Current Status Bill Number:3063 Type of Legislation:General Bill GB Introducing Body:House Introduced Date:19950110 Primary Sponsor:Byrd All Sponsors:Byrd, L. Whipper, Lloyd, S. Whipper Drafted Document Number:GJK\21164SD.95 Residing Body:House Current Committee:Education and Public Works Committee 21 HEPW Subject:Parental involvement program
Body Date Action Description Com Leg Involved
______ ________ _______________________________________ _______ ____________
House 19950110 Introduced, read first time, 21 HEPW
referred to Committee
House 19941214 Prefiled, referred to Committee 21 HEPW
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TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 59-65-15 SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION SHALL DEVELOP A PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT PROGRAM FOR THE ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS OF THIS STATE, TO PROVIDE FOR THE CONTENT OF THIS PROGRAM, AND TO PROVIDE FOR THE MANNER IN WHICH THIS PROGRAM MUST BE IMPLEMENTED IN THE SEVERAL SCHOOLS OF THIS STATE.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
SECTION 1. The 1976 Code is amended by adding:
"Section 59-65-15. (A) The State Department of Education shall develop a parental involvement program for use in elementary and secondary schools of this State. The purpose of the program is to improve parental participation in their child's school progress, increase communication between the school, parent, and child, provide greater accountability between the parent, school, and child, and lessen the possibility on all levels that parents are only provided an opportunity to react to problems involving their child after such problems occur. The term `parent' or any similar variation as used in this section also includes the legal guardian of the child.
(B) The parental involvement program shall include, but is not limited to, the following activities:
(1) Visitation by parents to their child's school at least two times each semester.
(2) Arranging school discharge times to the extent possible to be compatible with parents who work.
(3) Involving parents, teachers, and administrators in school training sessions. These training sessions shall occur at the beginning of each semester and shall deal with the following issues:
(a) communication between the school, parent, and child;
(b) discipline problems;
(c) importance of homework;
(d) the taking and understanding of standardized testing and test scores;
(e) report cards;
(f) gender bias; and
(g) general literacy.
(4) Preparation of written conference cards annually that identify the date, time, and response of parent/teacher conferences.
(5) An assessment and evaluation of a child's progress provided to the parent at the end of each semester and recommendations for improvement.
(C) The several school districts of this State shall implement the parental involvement program based on the schedule contained in this subsection. The parental involvement program, as developed by the State Department of Education, shall be pilot-tested in the third and sixth grades of selected school districts during the 1995-96 school year. Beginning with the 1996-97 school year, after such modifications as the department considers necessary, the parental involvement program shall be implemented in each elementary and secondary school of this State."
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.