HB 156 Summary

• Establishes parental rights to object to and withdraw children from state-mandated assessments, activities, and classes with at least two weeks' notice for human reproduction or sexual matters content.

• Requires local school boards to adopt policies promoting parent involvement and content review, including procedures ensuring absences from opted-out activities are not counted as unlawful.

• Suspends statewide standards-based assessments from July 1, 2016 to July 1, 2018, with department and state board to develop a new assessment plan approved by school districts for implementation beginning in 2020.

• Directs the Department of Education to review state education laws and regulations to identify unnecessary requirements and provide greater local control in light of the Every Student Succeeds Act (P.L. 114-95).

• Repeals the minimum expenditure requirement for instruction in school districts; clarifies that sexual abuse/assault and dating violence prevention training are exempt from parental notification requirements for human reproduction or sexual matters.