94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2005 and 2006
HB1159

 

Introduced 02/08/05, by Rep. Patricia Reid Lindner

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
105 ILCS 5/10-20.40 new
105 ILCS 5/34-18.32 new
30 ILCS 805/8.29 new

    Amends the School Code. Requires each school district to establish a process by which each parent or guardian of a pupil is given an opportunity to enter into a school-parent compact that shall commit the parent or guardian to assist and cooperate with the educational process of his or her child. Sets forth the elements of the compact, including a description of the school and school district's responsibilities regarding curriculum and instruction, the school's and school district's commitment to assist and encourage active participation, and the parent's or guardian's commitment to share responsibility for pupil learning. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement. Effective immediately.


LRB094 07665 RAS 37839 b

FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY
STATE MANDATES ACT MAY REQUIRE REIMBURSEMENT

 

 

A BILL FOR

 

HB1159 LRB094 07665 RAS 37839 b

1     AN ACT concerning education.
 
2     Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3 represented in the General Assembly:
 
4     Section 5. The School Code is amended by adding Sections
5 10-20.40 and 34-18.32 as follows:
 
6     (105 ILCS 5/10-20.40 new)
7     Sec. 10-20.40. School-parent compact.
8     (a) The General Assembly finds and declares all of the
9 following:
10         (1) Parents and guardians are the first and most
11     enduring teachers of a child. Parents play a crucial role
12     in the development of a child in the formative years.
13         (2) Parental partnerships have the potential to
14     reinforce the role of the family and change attitudes
15     toward education, helping build strong local communities
16     and widen participation in learning. It is ultimately the
17     responsibility of parents to ensure that children have a
18     firm foundation and prepare children for formal learning.
19         (3) Schools across the nation have found that parent
20     compacts increase successful parent involvement in the
21     education of their children. A parent contract or compact
22     provides opportunities for families to learn how to help
23     their children succeed in school.
24         (4) The federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001
25     requires every school district that receives Title I funds
26     to adopt a written parent involvement policy. This policy
27     is required to be developed jointly with, approved by, and
28     distributed to parents of participating children and the
29     local community. This policy ensures that strategies that
30     encourage and sustain active parent involvement are in
31     place in every school that receives these federal funds.
32     The activities should be designed to improve student pupil

 

 

HB1159 - 2 - LRB094 07665 RAS 37839 b

1     academic achievement and school performance.
2         (5) In any school accountability system, parent
3     involvement is a critical element. While pupils, teachers,
4     and administrators are being held to rigorous goals and
5     standards, parental accountability is not part of
6     Illinois' rewards and sanctions programs. To increase
7     parent accountability and involvement, each school
8     district should be encouraged to adopt the National
9     Standards for Parent/Family Involvement, as developed by
10     the National Parent Teacher Association, and measure
11     parent involvement at each school against those standards.
12     (b) In this Section:
13     "Compact" means a written commitment between a school and
14 the parent or guardian of a pupil to share responsibility for
15 pupil learning.
16     (c) Each school board shall establish a process by which
17 each parent or guardian of a pupil is given an opportunity to
18 enter into a school-parent compact that commits the parent or
19 guardian to assist and cooperate with the educational process
20 of his or her child.
21     (d) The compact shall describe how the school, the school
22 district, and the parent or guardian will work together in a
23 mutually supportive and respectful partnership to help the
24 pupil succeed in school. The compact shall include, but not be
25 limited to, all of the following:
26         (1) A description of the school and school district's
27     responsibility to provide a high-quality curriculum and
28     instructional program in a supportive and effective
29     learning environment that enables each pupil to meet the
30     academic expectations of the school and school district.
31         (2) A commitment by the school and school district to
32     assist and encourage active participation by the parent or
33     guardian by doing all of the following:
34             (A) establishing a process that promotes
35         meaningful communication between home and school on a
36         regular basis;

 

 

HB1159 - 3 - LRB094 07665 RAS 37839 b

1             (B) providing information to parents or guardians
2         on State and school district academic standards for
3         each grade and subject area and on the school and
4         school district's expectations for pupil behavior and
5         academic performance;
6             (C) promoting the availability of school, school
7         district, and community resources to strengthen school
8         programs, family practices, and pupil learning; and
9             (D) supporting professional development
10         opportunities for staff members to enhance
11         understanding of effective parent involvement
12         strategies.
13         (3) A commitment by the parent or guardian to share
14     responsibility for pupil learning by doing all of the
15     following:
16             (A) ensuring that the child arrives at school
17         prepared to learn;
18             (B) fostering learning at home, giving appropriate
19         assistance, monitoring homework, and giving feedback
20         to teachers;
21             (C) attending school meetings;
22             (D) communicating regularly with teachers and
23         other school staff, as needed, in a meaningful manner;
24             (E) familiarizing himself or herself with State,
25         school, and school district academic standards for
26         relevant grade and subject areas;
27             (F) participating, as appropriate, in decisions
28         relating to his or her own child and the total school
29         program; and
30             (G) engaging in other positive parent
31         responsibilities related to successful pupil learning.
32     (e) This Section does not supersede any valid restraining
33 order, protective order, or order for custody or visitation
34 issued by a court of competent jurisdiction.
 
