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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to policies concerning the use of school counselors' work |
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time. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 33.006, Education Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsection (d) to read as follows: |
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(d) In accordance with rules adopted by the commissioner, |
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the board of trustees of each school district shall adopt a policy |
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that requires a counselor to spend not more than 10 percent of the |
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counselor's total work time on duties that are not components of a |
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counseling or guidance program developed under Section 33.005. For |
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purposes of this subsection, time spent in administering assessment |
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instruments or providing other assistance in connection with |
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assessment instruments, except time spent in interpreting data from |
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assessment instruments, is not considered time spent on counseling |
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or guidance. Each school in the district shall implement the |
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policy. A copy of the policy shall be maintained in the office of |
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each school in the district and made available on request during |
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regular school hours to district employees, parents of district |
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students, and the public. |
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SECTION 2. Section 39.074, Education Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsection (g) to read as follows: |
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(g) Before an investigation, the commissioner shall request |
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that the district assess the district's compliance with the policy |
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adopted under Section 33.006(d) and provide a written copy of the |
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assessment to the investigators on or before the date specified by |
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the commissioner. As part of each investigation, the investigators |
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shall interview a percentage of district counselors determined by |
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the commissioner to assess the district's compliance with the |
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policy adopted under Section 33.006(d). The commissioner shall |
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adopt rules to implement this subsection. |
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SECTION 3. (a) Each school district shall implement a |
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policy that complies with Section 33.006(d), Education Code, as |
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added by this Act, beginning with the 2009-2010 school year. |
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(b) Section 39.074(g), Education Code, as added by this Act, |
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applies beginning with the 2009-2010 school year. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |