HBA-PDH H.B. 708 76(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 708
By: Tillery
Public Education
4/20/1999
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 
 
Currently, a parent's rights exist in statute; however, a school district
is not required to notify parents of these rights.  H.B. 708 requires a
school district to provide a parent or guardian of each student with a
handbook which includes parental rights and responsibilities. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Section 26.001, Education Code, as follows:

Sec. 26.001.  New title:  PURPOSE; NOTICE. Requires that a school district
provide a parent or guardian of each student a handbook regarding parental
rights and responsibilities, as specified in this chapter, at the beginning
of the school year or upon enrollment in the school district to encourage
the active participation of parents as set forth in Subsection (a).
Provides that the handbook must be written on a fifth grade reading level
and authorizes that it be drafted by the district- or campus-level planning
and decision-making committee established under Subchapter F
(District-Level and Site-Based Decision-Making), Chapter 11 (School
Districts).  Redesignates existing Subsections (b) - (e) to Subsections (c)
- (f). 

SECTION 2.  Makes application of this Act prospective beginning with the
1999-2000 school year. Requires the school district to distribute by
November 1, 1999, the handbooks for the 1999-2000 school year that would
otherwise be distributed at the beginning of the school year under Section
26.001(b), Education Code. 

SECTION 3.Emergency clause.
  Effective date: upon passage.