84R2042 KKA-D
By: González H.B. No. 313
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.