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Federal Programs » Professional School Counselors

Professional School Counselors

Region 7 ESC offers assistance, information updates, and support for initiatives in public education that enhance student development and academic achievement for Professional School Counselors.
Professional growth opportunities are provided through the Professional School Counselor contract. Opportunities include:
 
  • Provide multiple workshops and resources in counseling and mental health topics that address current district and student needs for counselors and counseling leaders.
  • Provide TEA Texas Model for Comprehensive Counseling Program
  • Provide Graduation 101 training that encompasses the Foundation High School Program Graduation Requirements and CCMR indicators.
  • Offer free registration for the Annual Counselor Academy.
  • Provide training for new-to-profession counselors.
  • Offer virtual, hybrid, and in-person person professional development opportunities.
  • Provide updates through a Counselors' listserv.
  • Provide quarterly Counselors' newsletters.
  • Provide consultation for improving student outcomes and achieving accountability targets requested by the district.
  • Provide up-to-date counseling resources to districts that aid with laws pertaining to counseling.
  • Provide on-site support during a crisis as requested by the district.
  • NEW! Provide advanced graduation requirements training for high school counselors where they will learn in-depth information about accountability, PEIMS coding, transcripts, and more.
  • NEW! Provide on-site training and consultation to districts on counseling topics that are tailored to district needs.
 
Mental Health Training Requirement SB 674 requires that any minimum academic qualifications for a certificate
that require a person to possess a bachelor’s degree must also require instruction in mental health, substance
abuse, and youth suicide. 
 
Comprehensive List of Programs
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
HB 2186 mandates staff development training to include suicide prevention. 
Training must be provided:
  • On an annual basis, as part of a new employee orientation, to all new school district and open-enrollment charter school educations; and to existing school district and open-enrollment charter school educators on a schedule adopted by the agency by rule.
  • The suicide prevention training must use a best practice-based program recommended by the Department of State Health Services in coordination with the Texas Education Agency.
  • The suicide prevention training may be satisfied through independent review of suicide prevent training material that complies with the guidelines developed by the agency and is offered online.
 
HB 2186

TEA Suicide Prevention

DSHS Suicide Prevention

Texas Suicide Prevention

Texas Suicide Prevention Toolkit

Grant Halliburton Foundation
The signing of House Bill (HB) 2398 into law has made national headlines.  From the New York Times to USA Today, the significant changes in Texas’ truancy requirements have been a hot topic.  In Texas it is more than a hot topic – it is reality.  The Texas Education Agency will adopt new rules to make sure school districts are in compliance with the new law that took effect on September 1, 2015.  School districts in our region are taking proactive steps in aligning their attendance policies to reflect the new requirements.