AB 488

This bill requires each school board to post on the home page of its Internet site

information related to learning materials and educational activities used in pupil

instruction in the school district and any procedure or policy in effect that applies to

the documentation, review, or approval of such learning materials or educational

activities. Under the bill, “used in pupil instruction” means that a learning material

or educational activity is 1) assigned, distributed, or otherwise presented to pupils

in a course for which pupils receive credit, 2) assigned, distributed, or otherwise

presented to pupils if use of the learning material or participation in the educational

activity is required by the school, 3) assigned, distributed, or otherwise presented to

pupils and at least a majority of pupils in a grade level are expected to use the

learning material or participate in the educational activity, 4) among learning

materials from which pupils are required to select one or more materials, if the

available selection of learning materials is restricted to specific titles, or 5) created

by the school board or a teacher employed by the school board, including lesson plans,

presentations, and videos. The bill requires each school board to include in its list

of learning materials and educational activities 1) bibliographic information

necessary to identify each listed learning material and educational activity, 2) the

full text or a copy of a learning material or educational activity created by the school

board or a teacher employed by the school board, and 3) a link to curricula adopted

by the school board to comply with state law.

Under the bill, a school board must update the list of learning materials and

educational activities at least twice each school year and must notify parents and

guardians each time the list is updated. The bill specifies that one update must occur

before the start of the school term and one update must occur before January 15 of

the applicable school year. The bill also requires the school board to ensure that the

list remains available to the public on its Internet site for at least five years.

Finally, the bill allows a school district resident to bring an action in circuit

court to compel a school board to comply with the requirements created in this bill.

Under the bill, the court must award reasonable attorneys fees, up to $15,000, to the

school district resident if he or she prevails in the action.