HOUSE 3rd Reading Unamended March 9, 2015 HOUSE Amended 2nd Reading March 6, 2015First Regular Session Seventieth General Assembly STATE OF COLORADO REENGROSSED This Version Includes All Amendments Adopted in the House of Introduction LLS NO. 15-0681.01 Christy Chase x2008 HOUSE BILL 15-1221 HOUSE SPONSORSHIP Buckner and Fields, Becker K., Lebsock, Lee, Melton, Salazar, Vigil SENATE SPONSORSHIP Kerr, House Committees Senate Committees Education A BILL FOR AN ACT Concerning parental involvement in a child's academic activities. Bill Summary (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced and does not reflect any amendments that may be subsequently adopted. If this bill passes third reading in the house of introduction, a bill summary that applies to the reengrossed version of this bill will be available at http://www.leg.state.co.us/billsummaries.) Under the "Parental Involvement in K-12 Education Act" (act), an employer that employs at least 50 employees must provide its employees up to 6 hours in any one-month period, up to 18 hours per academic year, of leave from work to attend a child's academic activities. The act only applies to: Parents of children in grades kindergarten through twelfth grade; and Parent-teacher conferences or meetings related to special education services, interventions, dropout prevention, attendance, truancy, or disciplinary issues. Additionally, the act is scheduled to repeal on September 1, 2015. The bill expands the types of academic activities for which a parent is entitled to leave from work to allow parents to attend meetings with school counselors in which the employee's child is directly participating or academic achievement ceremonies, education nights, or other activities in which the child is directly participating and that contribute to the child's academic progress. Additionally, parents are entitled to take leave for children enrolled in preschool as well as in kindergarten through twelfth grade. The bill requires school districts and institute charter schools to post on their web sites, and include in district-wide or school-wide communications sent to parents and the community at large, information about the act and requires the Colorado state advisory council for parent involvement in education to also provide information to the extent possible within existing resources. The bill also continues the act indefinitely. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado: SECTION 1. In Colorado Revised Statutes, amend 8-13.3-101 as follows: 8-13.3-101. Short title. This article shall be known and may be cited as the "Parental Involvement in K-12 Preschool Through Twelfth Grade Education Act". SECTION 2. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 8-13.3-102, amend (1) and (3) (a) as follows: 8-13.3-102. Definitions. As used in this article, unless the context otherwise requires: (1) "Academic activity" means the following meetings, or conferences, or activities regarding the employee's child or any child for whom the employee has primary legal responsibility: (a) A parent-teacher conference; or (b) A meeting: (I) Related to: Special education services, as defined in section 22-20-103, C.R.S.; response to intervention, as defined in section 22-2-133 (4) (b), C.R.S.; dropout prevention; attendance; truancy; or disciplinary issues; or (II) With a school counselor in which the child is directly participating; or (c) An academic achievement ceremony. (3) (a) "Employee" means any person working for another for hire in the state of Colorado in a nonexecutive or nonsupervisory capacity who is the parent or legal guardian of a child enrolled in a public or private school or in a nonpublic home-based educational program pursuant to section 22-33-104.5, C.R.S., in Colorado in any grade from kindergarten preschool through twelfth grade. SECTION 3. In Colorado Revised Statutes, add 8-13.3-103.5 as follows: 8-13.3-103.5. Notice to parents. Each school district in the state and each institute charter school authorized under part 5 of article 30.5 of title 22, C.R.S., shall post on its web site and include in district-wide or school-wide communications sent to parents and the community at large information regarding the leave granted to employees under this article to attend a child's academic activities. To the extent possible within existing resources and efforts, the Colorado state advisory council for parent involvement in education, created in section 22-7-303, C.R.S., shall also provide information about leave that may be granted to employees to attend a child's academic activities. SECTION 4. In Colorado Revised Statutes, repeal 8-13.3-104 as follows: 8-13.3-104. Repeal. This article is repealed, effective September 1, 2015. SECTION 5. Safety clause. The general assembly hereby finds, determines, and declares that this act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, and safety.