AUSTIN, Texas -- Texas’ school safety plan unveiled Wednesday includes better utilizing of school counselors and expanding counseling resources on campuses.

Jan Friese, executive director of the Texas Counseling Association, said on Capital Tonight Tuesday evening that counselors are well-equipped to be able to deliver needed services to students when given the opportunity. Friese said counselors are too often assigned non-counseling duties, like testing and greeting students at the buses.

“Tragically, there are school counselors across the state, 11,000. But many of them are not permitted to do the work they’re well-qualified to do, to implement the comprehensive school counseling programs that are set forth in statute,” Friese said.

Click the video link above to watch the full interview with Friese and hear why she’s encouraged by the governor’s action plan.