HB1738

This bill establishes a 'Parents' Bill of Rights' in Arkansas, mandating that public school districts and open-enrollment public charter schools formalize procedures for parental involvement and notification. The legislation grants parents legal entitlement to access their child's educational and health-related records and to review instructional materials, including textbooks, lesson plans, and course syllabi. Parents are authorized to temporarily remove their children from specific school activities that conflict with their moral or religious beliefs, provided they do not use this right to avoid tests or specific academic subjects. Schools are required to notify parents within 24 hours of changes in a student's mental, emotional, or physical health or well-being, and they are prohibited from adopting policies that encourage students to withhold such information from their parents. Furthermore, the bill specifies that classroom instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity must be age-appropriate for students in grades 6-12 and reinforces existing restrictions regarding such instruction for students in grades K-5. Exceptions to parental notification are permitted only in instances where disclosure could lead to child abuse, abandonment, or neglect, or if otherwise prohibited by law.