(a) As used in this section, “parent” means parent, guardian or legal custodian who is required under § 49-6-3001 to enroll the child in school.

(b) LEAs are authorized and encouraged to partner with individuals, community and faith-based groups and organizations and nonprofit and for-profit entities to design and implement programs to improve parental involvement in their children's education and schools, particularly in high priority schools or school systems.

(c) LEAs shall identify or encourage development of parenting classes that are provided at low or no cost to parents by organizations within the community and that are designed to improve parental involvement in their children's education.

(d) Parenting classes in these parent involvement programs should provide parents with information and skills related to improving student performance. For example, these classes may address:

(1) How to be a positive role model for children in motivating them to do well in school;

(2) How to maximize the benefits of parent-teacher conferences;

(3) The importance of sleep and good nutrition in school performance;

(4) How to help with homework assignments and to establish an environment conducive to completion of homework assignments;

(5) Techniques that can be taught students to improve studying and classroom performance;

(6) How to access and use technology provided by the LEA or school that furnishes information about school assignments, activities and events and about student attendance and performance;

(7) The importance of school attendance and the consequences of truancy;

(8) How to help students prepare for entrance into college or the workforce; and

(9) Ways of becoming involved in a child's school, including opportunities to volunteer in the school.

(e) LEAs may solicit donations from its partners to fund rewards for schools or classes in which a high percentage of parents participate in at least two (2) parenting classes to learn skills related to improving student performance. Rewards may include equipment and supplies for the school or the class being rewarded or for specific programs offered by the school and field trips and other educational activities that would benefit the school or the class of students being rewarded. LEAs may devise ways of providing recognition to schools or classes in which a high percentage of parents participate in at least two (2) parenting classes, as well as recognizing the parents who participated.

(f) LEAs shall encourage parents who participate in the parenting classes to be a positive influence on parents, whose children enter the school for the first time during the next school year, and on parents who have not attended the parenting classes, to promote participation in the parental involvement program.