By Barrientos                                          S.B. No. 617
       74R1906 KKA-D
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating to the creation of an office of parental involvement at
    1-3  the Central Education Agency.
    1-4        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-5        SECTION 1.  Subchapter A, Chapter 11, Education Code, is
    1-6  amended by adding Section 11.2093 to read as follows:
    1-7        Sec. 11.2093.  OFFICE OF PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT.  (a)  The
    1-8  Central Education Agency shall establish and maintain an Office of
    1-9  Parental Involvement to promote parental participation in public
   1-10  education.  The office shall:
   1-11              (1)  serve as a central location from which parents may
   1-12  obtain information concerning state laws, local school district
   1-13  policies, and agency policies that affect public education and
   1-14  parental rights;
   1-15              (2)  receive, investigate, and, if possible, resolve
   1-16  complaints from parents concerning public education as it relates
   1-17  to their children; and
   1-18              (3)  assist regional education service centers in
   1-19  providing training to parents in site-based decision-making skills
   1-20  and procedures.
   1-21        (b)  If the office is unable to resolve a complaint received
   1-22  under Subsection (a)(2), a parent may pursue further review of the
   1-23  complaint under Section 11.13.
   1-24        SECTION 2.  The importance of this legislation and the
    2-1  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
    2-2  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
    2-3  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
    2-4  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
    2-5  and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
    2-6  passage, and it is so enacted.