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                                 HOUSE AMENDED
        PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 130                       PRINTER'S NO. 1688

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA


SENATE BILL

No. 143 Session of 2005


        INTRODUCED BY RHOADES, GREENLEAF, LAVALLE, KASUNIC, C. WILLIAMS,
           WOZNIAK, STOUT, KITCHEN, ERICKSON, REGOLA, BOSCOLA, STACK AND
           COSTA, FEBRUARY 1, 2005

        AS REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, HOUSE OF
           REPRESENTATIVES, AS AMENDED, APRIL 5, 2006

                                     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 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:


     1     (1)  Identification of existing resources, activities or
     2  materials in the school district that may be used by parents to
     3  improve the academic achievement of students in the school
     4  district.
     5     (2)  Identification of existing resources, activities or
     6  materials in the school district that may be used by parents to
     7  improve or supplement techniques used by parents at home to
     8  support and improve the academic achievement of students in the
     9  school district.
    10     (3)  Identification of a districtwide system of communicating
    11  information between parents and school officials regarding the
    12  curriculum, academic goals and strategic plan of the school
    13  district.
    14     (4)  Identification of any supplemental academic services
    15  available to students whose score on any Pennsylvania System of
    16  School Assessment test is below proficient.
    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.
    20050S0143B1688                  - 2 -     

     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 has established a
    13  committee of parents that makes 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 shall provide for the
    17  publication and dissemination of information related to the
    18  school district's parent involvement program and parent
    19  involvement policy. The board of school directors shall:
    20     (1)  Provide a copy of the parent involvement policy to the
    21  parents or guardian of each student enrolled in the school
    22  district.
    23     (2)  Make copies of the parent involvement program and parent
    24  involvement policy available for inspection in the
    25  administrative office of the school district and provide copies
    26  upon request.
    27     (3)  Provide copies of the parent involvement program and
    28  parent involvement policy to the Department of Education no
    29  later than June 30, 2006 2007.                                    <--
    30     (f)  The Department of Education shall establish a
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     1  clearinghouse of information related to strategies, resources,
     2  materials and activities that may assist school districts in
     3  establishing the parent involvement program and parent
     4  involvement policy required under this section.
     5     Section 2.  This act shall take effect in 60 days.

















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