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.

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.

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 Standard 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.

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 Standard, 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.

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.

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.

The Legislature finds and declares all of the following: (a) It is essential to our democratic form of government that parents and guardians of schoolage children attending public schools and other citizens participate in improving public education institutions. Specifically, involving parents and guardians of pupils in the education process is fundamental to a healthy system of public education. (b) Research has shown conclusively that early and sustained family involvement at home and at school in the education of children results both in improved pupil achievement and in schools that are successful at educating all children, while enabling them to achieve high levels of performance. (c) All participants in the education process benefit when schools genuinely welcome, encourage, and guide families into establishing equal partnerships with schools to support pupil learning. (d) Family and school collaborative efforts are most effective when they involve parents and guardians in a variety of roles at all grade levels, from preschool through high school.

(a) Except as provided in subdivision (d), the parents and guardians of pupils enrolled in public schools have the right and should have the opportunity, as mutually supportive and respectful partners in the education of their children within the public schools, to be informed by the school, and to participate in the education of their children, as follows:

• (1) Within a reasonable period of time following making the request, to observe the classroom or classrooms in which their child is enrolled or for the purpose of selecting the school in which their child will be enrolled in accordance with the requirements of any intradistrict or interdistrict pupil attendance policies or programs.
• (2) Within a reasonable time of their request, to meet with their child’s teacher or teachers and the principal of the school in which their child is enrolled.
• (3) To volunteer their time and resources for the improvement of school facilities and school programs under the supervision of district employees, including, but not limited to, providing assistance in the classroom with the approval, and under the direct supervision, of the teacher. Although volunteer parents may assist with instruction, primary instructional responsibility shall remain with the teacher.
• (4) To be notified on a timely basis if their child is absent from school without permission.
• (5) To receive the results of their child’s performance on standardized tests and statewide tests and information on the performance of the school that their child attends on standardized statewide tests.
• (6) To request a particular school for their child, and to receive a response from the school district. This paragraph does not obligate the school district to grant the parent’s request.
• (7) To have a school environment for their child that is safe and supportive of learning.
• (8) To examine the curriculum materials of the class or classes in which their child is enrolled.
• (9) To be informed of their child’s progress in school and of the appropriate school personnel whom they should contact if problems arise with their child.
• (10) To have access to the school records of their child.
• (11) To receive information concerning the academic performance Standard, proficiencies, or skills their child is expected to accomplish.
• (12) To be informed in advance about school rules, including disciplinary rules and procedures in accordance with Section 48980, attendance policies, dress codes, and procedures for visiting the school.
• (13) To receive information about any psychological testing the school does involving their child and to deny permission to give the test.
• (14) To participate as a member of a parent advisory committee, schoolsite council, or site–based management leadership team, in accordance with any rules and regulations governing membership in these organizations. In order to facilitate parental participation, schoolsite councils are encouraged to schedule a biannual open forum for the purpose of informing parents about current school issues and activities and answering parents’ questions. The meetings should be scheduled on weekends, and prior notice should be provided to parents.
• (15) To question anything in their child’s record that the parent feels is inaccurate or misleading or is an invasion of privacy and to receive a response from the school.
• (16) To be notified, as early in the school year as practicable pursuant to Section 48070.5, if their child is identified as being at risk of retention and of their right to consult with school personnel responsible for a decision to promote or retain their child and to appeal a decision to retain or promote their child. (b) In addition to the rights described in subdivision (a), parents and guardians of pupils, including those parents and guardians whose primary language is not English, shall have the opportunity to work together in a mutually supportive and respectful partnership with schools, and to help their children succeed in school. Each governing board of a school district shall develop jointly with parents and guardians, and shall adopt, a policy that outlines the manner in which parents or guardians of pupils, school staff, and pupils may share the responsibility for continuing the intellectual, physical, emotional, and social development and well–being of pupils at each schoolsite. The policy shall include, but is not necessarily limited to, the following:
• (1) The means by which the school and parents or guardians of pupils may help pupils to achieve academic and other Standard of the school.
• (2) A description of the school’s responsibility to provide a high quality curriculum and instructional program in a supportive and effective learning environment that enables all pupils to meet the academic expectations of the school.
• (3) The manner in which the parents and guardians of pupils may support the learning environment of their children, including, but not limited to, the following:
  • (A) Monitoring attendance of their children.
  • (B) Ensuring that homework is completed and turned in on a timely basis.
  • (C) Participation of the children in extracurricular activities.
  • (D) Monitoring and regulating the television viewed by their children.
  • (E) Working with their children at home in learning activities that extend learning in the classroom.
  • (F) Volunteering in their children’s classrooms, or for other activities at the school.
  • (G) Participating, as appropriate, in decisions relating to the education of their own child or the total school program. (c) All schools that participate in the High Priority Schools Grant Program established pursuant to Article 3.5 (commencing with Section 52055.600) of Chapter 6.1 of Part 28 and that maintain kindergarten or any of grades 1 to 5, inclusive, shall jointly develop with parents or guardians for all children enrolled at that schoolsite, a school–parent compact pursuant to Section 6319 of Title 20 of the United States Code. (d) This section does not authorize a school to inform a parent or guardian, as provided in this section, or to permit participation by a parent or guardian in the education of a child, if it conflicts with a valid restraining order, protective order, or order for custody or visitation issued by a court of competent jurisdiction.

