HLS 14RS-698 ORIGINAL
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Regular Session, 2014
HOUSE BILL NO. 1007
BY REPRESENTATIVE SCHRODER
EDUCATION: Provides relative to parents' access to information about schools and
instructional materials used by schools
AN ACT1
To amend and reenact R.S. 17:235.1(B)(introductory paragraph) and (4)(e) and (D), to enact2
R.S. 17:235.1(B)(4)(f) and 355, and to repeal R.S. 235.1(A), (C), and (F), relative3
to parental access to school-related information and materials; to provide relative to4
parental access to instructional materials in public schools; to require local school5
boards to adopt rules and policies to provide for such access, including provisions6
for reasonable fees for copies; to remove requirements for parents to attend parent7
orientation; to require including school board policies for parental access to8
instructional materials as a part of parent orientation; and to provide for related9
matters.10
Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:11
Section 1. R.S. 17:235.1(B)(introductory paragraph) and (4)(e) are hereby amended12
and reenacted and R.S. 17:235.1(B)(4)(f) and 355 are hereby enacted to read as follows: 13
§235.1. Parent orientation; mandatory for school entrance; city and parish school14
boards; guidelines; employer responsibilities15
* * *16
B. Each city and parish local public school board shall conduct a parent17
orientation course according to the following guidelines:18
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(4) At the parent orientation meeting, the school board or its representative1
shall provide each parent or guardian a copy of and shall explain school board2
policies which:3
* * *4
(e) Address parental access to instructional materials as provided in R.S.5
17:355.6
(e) (f) Address any other such matters as the school board may deem7
appropriate.8
* * *9
§355. Parental access to instructional materials 10
A. A parent of a child attending a public elementary or secondary school11
shall be entitled to access to instructional materials as provided in this Section.12
B. A parent is entitled to:13
(1) Review all instructional materials of any kind used or administered in the14
classroom of the parent's child.15
(2) Review each test and assessment administered to the parent's child after16
the test or assessment is administered.17
C. Each local school board shall adopt rules and policies for each school to18
make instructional materials readily available for review by parents as provided in19
this Section. The rules may specify reasonable hours for review. The rules shall20
provide that the school will provide copies of instructional materials to a parent upon21
request and shall establish reasonable fees to be collected by the school to cover the22
cost of providing such copies. The rules shall also provide that copies may be23
furnished without charge or at a reduced charge to a parent who is indigent. The24
principal of each school shall ensure that the school complies with such rules.25
D. For purposes of this Section:26
(1) "Assessment" means an assessment administered pursuant to R.S.27
17:24.4.28 HLS 14RS-698 ORIGINAL
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(2) "Instructional materials" means content that conveys the knowledge or1
skills of a subject in the school curriculum through a medium or a combination of2
media for conveying information to a student. It also includes any test, assessment,3
or survey administered to a student. The term also includes a book, supplementary4
materials, teaching aids, computer software, magnetic media, DVD, CD-ROM,5
computer courseware, on-line material, information, or services, or an electronic6
medium or other means of conveying information to the student or otherwise7
contributing to the learning process.8
(3) "Parent" means the parent or legal guardian of a child.9
Section 2.(A) R.S. 17:235.1(D) is hereby amended and reenacted to read as follows:10
§235.1. Parent orientation; mandatory for school entrance; city and parish school11
boards; guidelines; employer responsibilities12
* * *13
D. A city or parish local public school board shall schedule not less than14
three orientation meetings during a school year, and at various times during the day,15
in order to facilitate attendance with as little inconvenience to the parents or16
guardians as possible. In order to carry out the intent and purpose of this Section, a17
school board shall schedule not less than three orientation meetings between March18
and September of each year, and shall publish notice and otherwise seek to notify19
parents or guardians whose children may enter a school in the system of the20
attendance requirements about the availability of and schedule for orientation21
meetings.22
* * *23
(B) R.S. 17:235.1(A), (C), and (F) are hereby repealed in their entirety.24
Section 3. Prior to January 1, 2015, the State Board of Elementary and Secondary25
Education and every local school board shall adopt rules and policies as provided in Section26
1 of this Act and otherwise provide for implementation of Section 1 of this Act on January27
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Section 4.(A) Sections 2 and 3 of this Act and this Section shall become effective1
upon signature of this Act by the governor or, if this Act is not signed by the governor, upon2
expiration of the time for bills to become law without signature by the governor, as provided3
by Article III, Section 18 of the Constitution of Louisiana. If this Act is vetoed by the4
governor and subsequently approved by the legislature, Sections 2 and 3 of this Act and this5
Section shall become effective on the day following such approval.6
(B) Section 1 of this Act shall become effective on January 1, 2015.7
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
Schroder HB No. 1007
Abstract: Provides for parental access to instructional materials (including surveys and
tests) in public schools, requires information about such access to be included in
parent orientation sessions, and removes requirements for parents to attend
orientation sessions.
Proposed law provides that a parent of a child attending a public elementary or secondary
school is entitled to:
(1)Review instructional materials used or administered in the classroom of the parent's
child.
(2)Review each test or assessment administered to the parent's child after the test or
assessment is administered.
Proposed law requires each local school board to adopt rules and policies for each school to
make instructional materials available for review as provided in proposed law. Provides that
the rules may specify reasonable hours for review and specifies that they require the school
to provide copies to a parent upon request and establish reasonable fees therefor. Requires
that such rules provide that copies may be furnished without charge or at a reduced charge
to a parent who is indigent. Requires the school principal to ensure that the school complies
with such rules.
Proposed law includes these definitions:
(1)"Assessment" -- an assessment or test administered pursuant present law relative to
the La. Competency-Based Education Program, including the La. Educational
Assessment Program.
(2)"Instructional materials" means content that conveys the knowledge or skills of a
subject in the school curriculum through a medium or a combination of media for
conveying information to a student. It also includes any test, assessment, or survey
administered to a student. The term also includes a book, supplementary materials,
teaching aids, computer software, magnetic media, DVD, CD-ROM, computer
courseware, on-line material, information, or services, or an electronic medium or HLS 14RS-698 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 1007
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other means of conveying information to the student or otherwise contributing to the
learning process.
(3)"Parent" means the parent, tutor, or legal guardian of a child.
Present law requires local school boards to conduct a parent orientation course that includes
(in part) a parent orientation meeting at which the school board or its representative must
provide each parent or guardian a copy of and explain specified school board policies.
Proposed law includes parental access to instructional materials in accordance with proposed
law in school board policies to be included in the parent orientation meeting.
Present law requires that a child entering public school within the state for the first time
present evidence that at least one of his parents or guardians has completed the required
parent orientation course. Provides that completion of one orientation course suffices for
the enrollment of all children of a parent or guardian. Provides that no child shall be denied
school entry by reason of a parent's noncompliance.
Proposed law repeals present law.
Present law requires local school boards to notify parents whose children may enter school
of the attendance requirements.
Proposed law instead requires that local school boards notify parents of the availability and
schedule of orientation meetings.
Proposed law requires that, prior to January 1, 2015, BESE and each local school board
adopt rules and policies required by proposed law relative to access to instructional materials
and tests and otherwise provide for implementation of such proposed law on January 1,
2015.
Effective January 1, 2015, except provisions for rulemaking and implementation by local
school boards and BESE and provisions abolishing requirements for parents to attend
orientation meetings are effective upon signature of governor or lapse of time for
gubernatorial action.
(Amends R.S. 17:235.1(B)(intro. para.) and (4)(e) and (D); Adds R.S. 17:235.1(B)(4)(f) and
355; Repeals R.S. 235.1(A), (C), and (F))