84R70 KKA-F
By: Lucio III H.B. No. 729
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the 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. 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 [This section
applies only to a school district that receives funds as provided by
this subsection].
(b) A school district with 300 [500] or more students in
enrollment [enrolled in elementary school grades] shall employ a
school 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 school
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 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.
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
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). 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.