By Rodriguez H.B. No. 795
75R4433 CAS-D
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to school social workers and to social services provided
1-3 by public schools.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Chapter 33, Education Code, is amended by adding
1-6 Subchapter E to read as follows:
1-7 SUBCHAPTER E. SOCIAL WORKERS
1-8 Sec. 33.101. DEFINITION. In this subchapter, "licensed
1-9 master social worker" has the meaning assigned by Section 50.001,
1-10 Human Resources Code.
1-11 Sec. 33.102. SOCIAL WORKERS REQUIRED. Each school district
1-12 shall employ at least one licensed master social worker:
1-13 (1) at each school in the district in which 60 percent
1-14 or more of the students enrolled are educationally disadvantaged;
1-15 and
1-16 (2) in each alternative education program under
1-17 Section 37.008, in addition to any other social worker employed at
1-18 a school at which the program is provided.
1-19 Sec. 33.103. GENERAL DUTIES. A social worker employed by a
1-20 school district shall:
1-21 (1) facilitate, coordinate, and contribute to the
1-22 efforts of parents, representatives of social service agencies in
1-23 the community, and members of school or alternative education
1-24 program support teams, including school counselors, psychologists,
2-1 nurses, teachers, and administrators, in providing social services
2-2 to students;
2-3 (2) train parents in skills needed for parenting and
2-4 train parents, representatives of social service agencies in the
2-5 community, and members of school or alternative education program
2-6 support teams in providing social services to students;
2-7 (3) provide support and guidance to parents and
2-8 educators in identifying community needs that if not addressed may
2-9 have a negative effect on families and students and assist in
2-10 developing strategies to address those needs;
2-11 (4) inform parents about social services available for
2-12 families in the community, including educational, health, social,
2-13 mental health, housing, legal, and banking services, and about the
2-14 manner of gaining access to those services;
2-15 (5) to the extent practicable and appropriate, provide
2-16 for social services that are available in the community to be
2-17 offered on the school campus or in the alternative education
2-18 program, as applicable;
2-19 (6) provide assistance in fostering communication and
2-20 cooperation between parents and staff;
2-21 (7) assist in identifying educational programs that
2-22 parents can implement and assist parents in obtaining skills
2-23 necessary to teach preschool children at home; and
2-24 (8) identify for the school district emerging trends
2-25 in the community.
2-26 Sec. 33.104. PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT. (a) Each school may
2-27 obtain, and maintain as part of the student's permanent record,
3-1 written consent of the parent or legal guardian of a student for
3-2 the student to participate in a program or activity conducted by
3-3 the social worker. The consent form must include specific
3-4 information on the content of the program and the types of
3-5 activities in which the student may be involved.
3-6 (b) Each school shall annually conduct a parent's preview of
3-7 the social services program or social services activities to be
3-8 offered for the school year. Any materials, including any
3-9 curriculum to be used, must be available at the campus during
3-10 regular school hours for any parent or guardian to preview.
3-11 Material that is not available on the campus for the preview may
3-12 not be used as part of a social services program or activity.
3-13 Sec. 33.105. JOB DESCRIPTION AND EVALUATION FORM. The
3-14 agency shall develop a job description for school social workers
3-15 and an evaluation form for school districts to use in evaluating
3-16 the performance of school social workers. The agency shall consult
3-17 with state social worker associations in the development of the job
3-18 description and evaluation form.
3-19 SECTION 2. Section 39.072(b), Education Code, is amended to
3-20 read as follows:
3-21 (b) The academic excellence indicators adopted under
3-22 Sections 39.051(b)(1) through (6) shall be the main consideration
3-23 of the agency in the rating of the district under this section.
3-24 Additional criteria in the rules may include consideration of:
3-25 (1) compliance with statutory requirements and
3-26 requirements imposed by rule of the State Board of Education under
3-27 specific statutory authority that relate to:
4-1 (A) reporting data through the Public Education
4-2 Information Management System (PEIMS);
4-3 (B) the high school graduation requirements
4-4 under Section 28.025; or
4-5 (C) an item listed in Sections
4-6 7.056(e)(3)(C)-(I) that applies to the district; [and]
4-7 (2) the effectiveness of the district's programs in
4-8 special education based on the agency's most recent compliance
4-9 review of the district and programs for special populations; and
4-10 (3) the presence and quality of social services on
4-11 school campuses and in alternative education programs.
4-12 SECTION 3. A school district shall employ social workers in
4-13 accordance with Subchapter E, Chapter 33, Education Code, as added
4-14 by this Act, beginning with the 1997-1998 school year.
4-15 SECTION 4. The importance of this legislation and the
4-16 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
4-17 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
4-18 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
4-19 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
4-20 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
4-21 passage, and it is so enacted.