84R8245 MK-D
By: González H.B. No. 1773
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the creation of a task force to examine the
effectiveness of school counseling programs in public schools.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. TASK FORCE ON PUBLIC SCHOOL COUNSELING PROGRAMS.
(a) A task force is established under this section to examine the
effectiveness of school counseling programs on student performance
in public schools.
(b) The task force is composed of the following 50 members
appointed by the commissioner of education:
(1) 20 school counselors;
(2) 10 individuals who serve on the board of trustees
of a school district;
(3) 10 superintendents;
(4) four representatives of regional education
service centers who have experience with school counseling;
(5) one representative of the State Board of
Education;
(6) one representative of the Texas Education Agency;
(7) two representatives of professional counseling
associations; and
(8) two representatives of research organizations
that have conducted academic studies on school counseling.
(c) In making appointments to the task force, the
commissioner of education must include members from the counties
that comprise the Texas-Mexico border area.
(d) The commissioner of education shall appoint the members
of the task force not later than December 1, 2015. The commissioner
shall fill a vacancy in the task force by the appointment of another
person with the same qualifications as the original appointee.
(e) The representative of the Texas Education Agency shall
serve as the presiding officer of the task force.
(f) The presiding officer shall call the initial meeting of
the task force on or before January 1, 2016. The task force shall
meet at the times and places that the presiding officer determines
are appropriate.
(g) Chapter 2110, Government Code, does not apply to the
task force.
SECTION 2. DUTIES OF TASK FORCE. The task force shall:
(1) examine whether public schools are using school
counseling programs, including the national framework developed by
the American School Counselor Association;
(2) determine which school counseling programs
schools prefer to use; and
(3) conduct a statistical analysis, incorporating
information on student demographics, to determine the
effectiveness of school counseling programs and the impact on
student achievement and performance.
SECTION 3. REPORT. Not later than September 1, 2017, the
task force shall deliver a report to the commissioner of education
detailing the task force's findings and recommendations and the
results of the statistical analysis conducted by the task force.
SECTION 4. EXPIRATION. The task force is abolished, and
this Act expires, December 1, 2017.
SECTION 5. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act takes effect September
1, 2015.