S.B. 85

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Senate Committee Amendments 1-22-2002 rd/dsl 1

PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT IN PUBLIC
2 EDUCATION
3 2002 GENERAL SESSION
4 STATE OF UTAH
5 Sponsor: Carlene M. Walker
6 This act modifies provisions relating to the State System of Public Education by specifying
7 characteristics of parental involvement programs.
8 This act affects sections of Utah Code Annotated 1953 as follows:
9 AMENDS:
10 53A-1a-105, as last amended by Chapter 59, Laws of Utah 2000
11 Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
12 Section 1. Section 53A-1a-105 is amended to read:
13 53A-1a-105. Parental participation in educational process -- Employer support.
14 (1) The Legislature recognizes the S [ importance ] PRIMAC Y s of parental participation in
14a the educational
15 process in order for students to achieve and maintain high levels of performance.
16 (2) It is, therefore, the policy of the state to:
17 (a) encourage parents to provide a home environment that values education and send their
18 children to school prepared to learn;
19 (b) rely upon school districts and schools to provide opportunities for parents of students
20 to be involved in establishing and implementing educational goals for their respective schools and
21 students; and
22 (c) expect employers to recognize the need for parents and members of the community to
23 participate in the public education system in order to help students achieve and maintain
24 excellence.
25 (3) [(a)] Each local school board shall adopt a written policy on parental involvement in
26 the schools of the district. The policy shall require each school to implement practices regarding
27 parental involvement that are consistent with school board policy. These practices should:

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- 2 - 28 [(b) The board shall design its policy to build consistent and effective communication
29 among parents, teachers, and administrators.]
30 [(c) The policy shall provide parents with the opportunity to be actively involved in their
31 children's education and to be informed of:]
32 [(i) the importance of the involvement of parents in directly affecting the success of their
33 children's educational efforts; and]
34 [(ii) groups and organizations that may provide instruction and training to parents to help
35 improve their children's academic success and support their academic efforts.]
36 (a) promote regular, two-way meaningful communication between home and school;
37 (b) promote and support responsible parenting;
38 (c) recognize the integral role of parents and families in assisting student learning;
39 (d) promote a safe and open atmosphere for parents and families to visit the schools their
40 children attend;
41 (e) promote parental support and assistance for school programs;
42 (f) include parents as full partners in decisions affecting their children; and
43 (g) rely on community resources to strengthen and promote school programs, families, and
44 student learning.

Legislative Review Note
as of 10-26-01 1:53 PM

A limited legal review of this legislation raises no obvious constitutional or statutory concerns.

Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel