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                                                        PRINTER'S NO. 22

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA


SENATE BILL

No. 158 Session of 2007


        INTRODUCED BY RHOADES, MUSTO, LAVALLE, C. WILLIAMS, BOSCOLA,
           RAFFERTY, WASHINGTON, STACK, WOZNIAK, KASUNIC, COSTA,
           ERICKSON, KITCHEN, STOUT, GREENLEAF, REGOLA AND FERLO,
           JANUARY 29, 2007

        REFERRED TO EDUCATION, JANUARY 29, 2007

                                     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:
    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 proficient.
    16     (5)  Identification of any mechanism through which parents
    17  can provide recommendations to the board of school directors
    18  regarding programs that may improve the academic achievement of
    19  students in the school district.
    20     (6)  Identification of any mechanism through which the school
    21  district can provide information to parents regarding resources,
    22  activities or materials in the school district that may be used
    23  by parents to improve the academic achievement of their
    24  students.
    25     (c)  A parent involvement policy established by a board of
    26  school directors shall include the following:
    27     (1)  Identification of goals and objectives for the
    28  involvement of parents in the improvement of the academic
    29  achievement of students in the school district.
    30     (2)  Identification of specific strategies to meet the goals
    20070S0158B0022                  - 2 -     

     1  and objectives required under paragraph (1).
     2     (3)  Explanation of the resources, activities, materials and
     3  mechanisms identified in the parent involvement program.
     4     (4)  Explanation of the role of the parent involvement
     5  committee established under subsection (d).
     6     (d)  A parent involvement committee established by a board of
     7  school directors shall consist of parents of students enrolled
     8  in the school district and shall be responsible for providing
     9  the board of school directors with recommendations on the school
    10  district's parent involvement program and parent involvement
    11  policy. If a school district currently has established a
    12  committee of parents that makes recommendations on school
    13  policies, the board of school directors may utilize that
    14  committee to meet the requirements of this subsection.
    15     (e)  A board of school directors shall provide for the
    16  publication and dissemination of information related to the
    17  school district's parent involvement program and parent
    18  involvement policy. The board of school directors shall:
    19     (1)  Provide a copy of the parent involvement policy to the
    20  parents or guardian of each student enrolled in the school
    21  district.
    22     (2)  Make copies of the parent involvement program and parent
    23  involvement policy available for inspection in the
    24  administrative office of the school district and provide copies
    25  upon request.
    26     (3)  Provide copies of the parent involvement program and
    27  parent involvement policy to the Department of Education no
    28  later than June 30, 2007.
    29     (f)  The Department of Education shall establish a
    30  clearinghouse of information related to strategies, resources,
    20070S0158B0022                  - 3 -     

     1  materials and activities that may assist school districts in
     2  establishing the parent involvement program and parent
     3  involvement policy required under this section.
     4     Section 2.  This act shall take effect in 60 days.


















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