(k) To achieve better pupil performance, it is the intent of the Legislature that any school accountability system do all of the following: (1) Encourage teacher preparation that allows teachers to develop the ability to inspire pupils to become lifelong learners. (2) Encourage teacher preparation and consistent ongoing professional development that serves to develop competency in content and pedagogy and that allows teachers to effectively involve themselves in promoting school accountability. (3) Encourage the involvement of the community and its stakeholders in the accountability system. (4) Encourage local community involvement in providing support for education and identifying causes of pupil failure and designing programs for remediation. (5) Approach accountability with an attitude of collaboration, encouragement, and correction. (6) Utilize the state infrastructure to support schools, school districts, and county offices of education in their efforts to improve pupil achievement and progress. (7) Encourage each local community to support and sustain high–quality educational programs and to build the capacity of educators and schools to succeed in educating every pupil. (8) Encourage active involvement of parents and guardians in the development and implementation of school accountability systems.

(d) All of the following are state priorities for purposes of a school district’s local control and accountability plan: (3) (A) Parental involvement and family engagement, including efforts the school district makes to seek parent input in making decisions for the school district and each individual schoolsite, and including how the school district will promote parental participation in programs for unduplicated pupils and individuals with exceptional needs. (B) Family engagement may include, but need not be limited to, efforts by the school district and each individual schoolsite to apply research-based practices, such as welcoming all families into the school community, engaging in effective two-way communication, supporting pupil success, and empowering families to advocate for equity and access. Family engagement may include, but need not be limited to, treating families as partners to inform, influence, and create practices and programs that support pupil success and collaboration with families and the broader community, expand pupil learning opportunities and community services, and promote civic participation.

(d) All of the following are state priorities for purposes of a county board of education’s local control and accountability plan: (3) (A) Parental involvement and family engagement, including efforts the county superintendent of schools makes to seek parent input in making decisions for each individual schoolsite and program operated by a county superintendent of schools, and including how the county superintendent of schools will promote parental participation in programs for unduplicated pupils and individuals with exceptional needs. (B) Family engagement may include, but need not be limited to, efforts by the school district and each individual schoolsite to apply research-based practices, such as welcoming all families into the school community, engaging in effective two-way communication, supporting pupil success, and empowering families to advocate for equity and access. Family engagement may include, but need not be limited to, treating families as partners to inform, influence, and create practices and programs that support pupil success and collaboration with families and the broader community, expand pupil learning opportunities and community services, and promote civic participation.

(a) The governing board of any school district may establish an early primary program consisting of same–age pupils or any combination of state preschool or child development program, kindergarten, first, second, or third grade pupils, based on an integrated, experiential, and developmentally appropriate educational program. Parent education and parent involvement shall be an integral part of the program. (b) Observation of a child over time and the use of portfolio material shall be the primary sources of assessment information for making curricular decisions in early primary programs. (c) Standardized assessment tests may be used for diagnostic purposes only, provided those tests have been demonstrated to be nonbiased, valid, and reliable. These tests shall not be used to deny admission.

This site addresses LEAs requirements for engaging families.