Act No. 29

Public Acts of 2001

Approved by the Governor

June 28, 2001

Filed with the Secretary of State

June 28, 2001

EFFECTIVE DATE: June 28, 2001

STATE OF MICHIGAN

91ST LEGISLATURE

REGULAR SESSION OF 2001

Introduced by Rep. Kuipers

ENROLLED HOUSE BILL No. 4630

AN ACT to amend 1976 PA 451, entitled "An act to provide a system of public instruction and elementary and secondary schools; to revise, consolidate, and clarify the laws relating to elementary and secondary education; to provide for the organization, regulation, and maintenance of schools, school districts, public school academies, and intermediate school districts; to prescribe rights, powers, duties, and privileges of schools, school districts, public school academies, and intermediate school districts; to provide for the regulation of school teachers and certain other school employees; to provide for school elections and to prescribe powers and duties with respect thereto; to provide for the levy and collection of taxes; to provide for the borrowing of money and issuance of bonds and other evidences of indebtedness; to establish a fund and provide for expenditures from that fund; to provide for and prescribe the powers and duties of certain state departments, the state board of education, and certain other boards and officials; to provide for licensure of boarding schools; to prescribe penalties; and to repeal acts and parts of acts," (MCL 380.1 to 380.1852) by adding section 1295.

The People of the State of Michigan enact:

Sec. 1295. (1) School districts are encouraged to develop and implement parental involvement contracts with parents of pupils. These parental involvement contracts should be voluntary and should be designed to encourage and facilitate a parent's involvement in his or her child's education.

(2) Not later than 90 days after the effective date of this section, the department shall develop and make available to school districts a model parental involvement contract that may be used for the purposes of subsection (1). The model parental involvement contract shall establish a learning partnership between parent, teacher, and pupil, and shall address at least all of the following:

(a) That the pupil's parent or guardian will do all of the following:

(i) Review homework assignments and offer assistance when needed.

(ii) Ensure that the pupil gets to school each day, on time and ready to learn.

(iii) Demonstrate interest in the pupil's well-being by attending school functions and supporting the pupil's school activities.

(iv) Make every effort to attend parent-teacher conferences.

(b) That the pupil will do all of the following:

(i) Participate in class discussions and complete assignments in a manner that is accurate, neat, and timely.

(ii) Come to school each school day and be on time.

(iii) Pay attention in class and complete assigned lessons.

(iv) Obey the rules and codes of conduct set for the classroom.

(v) Respect teachers, school administrators, and other pupils at all times by not antagonizing, intimidating, or threatening them.

(c) That the teacher will do all of the following:

(i) Set high standards for quality instruction that promote development of grade-appropriate academic skills.

(ii) Keep accurate attendance records and inform the parent or guardian promptly if an attendance problem starts to develop.

(iii) Teach pupils how to study and review basic concepts taught in class.

(iv) Maintain a welcome atmosphere and scheduling flexibility toward parent or guardian visits and participation.

(d) That the contract should include a way for the pupil's parent or guardian to explain any obstacles that prevent him or her from complying with the contract.

(3) If a parental involvement contract includes an explanation described in subsection (2)(d), school officials shall consider accessing possible resources to help overcome the obstacles identified by the parent or guardian.

This act is ordered to take immediate effect.

Clerk of the House of Representatives.

Secretary of the Senate.

Approved

Governor.