Sen. Scott Wilk (R-Santa Clarita) announced today that his second school transparency bill, which mandates the California Department of Education (CDE) to publish information on its website about the members selected for its Parent Advisory Council (PAC), was approved on the Senate Floor.
“Two years ago, the PAC was created to enable parents to work directly with the CDE, providing input and feedback on matters affecting our schoolchildren. It’s a good idea, but today we still don’t know who is on the council, when they meet, or what they actually do,” said Senator Wilk. “This bill simply requires the CDE to be fully transparent so parents can know who represents their voices on the council.”
Senate Bill 1194 (SB 1194) mandates that the CDE post the names and counties of residence of PAC members on its website by January 31, 2025. Additionally, if a member is employed by a local education agency, that information must also be included.
The bill also requires the CDE to update the membership list on its site within 30 days of a membership change.
In April 2022, the California Department of Education announced the formation of a statewide parent council. According to the CDE: “The Parent Advisory Council’s (PAC) mission is to engage families to help shape education policy and represent diverse parent voices in the statewide decision-making process. The PAC is committed to helping close gaps in achievement and to create authentic engagement opportunities that will result in transformative outcomes for California students.”
Applicants began receiving rejection letters in January 2023 but were not able to find information on who was selected. Today, information on who was selected has yet to be made public.
“Our schoolchildren are still struggling in the wake of the pandemic. While I’m encouraged by the Superintendent’s push to give parents a seat at the table, those who are not on the council deserve to know who is representing them. Transparency and accountability are vital for collaboration, and this bill simply sets a deadline for the CDE to publish information it has already committed to sharing,” concluded Wilk.
