The Santa Rosa County District School Board is committed to honoring the rights of parents/legal guardians and promoting their involvement in the District. The School Board recognizes the fundamental rights of parents/legal guardians to direct the upbringing, education, and care of their minor children.  To that end, the School Board has adopted the following policy: Family and School Partnership for Student Achievement (2.261).  This document also contains a list of important information relating to the promotion of parental involvement in the schools.
Parents’ Bill of Rights (HB 241) (2021) and Parental Rights in Education (HB 1557) (2022)

In 2021, the Legislature enacted HB 241, the Parents’ Bill of Rights, codified in Chapter 1014, F.S. It provides that “important information relating to a minor child should not be withheld, either inadvertently or purposefully, from his or her parent.”  (s. 1014.02, F.S.)School boards, as well as other government agencies, may not infringe upon the fundamental rights of parents unless it is “reasonable and necessary to achieve a compelling state interest and that such action is narrowly tailored and is not otherwise served by a less restrictive means.”  (s. 1014.03, F.S.)  These rights include the right “to direct the education and care of [the parent’s] minor children.”  (s. 1014.04(1)(a), F.S.)  Finally, school boards must adopt a policy to promote parental involvement in the schools, including a process to object to instructional materials, opt-out of sex education, and other rights previously enacted in the Education Code (Chapters 1000-1013, F.S.).  (s. 1014.05, F.S.)

Further, in 2022, the Legislature enacted HB 1557, entitled Parental Rights in Education.  This bill amended the Powers and Duties of District School Boards.  (s. 1001.42, F.S.)  It requires school boards to adopt procedures for notifying parents/legal guardians “if there is a change in the student’s services or monitoring related to the student’s mental, emotional, or physical health or well-being and the school’s ability to provide a safe and supportive learning environment for the student.”  (s. 1001.42(8)(c)1., F.S.)  District procedures can only permit withholding information from a parent/legal guardian “if a reasonably prudent person would believe that disclosure would result in abuse, abandonment, or neglect.”  (s. 1001.42(8)(c)2., F.S.)

The Legislature also added to the Superintendent’s Duties and Responsibilities. Section 1001.51(12)(a), Florida Statutes, provides that “Such records and reports shall include any determination to withhold from a parent information regarding the provision of any services to support the mental, physical, or emotional well-being of the parent’s minor child.  Any such determination must be based solely on child-specific information personally known to the school personnel and documented and approved by the school principal or his or her designee.  Such determination must be annually reviewed and redetermined.”  (s. 1001.51(12)(a), F.S.)

Helpful Links Required by the Parents’ Bill of Rights:

Based on the Parents’ Bill of Rights (particularly Section 1014.05(1), Florida Statutes) and Parental Rights in Education (particularly Section 1001.42(8), Florida Statutes, all SRCSD parents/legal guardians have the right to the areas in the left menu.