House Study Bill 523



                                       HOUSE FILE       
                                       BY  (PROPOSED COMMITTEE ON
                                            EDUCATION BILL BY
                                            CHAIRPERSON TYMESON)


    Passed House,  Date               Passed Senate, Date             
    Vote:  Ayes        Nays           Vote:  Ayes        Nays         
                 Approved                            

                                      A BILL FOR

  1 An Act requiring the board of directors of a school district to
  2    adopt a parent and guardian involvement policy.
  3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
  4 TLSB 5589YC 81
  5 kh/je/5

PAG LIN



  1  1    Section 1.  NEW SECTION.  279.63  PARENT AND GUARDIAN
  1  2 INVOLVEMENT POLICY.
  1  3    1.  The board of directors of each school district shall
  1  4 adopt a parent and guardian involvement policy that meets, at
  1  5 a minimum, the following criteria:
  1  6    a.  Ensures that communication between home and school is
  1  7 regular, two=way, and meaningful.
  1  8    b.  Promotes and supports parenting skills.
  1  9    c.  Recognizes and supports the integral role parents and
  1 10 guardians play in assisting student learning.
  1 11    d.  Welcomes parents and guardians in school and seeks
  1 12 their support and assistance.
  1 13    e.  Makes parents and guardians full partners in the
  1 14 decisions that affect children and families.
  1 15    f.  Utilizes community collaborations productively and
  1 16 community resources prolifically to strengthen schools,
  1 17 families, and student learning.
  1 18    2.  The policy adopted pursuant to subsection 1 shall be
  1 19 published in the student handbook and, if the school district
  1 20 or its attendance centers maintain a website, on the school
  1 21 district or attendance center website.
  1 22                           EXPLANATION
  1 23    This bill requires the board of directors of each school
  1 24 district to adopt a parent and guardian involvement policy
  1 25 that, at a minimum, does all of the following:  ensures that
  1 26 communication between home and school is regular, two=way, and
  1 27 meaningful; promotes and supports parenting skills; recognizes
  1 28 and supports the integral role parents and guardians play in
  1 29 assisting student learning; welcomes parents and guardians in
  1 30 school and seeks their support and assistance; makes parents
  1 31 and guardians full partners in the decisions that affect
  1 32 children and families; and utilizes community collaborations
  1 33 productively and community resources prolifically to
  1 34 strengthen schools, families, and student learning.  The
  1 35 school district must publish the policy in the student
  2  1 handbook and on websites maintained by the school district or
  2  2 its attendance centers.
  2  3    The bill may include a state mandate as defined in Code
  2  4 section 25B.3.
  2  5 LSB 5589YC 81
  2  6 kh:nh/je/5.1