By Johnson H.B. No. 1269
74R3883 CAS-D
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to parental involvement and education programs in public
1-3 schools.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Section 21.929, Education Code, is amended to
1-6 read as follows:
1-7 Sec. 21.929. PARENT INVOLVEMENT AND EDUCATION <PILOT>
1-8 PROGRAMS. (a) Each school district, in cooperation with the Texas
1-9 Department of Human Services, <The Central Education Agency> shall
1-10 establish a <process for the approval and funding of pilot>
1-11 parental involvement and <parent> education program <programs> for
1-12 parents, including school-age parents, of children 18 years of age
1-13 or younger <students who attend public schools and for parents of
1-14 children ages 0-3>. Each school district <in which a pilot program
1-15 is established under this section> shall involve <the>
1-16 administration and faculty <of each school in the program> in the
1-17 development and implementation of the program <at that school>.
1-18 (b) A school district shall provide for parental involvement
1-19 in designing a program. The program must provide:
1-20 (1) procedures to ensure that parents are consulted
1-21 and participate in the implementation and evaluation of the
1-22 program;
1-23 (2) regular and periodic programs throughout the
1-24 school year and as necessary for parents to satisfy requirements
2-1 for assistance under Section 31.0135, Human Resources Code, to
2-2 provide parents instruction in and information concerning:
2-3 (A) parental ability to directly affect the
2-4 success of a child's learning through the support the parent gives
2-5 the child at home and at school;
2-6 (B) activities, strategies, and material that
2-7 can be used at home to assist and enhance a child's education at
2-8 home and at school; and
2-9 (C) parenting skills that assist a parent in:
2-10 (i) understanding the developmental needs
2-11 of a child and methods to provide positive discipline for and build
2-12 healthy relationships with a child; and
2-13 (ii) developing the ability to
2-14 consistently and effectively communicate with the school concerning
2-15 school programs and the progress of the parent's child in school;
2-16 (3) information concerning assistance available to the
2-17 parent or parent's family through programs or services provided by
2-18 a state agency or local government;
2-19 (4) an annual statement identifying specific
2-20 objectives of the program; and
2-21 (5) an annual written assessment of progress in
2-22 meeting program objectives and notification to parents of the
2-23 existence and availability of the assessment <The programs shall
2-24 be funded from funds appropriated for that purpose and made
2-25 available on a competitive basis to school districts>.
2-26 (c) A program under this section may be offered in a school
2-27 facility, including a school cafeteria, library, or auditorium.
3-1 <Programs for parents of children enrolled in school must include
3-2 training parents in helping their children develop:>
3-3 <(1) self-esteem;>
3-4 <(2) good study habits at home and at school; and>
3-5 <(3) communication with their parents, with school
3-6 personnel, and with other students.>
3-7 (d) A program under this section shall be offered at a time
3-8 likely to be convenient for a parent, whether or not the parent is
3-9 employed. <Programs for parents of children ages 0-3 must include:>
3-10 <(1) information for parents about the physical,
3-11 mental, social, and emotional development of children;>
3-12 <(2) skill development for parents in providing for
3-13 the child's learning and development;>
3-14 <(3) learning experiences for children and parents;>
3-15 <(4) activities designed to detect any physical,
3-16 mental, emotional, or behavioral problem a child has that may cause
3-17 a learning problem;>
3-18 <(5) referral to an early childhood intervention or
3-19 school district special education program for an assessment if the
3-20 child is suspected to have a developmental delay; and>
3-21 <(6) educational materials that a parent may borrow
3-22 for home use.>
3-23 (e) <In selecting programs for approval and funding, the
3-24 agency shall give preference to programs that serve campuses with
3-25 significantly high dropout rates and that include students from
3-26 families of low income, as determined by rule of the State Board of
3-27 Education.>
4-1 <(f)> The Central Education Agency shall provide guidelines
4-2 and other assistance for schools in developing and establishing
4-3 parent involvement and education programs.
4-4 <(g) A program developed under this section must include
4-5 providing relevant information to a parent about assistance
4-6 available to the parent or the parent's family through programs or
4-7 services provided by a state agency or by a local government.>
4-8 SECTION 2. Section 31.0135, Human Resources Code, is amended
4-9 by amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsections (c) and (d) to
4-10 read as follows:
4-11 (b) The department may not provide assistance to a person
4-12 who would receive that assistance on behalf of a dependent child
4-13 unless the person presents proof, as prescribed under Subsection
4-14 (d), of attendance at a parent involvement and education program
4-15 in accordance with Subsection (c) <shall require that a child who
4-16 is in school and who is receiving assistance under this chapter on
4-17 behalf of a dependent child receive parenting skills training>.
4-18 (c) A person who is receiving assistance on behalf of a
4-19 dependent child must:
4-20 (1) attend a parent involvement and education program
4-21 as prescribed under Section 21.929, Education Code:
4-22 (A) once each week for at least two months;
4-23 (B) once, not earlier than six months nor later
4-24 than nine months, after completion of the attendance required under
4-25 Paragraph (A); and
4-26 (C) once each week for at least one month, each
4-27 year following completion of the attendance required under
5-1 Paragraphs (A) and (B); and
5-2 (2) attend two conferences each year with the teacher
5-3 of each of the person's children who is required to attend school
5-4 under Section 21.032, Education Code.
5-5 (d) The department shall adopt rules as necessary to
5-6 implement this section, including rules requiring:
5-7 (1) proof, on a periodic basis, of program attendance
5-8 as required by Subsection (c)(1), specifying the type of proof
5-9 required and the manner and time of presenting the proof to the
5-10 department; and
5-11 (2) proof of attendance at any teacher conference
5-12 required under Subsection (c)(2).
5-13 SECTION 3. Each school district shall establish a parental
5-14 involvement and education program as provided by Section 21.929,
5-15 Education Code, not later than January 1, 1996.
5-16 SECTION 4. (a) Section 31.0135, Human Resources Code, as
5-17 amended by this Act, takes effect September 1, 1996.
5-18 (b) If before implementing Section 31.0135, Human Resources
5-19 Code, as amended by this Act, the Texas Department of Human
5-20 Services determines that a waiver or authorization from a federal
5-21 agency is necessary for implementation, the department shall
5-22 request the waiver or authorization and may delay implementing
5-23 those provisions until the waiver or authorization is granted.
5-24 SECTION 5. The importance of this legislation and the
5-25 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
5-26 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
5-27 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
6-1 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.