SECTIONS 51100-51102 - California Statutes

EDUCATION CODE

SECTION 51100-51102

51100. 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.

51101. (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
standards, 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 standards 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.

51101.1. (a) A parent or guardian's lack of English fluency does
not preclude a parent or guardian from exercising the rights
guaranteed under this chapter. A school district shall take all
reasonable steps to ensure that all parents and guardians of pupils
who speak a language other than English are properly notified in
English and in their home language, pursuant to Section 48985, of the
rights and opportunities available to them pursuant to this section.
(b) Parents and guardians of English learners are entitled to
participate in the education of their children pursuant to Section
51101 and as follows:
(1) To receive, pursuant to paragraph (5) of subdivision (a) of
Section 51101, the results of their child's performance on
standardized tests, including the English language development test.
(2) To be given any required written notification, under any
applicable law, in English and the pupil's home language pursuant to
Section 48985.
(3) To participate in school and district advisory bodies in
accordance with federal and state laws and regulations.
(4) To support their children's advancement toward literacy.
School personnel shall encourage parents and guardians of English
learners to support their child's progress toward literacy both in
English and, to the extent possible, in the child's home language.
School districts are encouraged to make available, to the extent
possible, surplus or undistributed instructional materials to parents
and guardians, pursuant to subdivision (d) of Section 60510, in
order to facilitate parental involvement in their children's
education.
(5) To be informed, pursuant to Sections 33126 and 48985, about
statewide and local academic standards, testing programs,
accountability measures, and school improvement efforts.
(c) A school with a substantial number of pupils with a home
language other than English is encouraged to establish parent centers
with personnel who can communicate with the parents and guardians of
these children to encourage understanding of and participation in
the educational programs in which their children are enrolled.

51102. Upon approval of the materials by the State Board of
Education, the State Department of Education shall make materials
available that describe a comprehensive partnership at a schoolsite
that involves parents and guardians of pupils in the public schools
of California in the education of their children in a variety of
roles at all grade levels on or before December 31, 1999. The
materials shall include information about the possible roles of each
teacher, principal, parent or guardian, and other school personnel in
fostering and participating in parent involvement activities and
programs. The materials shall also include a statement that the right
of parents and guardians to participate in parent activities and
programs shall only apply to the extent that the participation does
not conflict with a valid restraining order, protective order, or
order for custody or visitation issued by a court of competent
jurisdiction.