PRIOR PRINTER'S NOS. 546, 721 PRINTER'S NO. 901
No. 498 Session of 2003
INTRODUCED BY RHOADES, PILEGGI, ERICKSON, LAVALLE, C. WILLIAMS,
GREENLEAF, TARTAGLIONE, COSTA, WOZNIAK, STACK AND KASUNIC,
MARCH 17, 2003
AS AMENDED ON THIRD CONSIDERATION, JUNE 2, 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 AND POLICIES IN 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) Identification of any mechanism through which parents
18 can provide recommendations to the board of school directors
19 regarding programs that may improve the academic achievement of
20 students in the school district.
21 (6) Identification of any mechanism through which the school
22 district can provide information to parents regarding resources,
23 activities or materials in the school district that may be used
24 by parents to improve the academic achievement of their
25 students.
26 (c) A parent involvement policy established by a board of
27 school directors shall include the following:
28 (1) Identification of goals and objectives for the
29 involvement of parents in the improvement of the academic
30 achievement of students in the school district.
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1 (2) Identification of specific strategies to meet the goals
2 and objectives required under paragraph (1).
3 (3) Explanation of the resources, activities, materials and
4 mechanisms identified in the parent involvement program.
5 (4) Explanation of the role of the parent involvement
6 committee established under subsection (d).
7 (d) A parent involvement committee established by a board of
8 school directors shall consist of parents of students enrolled
9 in the school district and shall be responsible for providing
10 the board of school directors with recommendations on the school
11 district's parent involvement program and parent involvement
12 policy. If a school district currently includes HAS ESTABLISHED <--
13 a committee of parents that make recommendations on school
14 policies, the board of school directors may utilize that
15 committee to meet the requirements of this subsection.
16 (e) A board of school directors subject to subsection (a) <--
17 shall provide for the publication and dissemination of
18 information related to the school district's parent involvement
19 program and parent involvement policy. The board of school
20 directors shall:
21 (1) Provide a copy of the parent involvement policy to the
22 parents or guardian of each student enrolled in the school
23 district.
24 (2) Make copies of the parent involvement program and parent
25 involvement policy available for inspection in the
26 administrative office of the school district and provide copies
27 upon request.
28 (3) Provide copies of the parent involvement program and
29 parent involvement policy to the Department of Education no
30 later than October 1, 2003. LATER THAN JUNE 30, 2004. <--
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1 (f) The Department of Education shall establish a
2 clearinghouse of information related to strategies, resources,
3 materials and activities that may assist school districts
4 subject to this section in establishing the parent involvement <--
5 program and parent involvement policy required under this
6 section.
7 Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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