By: Allen H.B. No. 626

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to educational agreements setting forth the respective responsibilities of students, parents, and school personnel in public schools.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Chapter 26, Education Code, is amended by adding Sections 26.014 and 26.015 to read as follows:

Sec. 26.014. EDUCATIONAL INVOLVEMENT AGREEMENTS. (a) The agency shall adopt educational involvement agreement forms for optional use by school districts. The agreement forms must state the respective responsibilities of the student, parent, teacher, and principal.

(b) A school district that elects to use the educational involvement agreements may encourage students, students' parents, teachers, and principals to sign an educational involvement agreement.

(c) An educational involvement agreement must include:

(1) for an agreement signed by a parent, the parent's responsibilities regarding the student's education, which may include:

(A) reading to the student, if appropriate for the student's grade or reading level;

(B) reviewing and checking the student's homework; and

(C) contributing at least five hours of the parent's time to the school each school year by:

(i) attending school-related activities;

(ii) attending parent-teacher association meetings;

(iii) attending parent-teacher conferences;

(iv) volunteering at the school; or

(v) chaperoning school-sponsored events;

(2) for an agreement signed by a student, the responsibility of the student to:

(A) read each day before or after school, if appropriate for the student's grade or reading level;

(B) use school equipment and property in a safe, appropriate manner;

(C) follow the instructions of school staff;

(D) complete and submit homework in a timely manner; and

(E) act in a respectful manner; and

(3) for an agreement signed by a teacher or principal, the responsibility of the teacher or principal to:

(A) provide each student with proper instruction, supervision, and interaction;

(B) maximize the educational and social experience of each student;

(C) perform professional responsibilities in a manner that is in the best interest of each student;

(D) provide the parents of each student with timely progress reports; and

(E) be available to parents to discuss concerns.

(d) A school district may revise educational involvement agreement forms adopted by the agency to include information in addition to the information required under this section.

(e) The educational involvement agreement provided to a student's parent may be accompanied by:

(1) information regarding:

(A) the manner in which a parent may contact the student's teachers or principal, including a system to allow parents and teachers to communicate in a regular, two-way, and meaningful manner with each of the child's teachers and the school principal;

(B) homework and grading policies;

(C) directions for locating resource material;

(D) methods for assisting the student with schoolwork at home;

(E) details on how reports of the student's progress will be sent to the parent and how a parent may request a progress report;

(F) school rules and policies;

(G) dress codes;

(H) the availability of assistance to a parent of limited English proficiency;

(I) information on free and reduced-price meals;

(J) opportunities for parents to become involved in the student's education or volunteer at the school, including one-time opportunities and opportunities to volunteer from home;

(K) how to be involved in the decisions affecting course selection, career planning, and preparation for postsecondary opportunities;

(L) instructional programs available at the school campus;

(M) extracurricular programs available at the school campus; and

(N) activities planned through the school year to encourage parental involvement, including regularly scheduled open houses; and

(2) surveys to determine parent concerns about the school campus and to solicit parents' ideas for improving the school campus, including ways to foster a relationship between the parents, school, and local community.

(f) A school district may not punish a student, parent, teacher, or principal who does not sign an educational involvement agreement used by a district as provided by this section.

(g) The commissioner may adopt rules as necessary to implement this section.

Sec. 26.015. AGREEMENT REGARDING RESPONSIBILITIES OF PARENT, STUDENT, AND CLASSROOM TEACHER. (a) This section applies only to a school district that:

(1) has a student enrollment of not more than 35,000;

(2) is located in a county that has a population of at least 3.4 million; and

(3) borders one or more school districts, each of which has a student enrollment of at least 40,000.

(b) A school district to which this section applies shall adopt a written agreement form for each grade level that specifies the responsibilities of a student's parent or guardian as well as the respective responsibilities of the student and each of the student's classroom teachers. The parent or guardian, the student, and a school district designee shall sign the appropriate agreement at the beginning of each school year.

(c) A student in prekindergarten, kindergarten, grade one, grade two, or grade three is not required to sign the agreement described by this section. A school district may exempt other students from the requirement to sign the agreement described by this section.

(d) A school district to which this section applies shall determine the manner in which the agreement will be enforced.

(e) Not later than September 1, 2011, a school district to which this section applies shall prepare and deliver to the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, and the presiding officer of each legislative standing committee with primary jurisdiction over primary and secondary education a report regarding the successes and opportunities created by the use of the written agreement.

(f) To the extent this section conflicts with Section 26.014, this section prevails.

(g) This section expires June 1, 2013.

SECTION 2. (a) As soon as practicable after the effective date of this Act, the Texas Education Agency shall adopt educational involvement agreement forms for optional use by school districts as required by Section 26.014, Education Code, as added by this Act.

(b) Each school district may use educational involvement agreement forms in the manner required by Section 26.014, Education Code, as added by this Act, beginning with the 2010-2011 school year.

SECTION 3. Section 26.015, Education Code, as added by this Act, applies beginning with the 2010-2011 school year.

SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2009.