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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the creation of a task force to examine the |
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effectiveness of school counseling programs in public schools. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. TASK FORCE ON PUBLIC SCHOOL COUNSELING PROGRAMS. |
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(a) A task force is established under this section to examine the |
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effectiveness of school counseling programs on student performance |
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in public schools. |
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(b) The task force is composed of the following 50 members |
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appointed by the commissioner of education: |
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(1) 20 school counselors; |
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(2) 10 individuals who serve on the board of trustees |
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of a school district; |
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(3) 10 superintendents; |
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(4) four representatives of regional education |
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service centers who have experience with school counseling; |
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(5) one representative of the State Board of |
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Education; |
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(6) one representative of the Texas Education Agency; |
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(7) two representatives of professional counseling |
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associations; and |
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(8) two representatives of research organizations |
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that have conducted academic studies on school counseling. |
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(c) In making appointments to the task force, the |
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commissioner of education must include members from the counties |
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that comprise the Texas-Mexico border area. |
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(d) The commissioner of education shall appoint the members |
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of the task force not later than December 1, 2015. The commissioner |
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shall fill a vacancy in the task force by the appointment of another |
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person with the same qualifications as the original appointee. |
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(e) The representative of the Texas Education Agency shall |
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serve as the presiding officer of the task force. |
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(f) The presiding officer shall call the initial meeting of |
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the task force on or before January 1, 2016. The task force shall |
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meet at the times and places that the presiding officer determines |
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are appropriate. |
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(g) Chapter 2110, Government Code, does not apply to the |
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task force. |
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SECTION 2. DUTIES OF TASK FORCE. The task force shall: |
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(1) examine whether public schools are using school |
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counseling programs, including the national framework developed by |
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the American School Counselor Association; |
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(2) determine which school counseling programs |
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schools prefer to use; and |
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(3) conduct a statistical analysis, incorporating |
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information on student demographics, to determine the |
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effectiveness of school counseling programs and the impact on |
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student achievement and performance. |
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SECTION 3. REPORT. Not later than September 1, 2017, the |
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task force shall deliver a report to the commissioner of education |
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detailing the task force's findings and recommendations and the |
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results of the statistical analysis conducted by the task force. |
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SECTION 4. EXPIRATION. The task force is abolished, and |
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this Act expires, December 1, 2017. |
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SECTION 5. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act takes effect September |
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1, 2015. |