1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to public school counselors.
 1-3           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-4           SECTION 1.  Section 33.001, Education Code, is amended to
 1-5     read as follows:
 1-6           Sec. 33.001.  APPLICABILITY OF SUBCHAPTER.  This subchapter
 1-7     applies only to a school district that receives funds as provided
 1-8     by Section 42.152(i), except that Sections 33.003-33.006 apply to
 1-9     all school districts.
1-10           SECTION 2.  Section 33.005, Education Code, is amended to
1-11     read as follows:
1-12           Sec. 33.005.  DEVELOPMENTAL GUIDANCE AND COUNSELING PROGRAMS.
1-13     A school counselor [person employed as required by Section 33.002]
1-14     shall work with the school faculty and staff, students, parents,
1-15     and the community to plan, implement, and evaluate a developmental
1-16     guidance and counseling program.  The counselor shall design the
1-17     program to include:
1-18                 (1)  a guidance curriculum to help students develop
1-19     their full educational potential, including the student's interests
1-20     and career objectives;
1-21                 (2)  a responsive services component to intervene on
1-22     behalf of any student whose immediate personal concerns or problems
1-23     put the student's continued educational, career, personal, or
1-24     social development at risk;
1-25                 (3)  an individual planning system to guide a student
 2-1     as the student plans, monitors, and manages the student's own
 2-2     educational, career, personal, and social development; and
 2-3                 (4)  system support to support the efforts of teachers,
 2-4     staff, parents, and other members of the community in promoting the
 2-5     educational, career, personal, and social development of students.
 2-6           SECTION 3.  Subsection (b), Section 33.006, Education Code,
 2-7     is amended to read as follows:
 2-8           (b)  In addition to a school counselor's responsibility under
 2-9     Subsection (a), the counselor shall:
2-10                 (1)  participate in planning, implementing, and
2-11     evaluating a comprehensive developmental guidance program to serve
2-12     all students and to address the special needs of students [who
2-13     are]:
2-14                       (A)  who are at risk of dropping out of school,
2-15     becoming substance abusers, participating in gang activity, or
2-16     committing suicide;  [or]
2-17                       (B)  who are in need of modified instructional
2-18     strategies; or
2-19                       (C)  who are gifted and talented, with emphasis
2-20     on identifying and serving gifted and talented students who are
2-21     educationally disadvantaged;
2-22                 (2)  consult with a student's parent or guardian and
2-23     make referrals as appropriate in consultation with the student's
2-24     parent or guardian;
2-25                 (3)  consult with school staff, parents, and other
2-26     community members to help them increase the effectiveness of
 3-1     student education and promote student success;
 3-2                 (4)  coordinate people and resources in the school,
 3-3     home, and community;
 3-4                 (5)  with the assistance of school staff, interpret
 3-5     standardized test results and other assessment data that help a
 3-6     student make educational and career plans; and
 3-7                 (6)  deliver classroom guidance activities or serve as
 3-8     a consultant to teachers conducting lessons based on the school's
 3-9     guidance curriculum.
3-10           SECTION 4.  This Act applies beginning with the 2001-2002
3-11     school year.
3-12           SECTION 5.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
3-13     a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
3-14     provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
3-15     Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
3-16     Act takes effect September 1, 2001.
         _______________________________     _______________________________
             President of the Senate              Speaker of the House
               I hereby certify that S.B. No. 518 passed the Senate on
         March 22, 2001, by the following vote:  Yeas 30, Nays 0, one
         present, not voting; and that the Senate concurred in House
         amendments on May 24, 2001, by the following vote:  Yeas 30,
         Nays 0, one present, not voting.
                                             _______________________________
                                                 Secretary of the Senate
               I hereby certify that S.B. No. 518 passed the House, with
         amendments, on May 17, 2001, by the following vote:  Yeas 143,
         Nays 0, two present, not voting.
                                             _______________________________
                                                Chief Clerk of the House
         Approved:
         _______________________________
                      Date
         _______________________________
                    Governor