HB1122 - Relating to the employment of certified school counselors by school districts.

  89R1080 CXP-D     By: Lopez of Cameron H.B. No. 1122       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to the employment of certified school counselors by school   districts.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Section 33.002, Education Code, is amended to   read as follows:          Sec. 33.002.  [ CERTIFIED ] SCHOOL COUNSELOR TO STUDENT RATIO;   DISTRIBUTION OF FUNDS FOR COUNSELING PROGRAMS .  (a)   In this   section, "school counselor" means a school counselor certified   under Subchapter B, Chapter 21.           (a-1)   From funds appropriated for the purpose or other funds   that may be used for the purpose, the commissioner shall distribute   funds for programs under this subchapter.  In distributing those   funds, the commissioner shall give preference to [ a school district   that received funds under this subsection for the preceding school   year and then to ] the districts that have the highest concentration   of students at risk of dropping out of school, as described by   Section 29.081.  To receive funds for the program, a school district   must apply to the commissioner.  For each school year that a school   district receives funds under this subsection, the district shall   allocate an amount of local funds for school guidance and   counseling programs that is equal to or greater than the amount of   local funds that the school district allocated for that purpose   during the preceding school year. Funds distributed under this   subsection are in addition to any other funds available for   programs under this subchapter, including funds provided under   Section 48.2641 [ This section applies only to a school district   that receives funds as provided by this subsection ].          (b)   Beginning with the 2033-2034 school year, a  [ A ] school   district with 300  [ 500 ] or more students in enrollment [ enrolled in   elementary school grades ] shall employ a school counselor   [ certified under the rules of the State Board for Educator   Certification ] for each [ elementary ] school in the district. A   school district shall employ at least one school counselor for   every 300  [ 500 elementary school ] students in the district.           (b-1)     Beginning with the 2031-2032 school year, a school   district with 350 or more students in enrollment shall employ a   school counselor for each school in the district.   A school district   shall employ at least one school counselor for every 350 students in   the district.   This subsection expires September 1, 2033.           (b-2)     Beginning with the 2029-2030 school year, a school   district with 400 or more students in enrollment shall employ a   school counselor for each school in the district.   A school district   shall employ at least one school counselor for every 400 students in   the district.   This subsection expires September 1, 2031.           (b-3)     Beginning with the 2027-2028 school year, a school   district with 450 or more students in enrollment shall employ a   school counselor for each school in the district.   A school district   shall employ at least one school counselor for every 450 students in   the district.   This subsection expires September 1, 2029.           (b-4)     A school district with 500 or more students in   enrollment shall employ a school counselor for each school in the   district.   A school district shall employ at least one school   counselor for every 500 students in the district.   This subsection   expires September 1, 2027.          (c)   Beginning with the 2033-2034 school year, a  [ A ] school   district with fewer than 300  [ 500 ] students in enrollment [ enrolled   in elementary school grades ] shall provide guidance and counseling   services to [ elementary school ] students by:                (1)  employing a part-time school counselor [ certified   under the rules of the State Board for Educator Certification ];                (2)  employing a part-time teacher certified as a   school counselor under Subchapter B, Chapter 21 [ the rules of the   State Board for Educator Certification ]; or                (3)  entering into a shared services arrangement   agreement with one or more school districts to share a school   counselor [ certified under the rules of the State Board for   Educator Certification ].           (c-1)     Beginning with the 2031-2032 school year, a school   district with fewer than 350 students in enrollment shall provide   guidance and counseling services to students by:                 (1)  employing a part-time school counselor;                 (2)     employing a part-time teacher certified as a   school counselor under Subchapter B, Chapter 21; or                 (3)     entering into a shared services arrangement   agreement with one or more school districts to share a school   counselor.           (c-2)     Subsection (c-1) and this subsection expire September   1, 2033.           (c-3)     Beginning with the 2029-2030 school year, a school   district with fewer than 400 students in enrollment shall provide   guidance and counseling services to students by:                 (1)  employing a part-time school counselor;                 (2)     employing a part-time teacher certified as a   school counselor under Subchapter B, Chapter 21; or                 (3)     entering into a shared services arrangement   agreement with one or more school districts to share a school   counselor.           (c-4)     Subsection (c-3) and this subsection expire September   1, 2031.           (c-5)     Beginning with the 2027-2028 school year, a school   district with fewer than 450 students in enrollment shall provide   guidance and counseling services to students by:                 (1)  employing a part-time school counselor;                 (2)     employing a part-time teacher certified as a   school counselor under Subchapter B, Chapter 21; or                 (3)     entering into a shared services arrangement   agreement with one or more school districts to share a school   counselor.           (c-6)     Subsection (c-5) and this subsection expire September   1, 2029.           (c-7)     A school district with fewer than 500 students in   enrollment shall provide guidance and counseling services to   students by:                 (1)  employing a part-time school counselor;                 (2)     employing a part-time teacher certified as a   school counselor under Subchapter B, Chapter 21; or                 (3)     entering into a shared services arrangement   agreement with one or more school districts to share a school   counselor.           (c-8)     Subsection (c-7) and this subsection expire September   1, 2027.          SECTION 2.  Subchapter F, Chapter 48, Education Code, is   amended by adding Section 48.2641 to read as follows:           Sec.   48.2641.     ADDITIONAL STATE AID FOR CERTIFIED SCHOOL   COUNSELORS.   For each school year, from money that may be used for   the purpose, a school district is entitled to state aid in an   amount, as determined by the commissioner, sufficient to assist the   district in employing the number of certified school counselors   required by Section 33.002.          SECTION 3.  This Act applies beginning with the 2025-2026   school year.          SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives   a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as   provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this   Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this   Act takes effect September 1, 2025.