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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the availability of school counselors at public middle, |
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junior high, and high school campuses. |
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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 Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (d) to read as |
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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 to a school district |
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that received funds under this subsection for the preceding school |
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year and then to the districts that have the highest concentration |
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of students at risk of dropping out of school, as described by |
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Section 29.081. To receive funds for the program, a school |
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district must apply to the commissioner. For each school year that |
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a school district receives funds under this subsection, the |
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district shall allocate an amount of local funds for school |
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guidance and counseling programs that is equal to or greater than |
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the amount of local funds that the school district allocated for |
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that purpose during the preceding school year. Subsections (b) and |
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(c) apply [This section applies] only to a school district that |
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receives funds as provided by this subsection. |
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(d) A school district shall ensure that a full-time school |
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counselor certified under the rules of the State Board for Educator |
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Certification is available at each middle, junior high, or high |
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school campus in the district with an enrollment of more than 350 |
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students. This subsection does not apply to a campus that serves |
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only students placed in a disciplinary alternative education |
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program, juvenile justice alternative education program, or other |
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alternative education program. If a campus serves a combination of |
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students placed in those programs and students enrolled in a |
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regular education program, only the number of students enrolled in |
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the regular education program is considered in determining whether |
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the campus is required to ensure the availability of a school |
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counselor in accordance with this subsection. |
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SECTION 2. Subchapter E, Chapter 42, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 42.2519 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 42.2519. ADDITIONAL STATE AID FOR CERTIFIED SCHOOL |
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COUNSELORS. (a) For each school year, from funds that may be used |
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for the purpose, a school district is entitled to state aid in an |
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amount, as determined by the commissioner, sufficient to assist the |
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district in employing certified school counselors required by |
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Section 33.002(d). |
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(b) The commissioner shall adopt rules as necessary to |
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administer this section. |
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SECTION 3. This Act applies beginning with the 2017-2018 |
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school year. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |