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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the employment of certified school counselors by school |
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districts. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 33.002, Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 33.002. CERTIFIED SCHOOL COUNSELOR. (a) From funds |
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appropriated for the purpose or other funds that may be used for the |
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purpose, the commissioner shall distribute funds for programs under |
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this subchapter. In distributing those funds, the commissioner |
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shall give preference to [a school district that received funds
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under this subsection for the preceding school year and then to] the |
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districts that have the highest concentration of students at risk |
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of dropping out of school, as described by Section 29.081. To |
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receive funds for the program, a school district must apply to the |
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commissioner. For each school year that a school district receives |
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funds under this subsection, the district shall allocate an amount |
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of local funds for school guidance and counseling programs that is |
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equal to or greater than the amount of local funds that the school |
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district allocated for that purpose during the preceding school |
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year. Funds distributed under this subsection are in addition to |
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any other funds available for programs under this subchapter, |
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including funds provided under Section 42.2519 [This section
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applies only to a school district that receives funds as provided by
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this subsection]. |
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(b) A school district with 300 [500] or more students in |
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enrollment [enrolled in elementary school grades] shall employ a |
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school counselor certified under the rules of the State Board for |
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Educator Certification for each [elementary] school in the |
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district. A school district shall employ at least one school |
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counselor for every 300 [500 elementary school] students in the |
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district. |
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(c) A school district with fewer than 300 [500] students in |
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enrollment [enrolled in elementary school grades] shall provide |
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guidance and counseling services to [elementary school] students |
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by: |
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(1) employing a part-time school counselor certified |
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under the rules of the State Board for Educator Certification; |
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(2) employing a part-time teacher certified as a |
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school counselor under the rules of the State Board for Educator |
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Certification; or |
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(3) entering into a shared services arrangement |
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agreement with one or more school districts to share a school |
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counselor certified under the rules of the State Board for Educator |
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Certification. |
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SECTION 2. Subchapter E, Chapter 42, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 42.2519 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 42.2519. ADDITIONAL STATE AID FOR CERTIFIED SCHOOL |
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COUNSELORS. (a) For each school year, from funds that may be used |
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for the purpose, a school district is entitled to state aid in an |
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amount, as determined by the commissioner, sufficient to assist the |
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district in employing the number of certified school counselors |
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required by Section 33.002. |
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(b) The amount of state aid to which a school district is |
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entitled under this section is in addition to the amount of revenue |
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to which the district is entitled under Section 42.2516(b). This |
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subsection expires September 1, 2017. |
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(c) The commissioner shall adopt rules as necessary to |
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administer this section. |
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SECTION 3. This Act applies beginning with the 2015-2016 |
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school year. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |