Governor signs parent grading bill

Friday, May 18, 2012, Vol. 36, No. 20

NASHVILLE (AP) — Gov. Bill Haslam has signed a proposal that allows parents to grade themselves on how involved they are in their children's schooling.

The measure sponsored by Democratic Rep. Antonio Parkinson of Memphis and Republican Sen. Brian Kelsey of Germantown was approved 94-2 in the House and unanimously passed the Senate 27-0.

The four-year pilot program will initially apply to two struggling schools.

Another measure sponsored by the lawmakers that was signed into law recently will create parent contracts that give them step-by-step guidelines for pitching in.

Only a few states have passed laws creating evaluations or contracts that put helping with homework or attending teacher conferences into writing. Tennessee is the only one so far to do report cards, though Utah has parents fill out an online survey.