35     (105 ILCS 5/34-18.32 new)

 

 

HB1159 - 4 - LRB094 07665 RAS 37839 b

1     Sec. 34-18.32. School-parent compact.
2     (a) The General Assembly finds and declares all of the
3 following:
4         (1) Parents and guardians are the first and most
5     enduring teachers of a child. Parents play a crucial role
6     in the development of a child in the formative years.
7         (2) Parental partnerships have the potential to
8     reinforce the role of the family and change attitudes
9     toward education, helping build strong local communities
10     and widen participation in learning. It is ultimately the
11     responsibility of parents to ensure that children have a
12     firm foundation and prepare children for formal learning.
13         (3) Schools across the nation have found that parent
14     compacts increase successful parent involvement in the
15     education of their children. A parent contract or compact
16     provides opportunities for families to learn how to help
17     their children succeed in school.
18         (4) The federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001
19     requires every school district that receives Title I funds
20     to adopt a written parent involvement policy. This policy
21     is required to be developed jointly with, approved by, and
22     distributed to parents of participating children and the
23     local community. This policy ensures that strategies that
24     encourage and sustain active parent involvement are in
25     place in every school that receives these federal funds.
26     The activities should be designed to improve student pupil
27     academic achievement and school performance.
28         (5) In any school accountability system, parent
29     involvement is a critical element. While pupils, teachers,
30     and administrators are being held to rigorous goals and
31     standards, parental accountability is not part of
32     Illinois' rewards and sanctions programs. To increase
33     parent accountability and involvement, each school
34     district should be encouraged to adopt the National
35     Standards for Parent/Family Involvement, as developed by
36     the National Parent Teacher Association, and measure

 

 

HB1159 - 5 - LRB094 07665 RAS 37839 b

1     parent involvement at each school against those standards.
2     (b) In this Section:
3     "Compact" means a written commitment between a school and
4 the parent or guardian of a pupil to share responsibility for
5 pupil learning.
6     (c) The board of education shall establish a process by
7 which each parent or guardian of a pupil is given an
8 opportunity to enter into a school-parent compact that commits
9 the parent or guardian to assist and cooperate with the
10 educational process of his or her child.
11     (d) The compact shall describe how the school, the school
12 district, and the parent or guardian will work together in a
13 mutually supportive and respectful partnership to help the
14 pupil succeed in school. The compact shall include, but not be
15 limited to, all of the following:
16         (1) A description of the school and school district's
17     responsibility to provide a high-quality curriculum and
18     instructional program in a supportive and effective
19     learning environment that enables each pupil to meet the
20     academic expectations of the school and school district.
21         (2) A commitment by the school and school district to
22     assist and encourage active participation by the parent or
23     guardian by doing all of the following:
24             (A) establishing a process that promotes
25         meaningful communication between home and school on a
26         regular basis;
27             (B) providing information to parents or guardians
28         on State and school district academic standards for
29         each grade and subject area and on the school and
30         school district's expectations for pupil behavior and
31         academic performance;
32             (C) promoting the availability of school, school
33         district, and community resources to strengthen school
34         programs, family practices, and pupil learning; and
35             (D) supporting professional development
36         opportunities for staff members to enhance

 

 

HB1159 - 6 - LRB094 07665 RAS 37839 b

1         understanding of effective parent involvement
2         strategies.
3         (3) A commitment by the parent or guardian to share
4     responsibility for pupil learning by doing all of the
5     following:
6             (A) ensuring that the child arrives at school
7         prepared to learn;
8             (B) fostering learning at home, giving appropriate
9         assistance, monitoring homework, and giving feedback
10         to teachers;
11             (C) attending school meetings;
12             (D) communicating regularly with teachers and
13         other school staff, as needed, in a meaningful manner;
14             (E) familiarizing himself or herself with State,
15         school, and school district academic standards for
16         relevant grade and subject areas;
17             (F) participating, as appropriate, in decisions
18         relating to his or her own child and the total school
19         program; and
20             (G) engaging in other positive parent
21         responsibilities related to successful pupil learning.
22     (e) This Section does not supersede any valid restraining
23 order, protective order, or order for custody or visitation
24 issued by a court of competent jurisdiction.
 
25     Section 90. The State Mandates Act is amended by adding
26 Section 8.29 as follows:
 
27     (30 ILCS 805/8.29 new)
28     Sec. 8.29. Exempt mandate. Notwithstanding Sections 6 and 8
29 of this Act, no reimbursement by the State is required for the
30 implementation of any mandate created by this amendatory Act of
31 the 94th General Assembly.
 
32     Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
33 becoming law.