(1) (a) The state charter school institute board shall adopt a policy for increasing and supporting parent engagement in institute charter schools. In adopting the policy, the institute board may take into account, but need not be limited to, the best practices and strategies identified pursuant to section 22-7-304 by the Colorado state advisory council for parent involvement in education and the national standards for family-school partnerships, as defined in section 22-7-302 (5).
As part of the institute's parent engagement policy, the institute is encouraged toprovide training concerning best practices and skills for institute and school personnel in working with parents.
The institute shall identify an employee to act as the point of contact for parent engagement training and resources. The identified person shall also serve as the liaison between the institute, the Colorado state advisory council for parent involvement in education, and the department of education and shall facilitate the institute's efforts to increase parent involvement within institute charter schools. The institute shall submit to the department the name of the identified employee.
(2) (a) If the state board of education, pursuant to section 22-11-210, determines that an institute charter school is required to adopt and implement a school priority improvement plan as described in section 22-11-405 or a school turnaround plan as described in section 22-11-406, the institute charter school, within thirty days after receiving the initial notice of the determination or, if the determination is appealed, the final notice of the determination, shall notify the parents of the students enrolled in the school of the required plan and the issues identified by the department of education as giving rise to the need for the required plan. The notice shall also include the timeline for developing and adopting the required plan and the dates, times, and locations of the public meeting described in paragraph (b) of this subsection (2) and the public hearing described in paragraph (c) of this subsection (2).
The school accountability committee shall hold a public meeting to solicit input fromparents concerning the contents of the required plan before the plan is written. At the school accountability committee's public meeting, the school principal shall review the institute charter school's progress in implementing its plan for the preceding year and in improving its performance.
The institute charter school shall hold a public hearing after the plan is written toreview the required plan before final adoption. The institute charter school shall hold the public hearing within the geographic boundaries of the school district in which the institute charter school is located. The date of the public hearing must be at least thirty days after the date on which the institute charter school provides the written notice. A member of the school accountability committee is encouraged to attend the public hearing.
The institute shall ensure that the institute charter school complies with the requirements of this subsection (2).
(3) The institute board may solicit, accept, and expend public or private gifts, grants, or donations to implement all or a portion of the parent involvement programs implemented under a policy adopted pursuant to this section.
Source: L. 2011: Entire section added, (HB 11-1126), ch. 118, p. 369, § 2, effective August 10. L. 2013: (1) and (2) amended, (SB 13-193), ch. 355, p. 2076, § 9, effective May 28.
L. 2015: (2)(c) amended and (2)(d) added, (SB 15-281), ch. 299, p. 1229, § 1, effective August 5.