Colorado Legislative Council Staff

NO FISCAL IMPACT


Drafting Number:

Prime Sponsor(s):

LLS 98-161

Rep. Grossman

Sen. Matsunaka

Date:

Bill Status:

Fiscal Analyst:

December 30, 1997

House Education

Harry Zeid (866-4753)

 

TITLE:            CONCERNING RESPONSIBILITY IN K-12 EDUCATION, AND, IN CONNECTION THEREWITH, PROVIDING FOR PARENTS TO COMMIT TO PARTICIPATE IN THEIR CHILDREN’S EDUCATION AND ALLOWING PARENTS TO TAKE UNPAID LEAVE FROM WORK TO ATTEND SCHOOL ACTIVITIES.



Summary of Legislation


            This bill would require, at the discretion of the local school district board of education, that the parent or legal guardian of a child enrolled in a school district complete and submit a commitment of participation form. The commitment of participation would require the parent or legal guardian to attend at least one parent-teacher conference for the child per academic semester. The school would make a best efforts basis to schedule the parent-teacher conferences during the nonworking hours of the parent or guardian.


            The bill states than an employee shall be entitled to take unpaid leave, not to exceed four hours per 30-day period, and not to exceed 24 hours in any 12-month period for the purpose of attending parent-teacher conferences related to the educational advancement of the employee’s child. Employees would be required to make reasonable attempts to schedule conferences outside of regular work hours. School districts would exercise their best efforts to accommodate the schedules of the parents.


            Allowing local boards of education to require the child’s parent or legal guardian to attend at least one parent-teacher conference per academic semester would not affect the school district expenditures. The Department of Education indicates that most local school districts currently arrange parent-teacher conferences to accommodate the work schedules of the child’s parent or guardian. Allowing employees to take unpaid leave to attend parent-teacher conferences should not affect state expenditures. Therefore, the bill is assessed as having no fiscal impact.


            The bill will become effective at 12:01 a.m. on the day following the ninety-day period after adjournment sine die of the General Assembly, or on the date of the official declaration of the vote of the people as proclaimed by the Governor, if a referendum petition is filed pursuant to Article V, Section 1 (3) of the State Constitution.



Departments Contacted


            Education       Labor