By: Lopez of Cameron H.B. No. 78
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the duties of a public school counselor.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Sections 33.006(a) and (b), Education Code, are
  amended to read as follows:
         (a)  The primary responsibility of a school counselor is to
  counsel students to fully develop each student's academic, career,
  and personal[, and social] abilities.
         (b)  In addition to a school counselor's responsibility
  under Subsection (a), the school counselor shall:
               (1)  participate in planning, implementing, and
  evaluating a comprehensive developmental school counseling
  [guidance] program to serve all students and to address the special
  needs of students:
                     (A)  who are at risk of dropping out of school,
  becoming substance abusers, participating in gang activity, or
  committing suicide;
                     (B)  who are at risk of:
                           (i)  choosing an unhealthy or inappropriate
  solution to a problem; or
                           (ii)  engaging in harmful behavior toward
  the student's self or others;
                     (C)  who are in need of modified instructional
  strategies; or
                     (D)  [(C)]  who are gifted and talented, with
  emphasis on identifying and serving gifted and talented students
  who are educationally disadvantaged;
               (2)  consult with a student's parent or guardian and
  make referrals as appropriate in consultation with the student's
  parent or guardian;
               (3)  consult with school staff, parents, and other
  community members to help them increase the effectiveness of
  student education and promote student success;
               (4)  coordinate people and resources in the school,
  home, and community;
               (5)  with the assistance of school staff, interpret
  standardized test results and other assessment data that help a
  student make educational and career plans;
               (6)  deliver classroom guidance activities or serve as
  a consultant to teachers conducting lessons based on the school's
  guidance curriculum; and
               (7)  serve as an impartial, nonreporting resource for
  interpersonal conflicts and discord involving two or more students,
  including accusations of bullying under Section 37.0832.
         SECTION 2.  This Act applies beginning with the 2023-2024
  school year.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect on the 91st day after the
  last day of the legislative session.