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HB 2050

AN ACT relating to the duties of a public school counselor.

House Bill Lopez, Janie
Filed

Filed

Bill introduced by legislator

Committee

Hearing

Passed Cmte

Calendar

Passed

Sent

Enrolled

Governor

Signed

89th Regular Session

Jan 14, 2025 - Jun 2, 2025 • Session ended

Awaiting Committee Assignment

Bill filed, pending referral to House committee

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Committee

Not yet assigned

Fiscal Note

Not available

What This Bill Does

Clarifies and expands the primary responsibilities of public school counselors, focusing on developing students' academic, career, and personal abilities while addressing specific student needs. Counselors will be required to develop comprehensive counseling programs targeting at-risk students, support gifted and talented students (especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds), coordinate school resources, consult with parents and staff, and serve as a neutral resource for student conflicts. The new guidelines aim to provide more holistic support for students' educational and personal development, with implementation beginning in the 2025-2026 school year.

Subject Areas

Bill Text

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
(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
(A)  who are at risk of dropping out of school,
becoming substance abusers, participating in gang activity, or
(i)  choosing an unhealthy or inappropriate
(ii)  engaging in harmful behavior toward
(C)  who are in need of modified instructional
(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
(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,
(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
(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 2025-2026
SECTION 3.  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.

Bill Sponsors

Legislators who authored or co-sponsored this bill.

Bill History

filed

Bill filed: AN ACT relating to the duties of a public school counselor.