Bill Description: House Bill 650 requires every local school board to seek input from a curricular materials adoption committee. It also provides that for such a committee, only half of the members can be teachers or school board trustees and that some of the members must be parents of children who attend the district’s schools. 

Rating: 1

Amendment Analysis: The amendment to House Bill 650 does not change the rating.

Does the bill create more transparency or accountability in public education institutions? (+) Conversely, does the bill reduce transparency and accountability in such institutions? (-)

Under current law, a local school board may seek input from a curricular materials adoption committee when selecting curriculum for use in its district, but it is not required to do so. House Bill 650 amends this provision to require every school board to seek input from such a  committee. 

House Bill 650 also increases the representation of parents and citizens on the committee by specifying that 50% of committee members must be “persons who are not public educators or school trustees” and mandating that some of these members must be parents of children who attend the district’s schools. By decreasing the percentage of teachers and school board members who may serve on the committee, the bill increases public representation on the committee. Under current law, only 25% of the committee must consist of persons other than teachers and school board members.

By requiring local school boards to receive input from an advisory committee consisting largely of parents and citizens, House Bill 650 creates more transparency and accountability in public education institutions. Parents, citizens, and community members will have a greater say regarding the curricula used to educate students. 

(+1)