Purpose of the Bill

The bill is designed to update and clarify existing laws regarding how parents, guardians, or adult students can review and make decisions about the instructional materials used in schools. The aim is to ensure a clear process for these stakeholders to request and arrange for alternative instruction if they find the provided curriculum objectionable.

Main Provisions

• Review of Instructional Materials: The bill mandates that every school district must have a procedure in place allowing parents, guardians, or adult students (18 years or older) to review curricular materials offered to students.

• Alternative Instruction: If the content is found objectionable, these stakeholders can make arrangements with the school for alternate instructional material. This alternative can be provided by the school, but if unsatisfactory, the objection can lead to the parent, guardian, or adult student providing alternative instruction themselves.

• Financial Responsibilities: The bill specifies that school boards are not financially responsible for the cost of any alternative instruction provided by a parent, guardian, or adult student.

• Student Assessment: Students will not receive any academic penalty for opting for alternative instruction. However, their work can still be evaluated for quality by school personnel.

• Individual Requests: Requests for alternative instruction are individualized and do not impact the access other students have to the original instructional materials.

• Inclusion of Online Materials: The bill expands the definition of instructional materials to include online content and media used in structured district or school curricular programs.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

This bill amends the previous statute by explicitly stating the procedures for curriculum review and alternative instruction, ensuring clarity around the process. It emphasizes that the cost for such instruction will not fall on the school board and clarifies that online and media materials are included as reviewable content under this provision.

Relevant Terms

• Parental Curriculum Review
• Alternative Instruction
• Instructional Materials
• School Districts
• Online Materials
• Educational Policy