |
|
|
counselor for every 350 [500] elementary school, middle school, or |
|
|
junior high school students in the district and one additional |
|
|
half-time school counselor if the district has an additional 175 |
|
|
students at the applicable grade levels. |
|
|
(c) A school district with fewer than the number of [500] |
|
|
students specified by Subsection (b) [enrolled in elementary school
|
|
|
grades] shall provide guidance and counseling services to |
|
|
elementary school, middle school, or junior high school students |
|
|
by[:
|
|
|
[(1)] employing a half-time [part-time] school |
|
|
counselor certified under the rules of the State Board for Educator |
|
|
Certification[;
|
|
|
[(2)
employing a part-time teacher certified as a
|
|
|
school counselor under the rules of the State Board for Educator
|
|
|
Certification; or
|
|
|
[(3)
entering into a shared services arrangement
|
|
|
agreement with one or more school districts to share a school
|
|
|
counselor certified under the rules of the State Board for Educator
|
|
|
Certification]. |
|
|
(d) A school district with 250 or more students enrolled in |
|
|
high school grades shall employ a school 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 school counselor for every 250 high school students in the |
|
|
district and one additional half-time school counselor if the |
|
|
district has an additional 125 high school students. |
|
|
(e) A school district with fewer than 250 students enrolled |
|
|
in high school grades shall provide guidance and counseling |
|
|
services to high school students by employing a half-time school |
|
|
counselor certified under the rules of the State Board for Educator |
|
|
Certification. |
|
|
SECTION 2. 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 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 school counselors at |
|
|
the high school level as required by Sections 33.002(d) and (e). |
|
|
(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 3. This Act applies beginning with the 2015-2016 |
|
|
school year. |
|
|
SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |