|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
relating to a school district policy concerning the use of school |
|
counselors' work time. |
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
SECTION 1. Section 33.006, Education Code, is amended by |
|
adding Subsection (c) to read as follows: |
|
(c) In accordance with rules adopted by the commissioner, |
|
the board of trustees of each school district shall adopt a policy |
|
that requires a counselor to spend not more than 10 percent of the |
|
counselor's total work time on duties that are not components of a |
|
counseling or guidance program developed under Section 33.005. For |
|
purposes of this subsection, time spent in administering assessment |
|
instruments or providing other assistance in connection with |
|
assessment instruments, except time spent in interpreting data from |
|
assessment instruments, is not considered time spent on counseling |
|
or guidance. Each school in the district shall implement the |
|
policy. A copy of the policy shall be maintained in the office of |
|
each school in the district and made available on request during |
|
regular school hours to district employees, parents of district |
|
students, and the public. |
|
SECTION 2. Section 39.074, Education Code, is amended by |
|
adding Subsection (g) to read as follows: |
|
(g) Before an investigation, the commissioner shall request |
|
that the district scheduled for the investigation assess the |
|
district's compliance with the policy adopted under Section |
|
33.006(c) and provide a written copy of the assessment to the |
|
investigators on or before the date specified by the commissioner. |
|
As part of each investigation, the investigators shall interview a |
|
percentage of district counselors determined by the commissioner |
|
to assess the district's compliance with the policy adopted under |
|
Section 33.006(c). The commissioner shall adopt rules to implement |
|
this subsection. |
|
SECTION 3. (a) Each school district shall implement a |
|
policy adopted under Section 33.006(c), Education Code, as added by |
|
this Act, beginning with the 2007-2008 school year. |
|
(b) Section 39.074(g), Education Code, as added by this Act, |
|
applies beginning with the 2007-2008 school year. |
|
SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
|
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
|
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
|
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
|
Act takes effect September 1, 2007 |
|
. |