SB1410

THE CONTEXT: A governing board, in consultation with parents, teachers and administrators, must develop a policy to promote the involvement of parents of children enrolled in the school district's schools. This policy must include procedures for parents to learn about parental rights and responsibilities, including, but not limited to: 1) the right to opt out of assignments and immunizations; 2) promotion, minimum course of study and competency requirements; 3) the right to public review of courses of study, textbooks and library books and materials; and 4) the right to access all written and electronic records of a schoo...

WHAT THE BILL DID: The final vetoed version would mandate a governing board establish a mechanism for each school to receive and investigate complaints filed by students' parents alleging the school, school district or an employee or contractor of the school or school district has violated any of the parent's or student's rights, require each school to notify parents, at the beginning of each school year or at the time of the student's enrollment, of their right to file a formal complaint, and direct each school to designate an administrator who is responsible for receiving, investigating and resolving all filed complaints.

WHY IT MATTERED: The practical reason for this bill was to turn the Legislature's standard for school districts into an enforceable rule. It would mandate a governing board establish a mechanism for each school to receive and investigate complaints filed by students' parents alleging the school, school district or an employee or contractor of the school or school district has violated any of the parent's or student's rights, and would also require each school to notify parents, at the beginning of each school year or at the time of the student's enrollment, of their right to file a formal complaint, rather than leave the current rule unchanged.