81R5771 KKA-D
By: Lucio III H.B. No. 1334
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the employment of certified counselors by school
districts.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Sections 33.002(b) and (c), Education Code, are
amended to read as follows:
(b) A school district with 300 [500] or more students in
enrollment [enrolled in elementary school grades] shall employ a
counselor certified under the rules of the State Board for Educator
Certification for each [elementary] school in the district. A
school district shall employ at least one counselor for every 300
[500 elementary school] students in the district.
(c) A school district with fewer than 300 [500] students in
enrollment [enrolled in elementary school grades] shall provide
guidance and counseling services to [elementary school] students
by:
(1) employing a part-time counselor certified under
the rules of the State Board for Educator Certification;
(2) employing a part-time teacher certified as a
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 counselor
certified under the rules of the State Board for Educator
Certification.
SECTION 2. Section 42.152(i), Education Code, is amended to
read as follows:
(i) From the total amount of funds appropriated for
allotments under this section, the commissioner shall, each fiscal
year, withhold $7,500,000 or a greater amount as determined in the
General Appropriations Act and distribute that amount for programs
under Subchapter A, Chapter 33. Funds distributed under this
subsection are in addition to any other funds available for
programs under Subchapter A, Chapter 33, including funds provided
under Section 42.2519. [A program established under that subchapter
is required only in school districts in which the program is
financed by funds distributed under this section or other funds
distributed by the commissioner for a program under that
subchapter. In distributing those funds, preference shall be given
to a school district that received funds for a program under this
subsection for the preceding school year.]
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
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 counselors required
by Section 33.002.
(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).
(c) The commissioner shall adopt rules as necessary to
administer this section.
SECTION 4. Section 33.002(a), Education Code, is repealed.
SECTION 5. This Act applies beginning with the 2009-2010
school year.
SECTION 6. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009.