Chapter 16 - Programs to Encourage Parental Involvement

California Education Code — §§ 11500-11506

Sections (7)

Amended by Stats. 2018, Ch. 669, Sec. 1. (AB 1661) Effective January 1, 2019.

The Legislature hereby finds and declares all of the following:

(a)Despite a substantial increase in school funding over the last five years, a significant percentage of the school-aged population, particularly in large urban areas, is learning well below the statewide average and is making only marginal progress at best.

(b)Parental involvement and support in the education of children is an integral part of improving academic achievement. Educational research has established that properly constructed parent involvement programs can play an important and effective role in the participation of parents in

their children’s schools and in raising pupil achievement levels.

(c)The federal government has recognized the critical role of parents in the educational process and requires parental and family engagement programs as a condition of eligibility for funds under the federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act (20 U.S.C. Sec. 6301 et seq.).

(d)The state board has also adopted a policy urging the creation of parent involvement programs in all schools.

(e)The local control funding formula legislation adopts parental involvement as one of its key components.

(f)Research and experience have demonstrated that these programs succeed only when certain

components are made part of the program.

§ 11501

Amended by Stats. 2018, Ch. 669, Sec. 2. (AB 1661) Effective January 1, 2019.

It is the intent of the Legislature in enacting this chapter to ensure that parent and family engagement programs are properly designed and implemented and to provide a focus and structure for these programs based on prior experience and research while maintaining sufficient local flexibility to design a program that best meets the needs of the local community.

§ 11502

Amended by Stats. 2018, Ch. 669, Sec. 3. (AB 1661) Effective January 1, 2019.

It is the purpose and goal of this chapter to do all of the following:

(a)To engage parents and family members positively in their children’s education by providing assistance and training on topics such as state academic standards and assessments to develop knowledge and skills to use at home to support their children’s academic efforts at school and their children’s development as responsible future members of our society.

(b)To inform parents that they can directly affect the success of their children’s learning, by providing parents with techniques and strategies that they may utilize to improve their

children’s academic success and to assist their children in learning at home.

(c)To build consistent and effective two-way communication between family members and the school so that parents and family members may know when and how to assist their children in support of classroom learning activities.

(d)To train teachers, school administrators, specialized instructional support personnel, and other staff to communicate effectively with parents as equal partners.

(e)To integrate and coordinate parent and family engagement activities with the local control and accountability plan adopted pursuant to Section 47606.5, 52060, or 52066, as applicable, with other programs.

§ 11503

Amended by Stats. 2018, Ch. 669, Sec. 4. (AB 1661) Effective January 1, 2019.

The governing board of each school district and county office of education shall establish a written parent and family engagement program for each school in the district that receives funds under the federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act (20 U.S.C. Sec. 6301 et seq.), as amended by the federal Every Student Succeeds Act (Public Law 114–95). That program shall contain at least the following elements:

(a)Procedures to ensure that parents and family members are consulted and participate in the planning, design, implementation, and evaluation of the program.

(b)Procedures to involve parents and family

members in developing the Local Educational Agency Plan and school support

and improvement plans under Section 6312 of Title 20 of the United States Code.

(c)Procedures to provide assistance and support necessary to build schools’ capacity to plan and implement effective parent and family engagement activities.

(d)Procedures to train teachers, school administrators, and other staff on outreach and effective communication with parents and family members as equal partners.

(e)Regular and periodic programs throughout the school year that provide for training, instruction, and information on all of the following:

(1)Parental and family member ability to directly affect the success of their children’s learning

through the support they give their children at home and at school.

(2)Explanation of curriculum, state academic achievement standards, and state and local assessments.

(3)Home activities, strategies, and materials that can be used to assist and enhance the learning of children both at home and at school.

(4)Skills to assist parents and family members in understanding the development needs of their children and in understanding how to provide positive discipline for, and build healthy relationships with, their children.

(5)Developing consistent and effective communications between the school and the parents and family members concerning the

progress of the children in school and concerning school programs.

(f)An annual statement identifying specific objectives of the program consistent with the requirements of this section.

(g)An annual review and assessment of the program’s progress in meeting those objectives. Parents shall be made aware of the existence of this review and assessment through regular school communications mechanisms and shall be given a copy upon the parent’s request.

§ 11504

Added by Stats. 1990, Ch. 1400, Sec. 1.

The governing board of each school district shall adopt a policy on parent involvement, consistent with the purposes and goals set forth in Section 11502, for each school not governed by Section 11503.

§ 11505

Added by Stats. 1990, Ch. 1400, Sec. 1.

To the extent permitted by federal law, a school district may contract with nonprofit organizations and agencies experienced in administering parent involvement programs to design or implement, or design and implement, a school’s parent involvement program.

§ 11506

Added by Stats. 1990, Ch. 1400, Sec. 1.

Schools that receive federal funds under Chapter 1 of the federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended by the Augustus F. Hawkins-Robert T. Stafford Elementary and Secondary School Improvement Amendments of 1988 (P. L. 100-297), and receive funds for school improvement plans pursuant to Chapter 6 (commencing with Section 52000) of Part 28 or economic impact aid pursuant to Article 2 (commencing with Section 54020) of Chapter 1 of Part 29, may receive funds for school improvement plans pursuant to Chapter 6 (commencing with Section 52000) of Part 28 or economic impact aid pursuant to Article 2 (commencing with Section 54020) of Chapter 1 of Part 29 only if they comply with this chapter.