By: González of El Paso H.B. No. 2827
(Senate Sponsor - Zaffirini)
(In the Senate - Received from the House May 3, 2021;
May 14, 2021, read first time and referred to Committee on Higher
Education; May 19, 2021, reported favorably by the following vote:
Yeas 9, Nays 0; May 19, 2021, sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the transfer to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating
Board of certain responsibilities relating to postsecondary
education and career counseling.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Sections 33.009(a), (b), (c), (e), (h), and (i),
Education Code, are amended to read as follows:
(a) In this section, "coordinating board" ["center"] means
the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board [Center for Teaching
and Learning at The University of Texas at Austin].
(b) The coordinating board [center] shall develop and make
available postsecondary education and career counseling academies
for school counselors and other postsecondary advisors employed by
a school district at a middle school, junior high school, or high
school.
(c) In developing academies under this section, the
coordinating board [center] shall solicit input from the agency,
school counselors, the Texas Workforce Commission, institutions of
higher education, and business, community, and school leaders.
(e) The coordinating board [center] shall develop an online
instructional program that school districts may use in providing
the instruction in high school, college, and career preparation
required by Section 28.016. The program must be structured for use
as part of an existing course.
(h) From funds appropriated for that purpose, a school
counselor who attends the academy under this section is entitled to
receive a stipend in the amount determined by the coordinating
board [center]. If funds are available after all eligible school
counselors have received a stipend under this subsection, the
coordinating board [center] shall pay a stipend in the amount
determined by the coordinating board [center] to a teacher who
attends the academy under this section. A stipend received under
this subsection is not considered in determining whether a district
is paying the school counselor or teacher the minimum monthly
salary under Section 21.402.
(i) From available funds appropriated for purposes of this
section, the coordinating board [center] may provide to school
counselors and other educators curricula, instructional materials,
and technological tools relating to postsecondary education and
career counseling.
SECTION 2. Sections 33.009(f) and (j), Education Code, are
repealed.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
Act takes effect September 1, 2021.
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