By Lucio                                               S.B. No. 538
         77R5674 KKA-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to a study of duties performed by public school
 1-3     counselors.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1.  (a)  The comptroller shall conduct a
 1-6     comprehensive statewide study of the duties public school
 1-7     counselors perform.
 1-8           (b)  In conducting the study, the comptroller shall:
 1-9                 (1)  include all public school counselors, regardless
1-10     of whether the counselors are employed by a school district that
1-11     receives funds as provided by Section 42.152(i), Education Code;
1-12                 (2)  determine the percentage of total employment time
1-13     public school counselors spend in performing:
1-14                       (A)  duties relating to:
1-15                             (i)  assessment and testing;
1-16                             (ii)  schedule changes;
1-17                             (iii)  group counseling;
1-18                             (iv)  individual counseling;
1-19                             (v)  parent conferences;
1-20                             (vi)  teacher conferences;
1-21                             (vii)  admission, review, and dismissal
1-22     meetings; and
1-23                             (viii)  provision of information concerning
1-24     institutions of higher education;
 2-1                       (B)  each duty described by Section 33.005 or
 2-2     33.006, Education Code, that is not addressed by Paragraph (A); and
 2-3                       (C)  each additional duty not addressed by
 2-4     Paragraph (A) or (B) that public school counselors perform, as
 2-5     identified by the comptroller; and
 2-6                 (3)  determine the public school counselor-to-student
 2-7     ratio statewide and in each school district at the elementary,
 2-8     middle or junior high, and high school levels.
 2-9           (c)  Not later than January 1, 2003, the comptroller shall
2-10     submit a report to the legislature containing the findings and any
2-11     recommendations resulting from the study.
2-12           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.