Compliance Requirements for Counselor's Time 2023-24
During the 87th Texas Legislative Session, 2021, SB 179 was passed which required school counselors to spend AT LEAST 80% of the school counselor’s total time on duties that are components of the counseling program defined in the Texas Education Code, Chapter 33. TEC §33.005 and TEC, §33.006(h) require districts to annually assess the district’s compliance with the counselor’s work time and on request by the commissioner, provide a written copy of the assessment to TEA on or before a specified date.
The new Commissioners Rule §61.1073 focuses on a School District’s compliance to implement TEC, §33.006(h). The new rule will require each district school counselor to track and document, using a district-standardized tracking tool, the time spent on work duties they perform throughout a school year. The new rule will also identify the elements that district assessments must include and the documentation to be included in annual requests by TEA for district assessments (please click on the link above to review the specific components required). It is TxSP’s understanding from TEA that this rule will be in effect for the 2023 -24 school year.
TxSP subscribing districts already have a tool that meets the requirements of this rule that provides daily, weekly, monthly, and annual totals and does not require an additional purchase of a tracking tool.
