BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    �



                                                                      



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          |SENATE RULES COMMITTEE            |                  AB 2262|
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                                    CONSENT


          Bill No:  AB 2262
          Author:   Bradford (D)
          Amended:  5/23/12 in Senate
          Vote:     21

           
           SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE  :  8-0, 5/16/12
          AYES:  Lowenthal, Blakeslee, Hancock, Huff, Liu, Price, 
            Simitian, Vargas
          NO VOTE RECORDED:  Runner, Alquist, Vacancy

           ASSEMBLY FLOOR  :  77-0, 4/16/12 - See last page for vote


           SUBJECT  :    School districts: governing boards: 
          notification:  parent rights 
                      and responsibilities

           SOURCE  :     Los Angeles Unified School District


           DIGEST  :    This bill permits a school district to provide 
          notification of parent rights and responsibilities, by 
          providing access to the notice electronically, if a parent 
          or guardian requests to receive the notice in electronic 
          format.  Also, the parent or guardian must submit to the 
          school a signed acknowledgment of receipt of the electronic 
          notice.

           ANALYSIS  :    

          Existing law:

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          1.Requires that, at the beginning of the first semester or 
            quarter of the regular school term, the governing board 
            of each school district notify the parent or guardian of 
            a minor pupil regarding the right or responsibility of 
            the parent or guardian under specified law, as well as 
            other specified information. 

          2.Requires the above notice to be sent by regular mail or 
            by other method normally used to communicate with the 
            parents and guardians in writing. 

          3.Requires parents and guardians to provide a signed 
            acknowledgement of being informed of the required notice, 
            as specified.  

          4.Requires if 15 percent or more of the pupils in a school 
            speak a primary language other than English, as 
            determined by census data, all notices, reports, 
            statements, or records shall be written in the primary 
            language, in addition to being written in English. 
           
           This bill permits a school district to provide notification 
          of parent rights and responsibilities, by providing access 
          to the notice electronically, if a parent or guardian 
          requests to receive the notice in electronic format.  Also, 
          the parent or guardian must submit to the school a signed 
          acknowledgment of receipt of the electronic notice.

           Background

           Existing law, specifies more than 20 items of information 
          deemed important for parents and guardians to have and 
          include district policies on discipline, attendance, 
          excused/unexcused absences, fingerprinting, sexual 
          harassment, and residency; rights of parents or guardians 
          to excuse their pupils from sexual education classes and 
          rights of students to refrain from participation in an 
          education project harmful to animals; and information 
          important for high school graduation and entry into 
          college.  

          The length of the notices vary from district to district, 
          ranging from under 20 pages to over 100 pages.  Some 
          districts combine the parent notice with other school 







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          policies and procedures, resulting in a sizeable document 
          (for example, a parent-student handbook).  

           Electronic distribution is a reasonable option.   The 
          electronic distribution of parent rights and 
          responsibilities notification seems reasonable in light of 
          (1) the continued requirement of providing written notice, 
          unless a parent or guardian requests an electronic version, 
          and (2) general comfort and broad usage of electronic texts 
          and emails. 

           FISCAL EFFECT  :    Appropriation:  No   Fiscal Com.:  No   
          Local:  No

           SUPPORT  :   (Verified  5/23/12)

          Los Angeles Unified School District (source)

           ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT  :    According to the sponsor, Los 
          Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), the district is 
          facing its 5th year of budget deficits, and it is currently 
          wrestling with a deficit of over $300 million for fiscal 
          year 2012-13.  In an effort to find new and innovative ways 
          to cut costs, LAUSD would like to have the option to 
          distribute parent-student handbooks electronically.  If 
          even half of LAUSD families elected to receive the 
          parent-student handbook electronically, the district could 
          save approximately $200,000 per year. 


           ASSEMBLY FLOOR  :  77-0, 4/16/12
          AYES: Achadjian, Alejo, Allen, Ammiano, Atkins, Beall, Bill 
            Berryhill, Block, Blumenfield, Bonilla, Bradford, 
            Brownley, Buchanan, Butler, Charles Calderon, Campos, 
            Carter, Chesbro, Conway, Cook, Dickinson, Donnelly, Eng, 
            Feuer, Fletcher, Fong, Fuentes, Beth Gaines, Galgiani, 
            Garrick, Gatto, Gordon, Gorell, Grove, Hagman, Halderman, 
            Hall, Harkey, Hayashi, Roger Hern�ndez, Hill, Huber, 
            Hueso, Huffman, Jeffries, Jones, Knight, Lara, Logue, 
            Bonnie Lowenthal, Ma, Mansoor, Mendoza, Miller, Mitchell, 
            Monning, Morrell, Nestande, Nielsen, Norby, Olsen, Pan, 
            Perea, V. Manuel P�rez, Portantino, Silva, Skinner, 
            Smyth, Solorio, Swanson, Torres, Valadao, Wagner, 
            Wieckowski, Williams, Yamada, John A. P�rez







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          NO VOTE RECORDED: Cedillo, Davis, Furutani


          PQ:do  5/23/12   Senate Floor Analyses 

                         SUPPORT/OPPOSITION:  SEE ABOVE

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