| 1 | 1 | | 86R2850 CAE-F |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Bernal H.B. No. 129 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
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| 7 | 7 | | relating to the assignment of certain certified or licensed |
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| 8 | 8 | | professionals to certain public schools. |
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| 9 | 9 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 10 | 10 | | SECTION 1. Subchapter Z, Chapter 33, Education Code, is |
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| 11 | 11 | | amended by adding Section 33.909 to read as follows: |
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| 12 | 12 | | Sec. 33.909. ASSIGNMENT OF CERTAIN CERTIFIED OR LICENSED |
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| 13 | 13 | | PROFESSIONALS. (a) At each campus in a school district in which 90 |
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| 14 | 14 | | percent or more of the students in average daily attendance at the |
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| 15 | 15 | | campus are educationally disadvantaged, homeless as defined by 42 |
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| 16 | 16 | | U.S.C. Section 11302, or in the conservatorship of the Department |
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| 17 | 17 | | of Family and Protective Services, the district shall assign at |
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| 18 | 18 | | least one person employed by the district who is: |
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| 19 | 19 | | (1) a school counselor; or |
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| 20 | 20 | | (2) an audiologist, occupational therapist, physical |
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| 21 | 21 | | therapist, physician, nurse, school psychologist, associate school |
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| 22 | 22 | | psychologist, professional counselor, marriage and family |
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| 23 | 23 | | therapist, social worker, or speech language pathologist licensed |
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| 24 | 24 | | by the appropriate state agency that licenses that profession and |
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| 25 | 25 | | who holds the appropriate credential from the appropriate state |
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| 26 | 26 | | agency. |
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| 27 | 27 | | (b) A school district may not require a person assigned |
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| 28 | 28 | | under this section to administer assessment instruments or provide |
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| 29 | 29 | | other assistance in connection with assessment instruments. |
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| 30 | 30 | | SECTION 2. Subchapter E, Chapter 42, Education Code, is |
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| 31 | 31 | | amended by adding Section 42.2519 to read as follows: |
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| 32 | 32 | | Sec. 42.2519. ADDITIONAL STATE AID FOR CERTAIN CERTIFIED OR |
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| 33 | 33 | | LICENSED PROFESSIONALS. (a) For each school year, from funds that |
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| 34 | 34 | | may be used for the purpose, a school district is entitled to state |
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| 35 | 35 | | aid in an amount, as determined by the commissioner, sufficient to |
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| 36 | 36 | | assist the district in employing the number of certified or |
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| 37 | 37 | | licensed professionals required by Section 33.909. |
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| 38 | 38 | | (b) The commissioner shall adopt rules as necessary to |
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| 39 | 39 | | administer this section. |
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| 40 | 40 | | SECTION 3. This Act applies beginning with the 2020-2021 |
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| 41 | 41 | | school year. |
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| 42 | 42 | | SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019. |
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