S.B. No. 490
 
 
 
 
AN ACT
  relating to school counselors in public schools.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 33.007, Education Code, is amended by
  amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsection (b-1) to read as
  follows:
         (b)  During the first school year a student is enrolled in a
  high school or at the high school level in an open-enrollment
  charter school, and again during each year of a student's
  enrollment in high school or at the high school level, a school
  counselor shall provide information about postsecondary education
  to the student and the student's parent or guardian.  The
  information must include information regarding:
               (1)  the importance of postsecondary education;
               (2)  the advantages of earning an endorsement and a
  performance acknowledgment and completing the distinguished level
  of achievement under the foundation high school program under
  Section 28.025;
               (3)  the disadvantages of taking courses to prepare for
  a high school equivalency examination relative to the benefits of
  taking courses leading to a high school diploma;
               (4)  financial aid eligibility;
               (5)  instruction on how to apply for federal financial
  aid;
               (6)  the center for financial aid information
  established under Section 61.0776;
               (7)  the automatic admission of certain students to
  general academic teaching institutions as provided by Section
  51.803;
               (8)  the eligibility and academic performance
  requirements for the TEXAS Grant as provided by Subchapter M,
  Chapter 56; [and]
               (9)  the availability of programs in the district under
  which a student may earn college credit, including advanced
  placement programs, dual credit programs, joint high school and
  college credit programs, and international baccalaureate programs;
  and
               (10)  the availability of education and training
  vouchers and tuition and fee waivers to attend an institution of
  higher education as provided by Section 54.366 for a student who is
  or was previously in the conservatorship of the Department of
  Family and Protective Services.
         (b-1)  When providing information under Subsection (b)(10),
  the school counselor must report to the student and the student's
  parent or guardian the number of times the counselor has provided
  the information to the student. 
         SECTION 2.  Section 39.306, Education Code, is amended by
  adding Subsection (d-1) to read as follows:
         (d-1)  The report must also include the number of school
  counselors providing counseling services at each campus.
         SECTION 3.  Section 42.006, Education Code, is amended by
  adding Subsection (a-2) to read as follows:
         (a-2)  The commissioner by rule shall require each school
  district and open-enrollment charter school to report through the
  Public Education Information Management System information
  regarding the availability of school counselors at each campus.  
  The commissioner's rules shall require a district or school to
  report the number of full-time equivalent school counselors
  providing counseling services at a campus.  For purposes of this
  subsection, "full-time equivalent school counselor" means 40 hours
  of counseling services a week.  The agency shall maintain the
  information provided in accordance with this subsection.
         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, 2017.
 
 
 
 
 
  ______________________________ ______________________________
     President of the Senate Speaker of the House     
 
         I hereby certify that S.B. No. 490 passed the Senate on
  March 29, 2017, by the following vote: Yeas 29, Nays 2; and that
  the Senate concurred in House amendment on May 27, 2017, by the
  following vote: Yeas 28, Nays 3.
 
 
  ______________________________
  Secretary of the Senate    
 
         I hereby certify that S.B. No. 490 passed the House, with
  amendment, on May 24, 2017, by the following vote: Yeas 112,
  Nays 34, two present not voting.
 
 
  ______________________________
  Chief Clerk of the House   
 
 
 
  Approved:
 
  ______________________________ 
              Date
 
 
  ______________________________ 
            Governor