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Bill

HB 1684

TO CREATE THE PARENTS AND TEACHERS HELPING STUDENTS SUCCEED (PATHS) ACT.

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Mindy McAlindon and 1 co-sponsor

The PATHS Act empowers parents by ensuring access to educational materials, allowing temporary class removals for beliefs, and requiring timely health notifications from schools.

Died in Senate Committee at Sine Die adjournment.
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Bill Summary · HB 1684

Summary of House Bill 1684: Parents and Teachers Helping Students Succeed (PATHS) Act

Purpose and Intent

House Bill 1684, known as the Parents and Teachers Helping Students Succeed (PATHS) Act, was introduced to enhance parental rights and involvement in the education of their children. The bill aimed to establish clear guidelines for parental access to educational materials and information, thereby promoting transparency and collaboration between parents and schools.

Key Provisions

The PATHS Act proposed several significant changes to existing laws regarding parental rights in education:

  1. Definitions:

    • The bill defined "parent" to include biological or adoptive parents, legal guardians, and others with legal authority over a student.
    • It defined "school" to encompass public school districts and open-enrollment public charter schools.

  2. Parental Rights:

    • Parents would have the right to access all information related to their child as per the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act.
    • Parents could review teaching materials, instructional materials, textbooks, course syllabi, lesson plans, and other teaching aids used in their child's classroom, including during virtual learning.
    • Schools were required to provide these materials upon request, with a minimum notice of 72 hours for in-person reviews.

  3. Temporary Removal from Classes:

    • Parents could temporarily remove their child from classes or activities that conflict with their religious or moral beliefs, provided they submit a written statement to the teacher.

  4. Notification Procedures:

    • Schools were mandated to notify parents within 24 hours of any changes in services related to their child's mental, emotional, or physical health.
    • Procedures were to be established to ensure that school personnel encourage students to discuss their well-being with their parents.

  5. Limitations on Information Withholding:

    • The bill prohibited schools from adopting policies that would prevent parental notification regarding a student's health or well-being, except in cases where disclosure could lead to abuse or neglect.

Affected Parties

  • Parents and Guardians: The bill aimed to empower parents by enhancing their rights and involvement in their children's education.
  • Schools and Educators: The legislation would have required schools to adopt new procedures for parental access to educational materials and notification processes.

Legislative Timeline

  • Introduced: March 5, 2025
  • Passed House: March 20, 2025
  • Received in Senate: March 20, 2025
  • Died in Senate Committee: May 5, 2025, at Sine Die adjournment

Fiscal Impact

According to the Arkansas Department of Education, there was no fiscal impact anticipated for the Arkansas Department of Education (ADE) as a result of this bill.

Conclusion

Although the PATHS Act aimed to strengthen parental involvement in education, it ultimately did not progress past the Senate committee stage and was marked as "died in committee." The proposed legislation reflects ongoing discussions about the role of parents in education and the balance of rights between parents and schools.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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