Schools: parent involvement.

Existing law requires the governing board of a school district to adopt a policy on parent involvement and to establish a parent involvement program for each school in the district that receives specified federal funds. The program is required to contain, among other things, regular periodic programs throughout the school year that provide for training, instruction, and information for parents on ways to support and enhance the learning of their children. Existing law authorizes a school district, to the extent permitted by federal law, to contract with nonprofit organizations and agencies experienced in administering parent involvement programs to design or implement, or both, the parent involvement program of a school. This bill would encourage school districts to review and, if appropriate, contract with nonprofit community-based organizations that have a proven track record and can demonstrate their success in educating parents and building direct collaboration with school districts, administrators, and educators. A nonprofit community-based organization that contracts with a school district would be required to demonstrate and provide a culturally and linguistically competent parent involvement program using best practices that address the diversity of the school district. A low-performing school district would be encouraged to submit an annual report to the Superintendent of Public Instruction that demonstrates its efforts to promote parent engagement and the outcomes that result from contracting with the nonprofit community-based organization.