Co-Sponsorship Memo Details

Many parents in Pennsylvania find it difficult to attend parent-teacher conferences, support their children’s extra-curricular activities, or participate in school accountability. Too often, this is the result of the scheduling demands of jobs which parents depend upon to provide for their families.
 
Research shows that parental support is more important to school success than a student’s IQ or socioeconomic status and is crucial to healthy development. Parents’ engagement in their children’s school activities improves student achievement, reduces absenteeism, affirms parents’ confidence in education, and reflectively improves teacher morale. Students with engaged parents or other caregivers earn higher grades and test scores, have better social skills, and show improved behavior. The connection can make a difference at all age levels and the more intensively involved parents are, the greater the positive impact.
 
As legislators, we have an obligation to provide a framework for employers to allow parent-employees the scheduling flexibility to be involved with their children’s education. My legislation will require employers to give eligible parents eight hours of unpaid leave per year to attend school-related activities. Also, if a parent has a child with an Individualized Education Program (IEP) or a child with a disability, they will receive an additional four hours of unpaid leave.
 
Please consider joining us in supporting Pennsylvania’s students and their parents by co-sponsoring this legislation.