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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to funding for comprehensive school counseling programs. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 33.002, Education Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsections (a) and (c) and adding Subsections (a-1) and |
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(a-2) to read as follows: |
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(a) From funds appropriated for the purpose or other funds |
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that may be used for the purpose, the commissioner shall distribute |
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funds for programs under this subchapter. In distributing those |
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funds, the commissioner shall give preference in the following |
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order: |
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(1) to a school district that received funds under |
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this subsection for the preceding school year; and |
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(2) [then] to the districts that have the highest |
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concentration of students at risk of dropping out of school, as |
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described by Section 29.081, and either: |
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(A) receive federal funding under Title I, |
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Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. Section |
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6301 et seq.); or |
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(B) are wholly or partly located in a federally |
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designated mental health care health professional shortage area. |
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(a-1) To receive funds for the program under Subsection (a), |
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a school district must apply to the commissioner. For each school |
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year that a school district receives funds under Subsection (a) |
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[this subsection], the district shall allocate an amount of local |
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matching funds for comprehensive school [guidance and] counseling |
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programs that is equal to or greater than the sum of: |
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(1) the amount of funds that the district receives |
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under that subsection; and |
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(2) the amount of local funds other than matching |
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funds required under this subsection that the [school] district |
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allocated for that purpose during the preceding school year. |
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(a-2) This section applies only to a school district that |
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receives funds as provided by Subsection (a) [this subsection]. |
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(c) A school district with fewer than 500 enrolled students |
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[enrolled in elementary school grades] shall provide comprehensive |
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school [guidance and] counseling services to those [elementary
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school] students by: |
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(1) employing a part-time school counselor certified |
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under the rules of the State Board for Educator Certification; |
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(2) employing a part-time teacher certified as a |
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school counselor under the rules of the State Board for Educator |
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Certification; or |
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(3) entering into a shared services arrangement |
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agreement with one or more school districts to share a school |
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counselor certified under the rules of the State Board for Educator |
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Certification. |
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SECTION 2. Section 33.004(b), Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(b) Each school, before implementing a comprehensive school |
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[and developmental guidance and] counseling program under Section |
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33.005, shall annually conduct a preview of the program for parents |
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and guardians. All materials, including curriculum to be used |
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during the year, must be available for a parent or guardian to |
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preview during school hours. Materials or curriculum not included |
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in the materials available on the campus for preview may not be |
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used. |
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SECTION 3. Section 33.005, Education Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 33.005. COMPREHENSIVE SCHOOL [DEVELOPMENTAL GUIDANCE
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AND] COUNSELING PROGRAMS. (a) A school counselor shall work with |
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the school faculty and staff, students, parents, and the community |
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to plan, implement, and evaluate a comprehensive school |
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[developmental guidance and] counseling program. The school |
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counselor shall design the program to include: |
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(1) a guidance curriculum to help students develop |
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their full educational potential, including the student's |
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interests and career objectives; |
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(2) a responsive services component to intervene on |
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behalf of any student whose immediate personal concerns or problems |
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put the student's continued educational, career, personal, or |
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social development at risk; |
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(3) an individual planning system to guide a student |
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as the student plans, monitors, and manages the student's own |
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educational, career, personal, and social development; and |
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(4) system support to support the efforts of teachers, |
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staff, parents, and other members of the community in promoting the |
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educational, career, personal, and social development of students. |
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SECTION 4. Section 42.152, Education Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsection (e) to read as follows: |
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(e) From the total amount of funds appropriated for |
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allotments under this section, the commissioner shall, each fiscal |
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year, withhold $7.5 million or a greater amount as specified in the |
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General Appropriations Act, and distribute that amount to school |
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districts for programs under Subchapter A, Chapter 33, in the |
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manner provided by Section 33.002. After deducting the amount |
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withheld under this subsection from the total amount appropriated |
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for allotments under this section, the commissioner shall reduce |
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each district's allotment proportionately and allocate funds to |
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each district accordingly. |
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SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2020. |