BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

Senate Research Center

S.B. 504

 

By: Seliger

 

Higher Education

 

6/25/2019

 

Enrolled

 

 

 

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

 

The Texas OnCourse Academy was created by H.B. 18 from the 84th Legislative Session. The Texas OnCourse Academy provides professional counselors and advisors training to be better prepared to support and advise middle and high school students on college/career/military decisions. The initiative is administered within The University of Texas at Austin and has created an online network of learning modules for advisors and counselors to gain knowledge and skills needed to guide students through any postsecondary pathway. Currently, almost 11,000 counselors and advisors are connected to the Academy and these participants serve more than 95 percent of Texas secondary students.

 

S.B. 504 would allow the Texas OnCourse Academy the ability to add content modules that include social-emotional counseling tools in an effort to allow participating advisors and counselors to be better prepared to identify and address potential mental health issues that may arise at the schools they serve. (Original Author's/Sponsor's Statement of Intent)

 

S.B. 504 amends current law relating to the inclusion of certain information in postsecondary education and career counseling academies developed for certain school counselors and other postsecondary advisors employed by a school district.

 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

 

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

 

SECTION 1. Amends Section 33.009, Education Code, by adding Subsection (d-1) to authorize an academy developed under this section (Postsecondary Education and Career Counseling Academies) to include information regarding social‑emotional learning and indicators of behavioral issues.

 

SECTION 2. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2019.