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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the employment of certified counselors by school |
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districts. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Sections 33.002(b) and (c), Education Code, are |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(b) A school district with 300 [500] or more students in |
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enrollment [enrolled in elementary school grades] shall employ a |
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counselor certified under the rules of the State Board for Educator |
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Certification for each [elementary] school in the district. A |
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school district shall employ at least one counselor for every 300 |
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[500 elementary school] students in the district. |
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(c) A school district with fewer than 300 [500] students in |
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enrollment [enrolled in elementary school grades] shall provide |
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guidance and counseling services to [elementary school] students |
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by: |
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(1) employing a part-time counselor certified under |
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the rules of the State Board for Educator Certification; |
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(2) employing a part-time teacher certified as a |
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counselor under the rules of the State Board for Educator |
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Certification; or |
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(3) entering into a shared services arrangement |
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agreement with one or more school districts to share a counselor |
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certified under the rules of the State Board for Educator |
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Certification. |
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SECTION 2. Section 42.152(i), Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(i) From the total amount of funds appropriated for |
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allotments under this section, the commissioner shall, each fiscal |
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year, withhold $7,500,000 or a greater amount as determined in the |
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General Appropriations Act and distribute that amount for programs |
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under Subchapter A, Chapter 33. Funds distributed under this |
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subsection are in addition to any other funds available for |
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programs under Subchapter A, Chapter 33, including funds provided |
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under Section 42.2519. [A program established under that subchapter
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is required only in school districts in which the program is
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financed by funds distributed under this section or other funds
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distributed by the commissioner for a program under that
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subchapter. In distributing those funds, preference shall be given
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to a school district that received funds for a program under this
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subsection for the preceding school year.] |
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SECTION 3. Subchapter E, Chapter 42, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 42.2519 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 42.2519. ADDITIONAL STATE AID FOR CERTIFIED |
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COUNSELORS. (a) For each school year, from funds that may be used |
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for the purpose, a school district is entitled to state aid in an |
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amount, as determined by the commissioner, sufficient to assist the |
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district in employing the number of certified counselors required |
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by Section 33.002. |
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(b) The amount of state aid to which a school district is |
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entitled under this section is in addition to the amount of revenue |
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to which the district is entitled under Section 42.2516(b). |
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(c) The commissioner shall adopt rules as necessary to |
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administer this section. |
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SECTION 4. Section 33.002(a), Education Code, is repealed. |
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SECTION 5. This Act applies beginning with the 2009-2010 |
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school year. |
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SECTION 6. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |