The parent trigger law, titled “Parent Empowerment,” was passed in California on January 7, 2010. This bill gives California parents the power to take over a failing school and implement the necessary changes to turn it around.
Since California passed this law, six other states have followed suit. And according to the National Conference of State Legislatures, other states are considering parent trigger laws as well.
The author of the original bill, Gloria Romero, explained her vision for the law in an interview with StateImpact Florida: “The imagination of the parent trigger law is really to understand that it is parents who are the architects of their children’s future,” she said, adding that the law “gives real rights to match the responsibility that parents have and feel towards trying to fight for the best education options for their children.”
On the California Teachers Association blog, CTA President Dean Vogel voiced the union’s opposition to parent trigger laws:
Our concerns about the trigger law were borne out of the lack of concrete regulations and procedures… Under the parent trigger law, there is no requirement for any kind of informed discussion, for open meetings, for an opportunity to hear all options or another side, or even any practical way to monitor what signature gatherers actually say. Once the majority signature threshold is met, that’s it. Parents who don’t sign the petition are excluded from crucial further decisions about the school, including if and which management company will take over.
Click through this gallery to learn about the seven parent trigger law states that allow parents to take over failing schools.
Photo: The Washington Post/Getty Images
Andrew Freeman is a California native with a degree in history from UCLA. He’s covered a wide range of topics for TakePart, but is particularly interested in politics and policy. Email Andrew |@natureofdabeast | TakePart.com
