SRC-MWN S.B. 538 77(R)BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research CenterS.B. 538
By: Lucio
Education
6/5/2001
Enrolled


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

The Texas Education Code details the primary responsibilities of public
school counselors and outlines the developmental guidance and counseling
programs they design. However, these statutory guidelines apply only to
schools which receive funding from the state compensatory education
allotment for elementary school counseling programs. A Texas Education
Agency report indicated that school counselors who are employed under these
guidelines dealt with less administrative and clerical tasks unrelated to
guidance and counseling and were able to focus more on counseling students,
especially those who are at-risk. S.B. 538 directs a statewide study to
examine what duties are being performed by counselors and how counselors
distribute their time amongst those duties. As well, this study will assess
student/counselor ratios at the three public school levels: elementary,
middle, and high school. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a
state officer, institution, or agency. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. (a)  Requires the comptroller of public accounts (comptroller)
to conduct a comprehensive statewide study of the duties public school
counselors perform.  

(b)  Requires the comptroller, in conducting the study to perform certain
procedures. 

(c)  Requires the comptroller, not later than January 1, 2003, to submit a
report to the legislature containing the findings and any recommendations
resulting from the study. 

SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 2001.