PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 546 PRINTER'S NO. 721
No. 498 Session of 2003
INTRODUCED BY RHOADES, PILEGGI, ERICKSON, LAVALLE, C. WILLIAMS,
GREENLEAF, TARTAGLIONE, COSTA, WOZNIAK, STACK AND KASUNIC,
MARCH 17, 2003
SENATOR RHOADES, EDUCATION, AS AMENDED, APRIL 22, 2003
AN ACT
1 Amending the act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), entitled "An
2 act relating to the public school system, including certain
3 provisions applicable as well to private and parochial
4 schools; amending, revising, consolidating and changing the
5 laws relating thereto," establishing parent involvement
6 programs in certain school districts.
7 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
8 hereby enacts as follows:
9 Section 1. The act of March 10, 1949 (P.L.30, No.14), known
10 as the Public School Code of 1949, is amended by adding a
11 section to read:
12 Section 528.--Parent Involvement Programs and Policies.--(a)
13 The board of school directors in a school district of the first
14 class, first class A, second class, third class or fourth class
15 shall establish a parent involvement program, parent involvement
16 policy and parent involvement committee.
17 (b) A parent involvement program established by a board of
18 school directors shall include the following:
19 (1) Identification of existing resources, activities or
1 materials in the school district that may be used by parents to
2 improve the academic achievement of students in the school
3 district.
4 (2) Identification of existing resources, activities or
5 materials in the school district that may be used by parents to
6 improve or supplement techniques used by parents at home to
7 support and improve the academic achievement of students in the
8 school district.
9 (3) Identification of a districtwide system of communicating
10 information between parents and school officials regarding the
11 curriculum, academic goals and strategic plan of the school
12 district.
13 (4) Identification of any supplemental academic services
14 available to students whose score on any Pennsylvania System of
15 School Assessment test is below the proficiency score for that
16 content area established by the State Board of Education.
17 (5) Creation and administration of a IDENTIFICATION OF ANY <--
18 mechanism through which parents can provide recommendations to
19 the board of school directors regarding programs that may
20 improve the academic achievement of students in the school
21 district.
22 (6) Creation and administration of a IDENTIFICATION OF ANY <--
23 mechanism through which the school district can provide
24 information to parents, at least quarterly, regarding resources, <--
25 activities or materials in the school district that may be used
26 by parents to improve the academic achievement of their
27 students.
28 (c) A parent involvement policy established by a board of
29 school directors shall include the following:
30 (1) Identification of goals and objectives for the increased <--
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1 involvement of parents in the affairs of the school district for <--
2 the purpose of improving IMPROVEMENT OF the academic achievement <--
3 of students in the school district.
4 (2) Identification of specific strategies to meet the goals
5 and objectives required under paragraph (1).
6 (3) Explanation of the mechanism for parental <--
7 recommendations required under subsection (b)(5).
8 (3) EXPLANATION OF THE RESOURCES, ACTIVITIES, MATERIALS AND <--
9 MECHANISMS IDENTIFIED IN THE PARENT INVOLVEMENT PROGRAM.
10 (4) Explanation of the role of the parent involvement
11 committee established under subsection (d).
12 (d) A parent involvement committee established by a board of
13 school directors shall consist of parents of students enrolled
14 in the school district and shall be responsible for providing
15 the board of school directors with recommendations on the school
16 district's parent involvement program and parent involvement
17 policy. If a school district currently includes a committee of
18 parents that make recommendations on school policies, the board
19 of school directors may utilize that committee to meet the
20 requirements of this subsection.
21 (e) A board of school directors subject to subsection (a)
22 shall provide for the publication and dissemination of
23 information related to the school district's parent involvement
24 program and parent involvement policy. The board of school
25 directors shall:
26 (1) Provide a copy of the parent involvement policy to the
27 parents or guardian of each student enrolled in the school
28 district.
29 (2) Make copies of the parent involvement program and parent
30 involvement policy available for review INSPECTION in the <--
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1 administrative office of the school district and provide copies
2 upon request.
3 (3) Provide a copy COPIES of the parent involvement program <--
4 and parent involvement policy to the Department of Education no
5 later than October 1, 2003, and each year thereafter. <--
6 (f) The Department of Education shall establish a
7 clearinghouse of information related to strategies, resources,
8 materials and activities that may assist school districts
9 subject to this section in establishing the parent involvement
10 program and parent involvement policy required under this
11 section.
12 Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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