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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the duties of a public school counselor. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Sections 33.006(a) and (b), Education Code, are |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(a) The primary responsibility of a school counselor is to |
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counsel students to fully develop each student's academic, career, |
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personal, [and] social, and emotional abilities. |
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(b) In addition to a school counselor's responsibility |
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under Subsection (a), the school counselor shall: |
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(1) participate in planning, implementing, and |
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evaluating a comprehensive developmental school counseling |
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[guidance] program to serve all students and to address the special |
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needs of students: |
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(A) who are at risk of dropping out of school, |
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becoming substance abusers, participating in gang activity, or |
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committing suicide; |
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(B) who are at risk of: |
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(i) choosing an unhealthy or inappropriate |
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solution to a problem; or |
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(ii) engaging in harmful behavior toward |
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the student's self or others; |
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(C) who are in need of modified instructional |
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strategies; or |
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(D) [(C)] who are gifted and talented, with |
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emphasis on identifying and serving gifted and talented students |
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who are educationally disadvantaged; |
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(2) consult with a student's parent or guardian and |
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make referrals as appropriate in consultation with the student's |
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parent or guardian; |
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(3) consult with school staff, parents, and other |
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community members to help them increase the effectiveness of |
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student education and promote student success; |
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(4) coordinate people and resources in the school, |
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home, and community; |
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(5) with the assistance of school staff, interpret |
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standardized test results and other assessment data that help a |
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student make educational and career plans; |
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(6) deliver classroom guidance activities or serve as |
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a consultant to teachers conducting lessons based on the school's |
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guidance curriculum; and |
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(7) serve as an impartial, nonreporting resource for |
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interpersonal conflicts and discord involving two or more students, |
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including accusations of bullying under Section 37.0832. |
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SECTION 2. This Act applies beginning with the 2023-2024 |
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school year. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |