SENATE BILL 582
51st legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2013
INTRODUCED BY
Linda M. Lopez and Rick Miera
AN ACT
RELATING TO PUBLIC EDUCATION; PROVIDING FOR FAMILY ENGAGEMENT PROGRAMS IN SCHOOL DISTRICTS; CREATING THE COUNCIL ON FAMILY ENGAGEMENT.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:
SECTION 1. A new section of the Public School Code is enacted to read:
"[NEW MATERIAL] SHORT TITLE.--This act may be cited as the "Family Engagement Act"."
SECTION 2. A new section of the Public School Code is enacted to read:
"[NEW MATERIAL] LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS AND PURPOSE.--
A. The legislature finds that the engagement and support of families in the education of their children is an integral part of improving academic achievement and that properly constructed family engagement programs can play an important and effective role in the participation of families in their children's schools and in improving their children's learning.
B. The legislature confirms its commitment to the rights of students, families and employees, as set forth in federal and state statutes, to nondiscriminatory treatment, including freedom from harassment and retaliation based on disability, race, ethnicity, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin or ancestry, religion, age, veteran status, immigration status and any other protected status as defined by law in all of its programs and activities.
C. The purpose of the Family Engagement Act is to ensure that family engagement programs are properly designed and implemented and to provide a focus and structure for those programs based on prior experience and research while maintaining sufficient local flexibility to design a program that best meets the needs of the local community. The goals of these programs are to:
(1) engage families from diverse cultures in a positive way in their children's education by:
(a) building effective and consistent methods of school-home communications;
(b) supporting families in developing skills that enhance their children's academic efforts and their development as responsible members of society; and
(c) helping professionals to learn to work comfortably with diverse families and to view these families as valuable sources of information about their children;
(2) inform families that they can directly affect the success of their children's learning and offer families various techniques and strategies to improve their children's academic success or to assist their children in learning at home, if they desire; and
(3) integrate family engagement programs, including compliance with the provisions of the Family Engagement Act, into a school's master plan for academic accountability."
SECTION 3. A new section of the Public School Code is enacted to read:
"[NEW MATERIAL] FAMILY ENGAGEMENT COUNCIL.--
A. The "family engagement council" is created as an advisory council to the department.
B. The council shall consist of representatives from all regions of the state, reflective of the ethnic demographics of the state, with parents composing at least one-half of the council membership, for staggered three-year terms as follows:
(1) one representative of a statewide family-teacher organization;
(2) two family members or guardians of students enrolled in a public school;
(3) two public school teachers;
(4) one public school administrator;
(5) one local school board member;
(6) one representative of the business community; and
(7) one department employee, who shall be the chair of the council.
C. The council shall:
(1) develop an instrument or process to evaluate family engagement programs developed by local school boards;
(2) make recommendations to the department about family engagement programs that are effective;
(3) make recommendations to the department about training programs for local school boards and school staff;
(4) make recommendations to the department about facilitating coordination among school officials, parents and families, educators and community leaders;
(5) make recommendations to the department about the coordination of department services and services of other state agencies; and
(6) serve as the champion for students in building community support for schools and encouraging greater community participation in the public schools.
D. Members of the council who are not state employees shall receive no compensation except per diem and mileage pursuant to the Per Diem and Mileage Act."
SECTION 4. A new section of the Public School Code is enacted to read:
"[NEW MATERIAL] FAMILY ENGAGEMENT PROGRAM.--
A. Each local school board shall, in conjunction with parents, teachers, administrators and community leaders, establish a family engagement program for each school in the school district. The local school board shall:
(1) ensure that parents and families participate in the planning, design, implementation and evaluation of the family engagement program;
(2) provide for regular and periodic programs throughout the school year that offer learning opportunities for both families and school personnel in areas such as:
(a) the ability of families to directly affect the success of a child's learning through the support given at home and at school;
(b) home activities, strategies and materials that can be used to assist and enhance the learning of children at home and at school;
(c) the developmental needs of children, positive guidance techniques and ways for families and teachers to build healthy relationships with children; and
(d) the ability of families and schools to develop consistent and effective communications concerning the progress of the children in school and concerning school programs;
(3) prepare an annual statement identifying specific objectives of the program; and
(4) conduct an annual review and assessment of the program's progress in meeting its objectives, which shall be made available to families and the community.
B. A family engagement program may include the following:
(1) a plan to encourage participation by families from diverse cultures;
(2) a program that builds on parenting strengths, that helps families develop the skills that they desire and that facilitates networks to support families in effectively nurturing their children;
(3) a communication element that provides an effective two-way communication process to enable school staff to reach families, both individually and collectively and to ensure that families and school staff communicate back and forth about their children;
(4) a home learning element that provides for families and school staff to work together in developing learning goals and that offers opportunities for learning activities at home and in the community;
(5) a volunteer element that recruits and organizes volunteer participation from families and the community at large;
(6) a governance and advocacy element that provides a democratic governance structure that ensures that families are partners in policymaking about school programs and that family representatives are elected to act as advocates or decision-makers for other parents and families;
(7) a community outreach element that establishes partnerships with individuals and organizations in the community; and
(8) a plan to encourage parents to visit schools, which may include an area in each school designated as a family center."
SECTION 5. A new section of the Public School Code is enacted to read:
"[NEW MATERIAL] CREATE A STATEWIDE INFRASTRUCTURE.--In order to institutionalize family engagement partnerships across the state, the department shall establish structures and positions with well-defined responsibilities and accountability to promote genuine family engagement."
SECTION 6. EFFECTIVE DATE.--The effective date of the provisions of this act is July 1, 2013.
- 8 -