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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to social workers employed by school districts. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter Z, Chapter 33, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 33.905 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 33.905. SOCIAL WORKERS. (a) In this section, "school |
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social work services" means services specialized to assist students |
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and families and designed to alleviate barriers to learning, |
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connect the home, the community, and the school, advocate for the |
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best interest and academic success of students, strengthen |
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relationships, and assist with basic and biopsychosocial needs. |
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(b) A social worker employed by a school district: |
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(1) shall: |
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(A) collaborate with district administrators and |
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other district professionals to enhance students' learning |
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environments; |
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(B) as appropriate, serve on district committees |
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that address education and safety issues for students; and |
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(C) collaborate with parents, teachers, district |
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administrators, and the community to develop and implement school |
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violence prevention, suicide prevention, and child abuse |
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identification strategies; and |
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(2) may provide: |
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(A) school social work services to students and |
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families in the district; and |
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(B) behavioral health referrals and group |
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intervention services as needed. |
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(c) The board of trustees of a school district may adopt a |
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policy that requires a social worker employed by the district to |
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spend at least 80 percent of the social worker's total work time on |
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duties described by this section. |
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SECTION 2. This Act applies beginning with the 2023-2024 |
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school year. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |