Parents' Bill of Rights

Pamlico County Schools believes in the power of parent and family involvement and seeks to make it a priority.  As such, the Board is committed to developing policies and processes to effectively involve parents in schools and in their child's education. On August 16, 2023, Senate Bill 49 (Session Law 2023-106), generally known as the Parents' Bill of Rights, became law. This policy addresses:
 
  • Parents' legal rights with regard to their child's education
  • A parent guide for student achievement
  • Regulations related to parental rights and parent involvement in education. 
 
As state legislation continues to provide guidance on this bill, Pamlico County Schools will continue to work with our Board of Education, school leaders, staff and families regarding the implementation of this new legislation. 
 
 
Parents’ Rights for Their Child’s Education
 

Under this State Law (S.L. 2023-106), parents are allowed to exercise the following rights with regards to their child's education:

1. The right to consent or withhold consent for participation in reproductive health and safety education programs, consistent with the requirements of N.C.G.S. § 115C-81.30. 
 
2. The right to seek a medical or religious exemption from immunization requirements, consistent with the requirements of N.C.G.S. §§ G.S. 130A-156 and 130A-157.  See PCS Board Policy #4110
 
3. The right to review statewide standardized assessment results as part of the State report card. 
 
The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction provides a state report card annually which shares information about standardized assessment results. More information can be accessed at https://ncreports.ondemand.sas.com/src/.
 
4. The right to request an evaluation of their child for an academically or intellectually gifted program, or for identification as a child with a disability, as provided in Article 9 of Chapter 115C of the North Carolina General Statutes.  See PCS Board Policy #3520
 
5. The right to inspect and purchase public school unit textbooks and other supplementary instructional materials, as provided in Part 3 of Article 8 of Chapter 115C of the North Carolina General Statutes.
 
6. The right to access information relating to the Board’s policies for promotion or retention, including high school graduation requirements.
 
7. The right to receive student report cards on a regular basis that clearly depict and grade the student's academic performance in each class or course, the student's conduct, and the student's attendance.  See PCS Board Policy #3400
 
8. The right to access information relating to the State public education system, State standards, report card requirements, attendance requirements, and textbook requirements.
 
9. The right to participate in parent-teacher organizations.
 
10. The right to opt in to certain data collection for their child, as provided in Part 5 of Article 7B and Article 29 of Chapter 115C.
 
11. The right for students to participate in protected student information surveys only with parental consent, as provided in N.C.G.S. § 115C-76.65.
 
12. The right to review all available records of materials their child has borrowed from a school library. 
 
After a parent notifies their school principal in writing about their request for information under the Parent Involvement in Education Act, the principal shall submit the request to the Central Office Leadership Team. Within 10 business days of the request, Central Office Leadership shall either (i) provide the requested information to the parents or (ii) provide an extension notice of 20 days due to the volume or complexity of the request. 
 
Additional resources will be added to this site and shared with all stakeholders as they are available.