84R7902 KJE-D

By: Aycock H.B. No. 18

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to college and career readiness training for certain public school counselors.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 33, Education Code, is amended by adding Section 33.009 to read as follows:

Sec. 33.009. POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION AND CAREER COUNSELING ACADEMIES. (a) The commissioner shall develop and make available postsecondary education and career counseling academies for school counselors employed at a middle school, junior high school, or high school.

(b) In developing academies under this section, the commissioner shall solicit input from school counselors, the Texas Workforce Commission, institutions of higher education, and business and community leaders.

(c) An academy developed under this section must provide counselors with knowledge and skills to provide counseling to students regarding postsecondary success and productive career planning and must include information relating to:

(1) each endorsement described by Section 28.025(c-1), including:

(A) the course requirements for each endorsement; and

(B) the postsecondary educational and career opportunities associated with each endorsement;

(2) available methods for a student to earn credit for a course not offered at the school in which the student is enrolled, including enrollment in an electronic course provided through the state virtual school network under Chapter 30A;

(3) general academic performance requirements for admission to an institution of higher education, including the requirements for automatic admission to a general academic teaching institution under Section 51.803;

(4) regional workforce needs, including information about the required education and the average wage or salary for careers that meet those workforce needs; and

(5) effective strategies for engaging students and parents in planning for postsecondary education and potential careers.

(d) From funds appropriated for that purpose, a school counselor who attends the academy under this section is entitled to receive a stipend in the amount determined by the commissioner. A stipend received under this subsection is not considered in determining whether a district is paying the school counselor the minimum monthly salary under Section 21.402.

SECTION 2. 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, 2015.