Washington County School District
Parental Rights in Education
Utah Code 53A-15-1501
The following outlines the Parental Rights in Education in the Washington County School
District as prescribed by Senate Bill 122 from the 2014 Utah State Legislature. The Washington
County School District recognizes that the parent or guardian is the primary person responsible
for the education of their student, and the school is in a secondary and supportive role to the
parent or guardian. As such, the parent or guardian has the right to reasonable academic
accommodations as specified below.
Definitions
“Parent” means parent or legal guardian.
“Reasonably accommodate" means a school shall make its best effort to enable a parent or
guardian to exercise the rights listed below
(a) without substantial impact to staff and resources, including employee working conditions,
safety and supervision on school premises and for school activities, and the efficient allocation
of expenditures; and
(b) while balancing:
(i) the parental rights of parents or guardians;
(ii) the educational needs of other students;
(iii) the academic and behavioral impacts to a classroom;
(iv) a teacher's workload; and
(v) the assurance of the safe and efficient operation of a school, and
(c) each accommodation shall be considered on an individual basis.
The school shall reasonably accommodate the following:
1. A written request to retain a student on grade level based on the student’s academic ability
or the student’s social, emotional, or physical maturity. (WCSD Policy 4800)
2. An initial selection of a teacher or request a change of teacher.
3. A request to visit and observe any class their student attends.
4. A written request to excuse the student from attendance.
(Note: Students are responsible for the completion of any work missed due to absence,
regardless of the reason for the absence (excused, unexcused, truant). (WCSD Policy 2900)
5. A written request to place a student in a specialized class or an advanced course.
(Note: The school shall consider multiple academic data points when making such a
determination.) (WCSD Policy 9200, 9201)
6. Allow a student to earn credit toward a high school diploma without completing a course by
(a) testing out of the course, or
(b) demonstrating competency in course standards.
7. A request to meet with a teacher at a mutually agreeable time if the parent is unable to
attend a regularly scheduled parent teacher conference. (WCSD Policy 4030)
8. A written request for a student to opt-out of testing that is administered statewide or the
National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP).
9. Each parent shall receive a copy of the school’s disciplinary policy and acknowledge its
receipt by their signature. (WCSD Policy 2110)
10. The parent shall be notified of the student’s violation of the school discipline policy and
allow for the parent to respond to the violation in accordance with current policy.
August 2014
March 2016