Relating to the use of public school counselors' work time.
The bill explicitly states that if a school district finds it necessary for a counselor to allocate less than 80 percent of their time to counseling, they must provide justification for this adjustment in their policy. Additionally, the school district is required to list any non-counseling duties expected of the counselor and clarify how much time must be spent on counseling. This aspect empowers school districts to define the balance between counseling and other responsibilities, but it could also lead to variability in implementation based on individual district policies.
House Bill 727, introduced by Representative González of El Paso, focuses on the designated work hours of public school counselors in Texas. The bill mandates that school counselors must devote at least 80 percent of their total work time on duties that fall under the counseling program developed in accordance with Texas Education Code Section 33.005. This regulation aims to ensure that counselors are primarily engaged in counseling activities rather than administrative or non-counseling tasks, reinforcing the importance of their role in student support and guidance.
One of the points of contention with HB 727 arises from the potential implications for employment contracts with school counselors. The bill prohibits contracts that could conflict with the 80 percent counseling mandate. Critics may argue that this could limit the flexibility of school administration to assign varied responsibilities to counselors based on unique school needs. While proponents assert that the bill ensures a clear focus on counseling, opponents may raise concerns about the bureaucratic limitations it places on school districts in managing staff workloads.