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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to educational involvement agreements setting forth the |
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respective responsibilities of students, parents, teachers, and |
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principals in public schools. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Chapter 26, Education Code, is amended by adding |
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Section 26.015 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 26.015. EDUCATIONAL INVOLVEMENT AGREEMENTS. (a) The |
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agency shall adopt educational involvement agreement forms for |
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optional use by school districts. The agreement forms must state |
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the respective responsibilities of the student, parent, teacher, |
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and principal. |
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(b) A school district that elects to use the educational |
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involvement agreements may encourage students, students' parents, |
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teachers, and principals to sign an educational involvement |
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agreement. |
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(c) An educational involvement agreement must include: |
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(1) for an agreement signed by a parent, the parent's |
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responsibilities regarding the student's education, which may |
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include: |
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(A) reading to the student, if appropriate for |
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the student's grade or reading level; |
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(B) reviewing and checking the student's |
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homework; and |
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(C) contributing at least five hours of the |
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parent's time to the school each school year by: |
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(i) attending school-related activities; |
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(ii) attending parent-teacher association |
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meetings; |
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(iii) attending parent-teacher |
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conferences; |
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(iv) volunteering at the school; or |
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(v) chaperoning school-sponsored events; |
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(2) for an agreement signed by a student, the |
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responsibility of the student to: |
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(A) read each day before or after school, if |
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appropriate for the student's grade or reading level; |
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(B) use school equipment and property in a safe, |
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appropriate manner; |
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(C) follow the instructions of school staff; |
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(D) complete and submit homework in a timely |
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manner; and |
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(E) act in a respectful manner; and |
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(3) for an agreement signed by a teacher or principal, |
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the responsibility of the teacher or principal to: |
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(A) provide each student with proper |
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instruction, supervision, and interaction; |
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(B) maximize the educational and social |
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experience of each student; |
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(C) perform professional responsibilities in a |
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manner that is in the best interest of each student; |
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(D) provide the parents of each student with |
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timely progress reports; and |
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(E) be available to parents to discuss concerns. |
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(d) A school district may revise educational involvement |
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agreement forms adopted by the agency to include information in |
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addition to the information required under this section. |
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(e) The educational involvement agreement provided to a |
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student's parent may be accompanied by: |
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(1) information regarding: |
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(A) the manner in which a parent may contact the |
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student's teachers or principal, including a system to allow |
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parents to communicate in a regular, two-way, and meaningful manner |
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with each of the student's teachers and the school principal; |
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(B) homework and grading policies; |
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(C) directions for locating resource material; |
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(D) methods for assisting the student with |
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schoolwork at home; |
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(E) details on how reports of the student's |
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progress will be sent to the parent and how a parent may request a |
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progress report; |
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(F) school rules and policies; |
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(G) dress codes; |
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(H) the availability of assistance to a parent of |
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limited English proficiency; |
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(I) information on free and reduced-price meals; |
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(J) opportunities for parents to become involved |
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in the student's education or volunteer at the school, including |
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one-time opportunities and opportunities to volunteer from home; |
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(K) how to be involved in the decisions affecting |
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course selection, career planning, and preparation for |
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postsecondary opportunities; |
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(L) instructional programs available at the |
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school campus; |
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(M) extracurricular programs available at the |
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school campus; and |
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(N) activities planned through the school year to |
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encourage parental involvement, including regularly scheduled open |
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houses; and |
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(2) surveys to determine parent concerns about the |
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school campus and to solicit parents' ideas for improving the |
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school campus, including ways to foster a relationship between the |
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parents, school, and local community. |
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(f) A school district may not punish a student, parent, |
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teacher, or principal who does not sign an educational involvement |
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agreement used by a district as provided by this section. |
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(g) The commissioner may adopt rules as necessary to |
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implement this section. |
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SECTION 2. (a) As soon as practicable after the effective |
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date of this Act, the Texas Education Agency shall adopt |
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educational involvement agreement forms for optional use by school |
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districts as required by Section 26.015, Education Code, as added |
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by this Act. |
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(b) Each school district may use educational involvement |
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agreement forms in the manner required by Section 26.015, Education |
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Code, as added by this Act, beginning with the 2012-2013 school |
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year. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2011. |