15-102. Parental involvement in the school;
definition


A. The governing board, in consultation with parents, teachers and administrators,
shall develop and adopt a policy to promote the involvement of parents and guardians of
children enrolled in the schools within the school district, including:


1. A plan for parent participation in the schools which is designed to improve
parent and teacher cooperation in such areas as homework, attendance and discipline.


2. Procedures by which parents may learn about the course of study for their
children and review learning materials, including the source of any supplemental
educational materials.


3. Procedures by which parents who object to any learning material or activity on
the basis that it is harmful may withdraw their children from the activity or from the
class or program in which the material is used. Objection to a learning material or
activity on the basis that it is harmful includes objection to a material or activity
because it questions beliefs or practices in sex, morality or religion.


4. If a school district offers any sex education curricula pursuant to section
15-711 or 15-716 or pursuant to any rules adopted by the state board of education,
procedures to prohibit a school district from providing sex education instruction to a
pupil unless the pupil's parent provides written permission for the child to participate
in the sex education curricula.


5. Procedures by which parents will be notified in advance of and given the
opportunity to withdraw their children from any instruction or presentations regarding
sexuality in courses other than formal sex education curricula.


6. Procedures by which parents may learn about the nature and purpose of clubs and
activities that are part of the school curriculum, extracurricular clubs and activities
that have been approved by the school.


7. Procedures by which parents may learn about parental rights and responsibilities
under the laws of this state, including the following:


(a) The right to opt in to a sex education curriculum if one is provided by the
school district.


(b) Open enrollment rights pursuant to section 15-816.01.


(c) The right to opt out of assignments pursuant to this section.


(d) The right to opt out of immunizations pursuant to section 15-873.


(e) The promotion requirements prescribed in section 15-701.


(f) The minimum course of study and competency requirements for graduation from
high school prescribed in section 15-701.01.


(g) The right to opt out of instruction on the acquired immune deficiency syndrome
pursuant to section 15-716.


(h) The right to review test results pursuant to section 15-743.


(i) The right to participate in gifted programs pursuant to section 15-779.01.


(j) The right to access instructional materials pursuant to section 15-730.


(k) The right to receive a school report card pursuant to section 15-746.


(l) The attendance requirements prescribed in sections 15-802, 15-803 and 15-821.


(m) The right to public review of courses of study and textbooks pursuant to
section 15-721.


(n) The right to be excused from school attendance for religious purposes pursuant
to section 15-806.


(o) Policies related to parental involvement pursuant to this section.


(p) The right to seek membership on school councils pursuant to section 15-351.


(q) The right to participate in a parental satisfaction survey pursuant to section
15-353.


(r) Information about the student accountability information system as prescribed
in section 15-1042.


(s) The right to access the failing schools tutoring fund pursuant to section
15-241.


B. The policy adopted by the governing board pursuant to this section may also
include the following components:


1. A plan by which parents will be made aware of the district's parental
involvement policy and this section, including:


(a) Rights under the family educational rights and privacy act of 1974 (20 United
States Code section 1232g) relating to access to children's official records.


(b) The parent's right to inspect the school district policies and curriculum.


2. Efforts to encourage the development of parenting skills.


3. The communication to parents of techniques designed to assist the child's
learning experience in the home.


4. Efforts to encourage access to community and support services for children and
families.


5. The promotion of communication between the school and parents concerning school
programs and the academic progress of the parents' children.


6. Identifying opportunities for parents to participate in and support classroom
instruction at the school.


7. Efforts to support, with appropriate training, parents as shared decision makers
and to encourage membership on school councils.


8. The recognition of the diversity of parents and the development of guidelines
that promote widespread parental participation and involvement in the school at various
levels.


9. The development of preparation programs and specialized courses for certificated
employees and administrators that promote parental involvement.


10. The development of strategies and programmatic structures at schools to
encourage and enable parents to participate actively in their children's education.


C. The governing board may adopt a policy to provide to parents the information
required by this section in an electronic form.


D. A parent shall submit a written request for information pursuant to this section
during regular business hours to either the school principal at the school site or the
superintendent of the school district at the office of the school district. Within ten
days of receiving the request for information, the school principal or the superintendent
of the school district shall either deliver the requested information to the parent or
submit to the parent a written explanation of the reasons for the denial of the requested
information. If the request for information is denied or the parent does not receive the
requested information within fifteen days after submitting the request for information,
the parent may submit a written request for the information to the school district
governing board, which shall formally consider the request at the next scheduled public
meeting of the governing board if the request can be properly noticed on the agenda. If
the request cannot be properly noticed on the agenda, the governing board shall formally
consider the request at the next subsequent public meeting of the governing board.


E. For the purposes of this section, "parent" means the natural or adoptive parent
or legal guardian of a minor child.