To enact section 3321.30 of the Revised Code to require parents of students enrolled in school districts rated continuous improvement or lower to attend a parent-teacher conference.

Section 1. That section 3321.30 of the Revised Code be enacted to read as follows:

Sec. 3321.30.  (A) As used in this section, "parent" means either of the natural or adoptive parents of a student, except under the following conditions:

(1) When the marriage of the natural or adoptive parents of the student has been terminated by a divorce, dissolution of marriage, or annulment or the natural or adoptive parents of the student are living separate and apart under a legal separation decree and the court has issued an order allocating the parental rights and responsibilities with respect to the student, "parent" means the residential parent as designated by the court except that "parent" means either parent when the court issues a shared parenting decree.

(2) When a court has granted temporary or permanent custody of the student to an individual or agency other than either of the natural or adoptive parents of the student, "parent" means the legal custodian of the student.

(3) When a court has appointed a guardian for the student, "parent" means the guardian of the student.

(4) When the student is the subject of a power of attorney executed under sections 3109.51 to 3109.62 of the Revised Code, "parent" means the grandparent designated as attorney in fact under the power of attorney. When the student is the subject of a caretaker authorization affidavit executed under sections 3109.65 to 3109.73 of the Revised Code, "parent" means the grandparent who executed the affidavit.

(B) This section applies to any city, exempted village, or local school district in each school year in which the school district ratings published under section 3302.03 of the Revised Code after the first day of July of that school year declare the district to be in need of continuous improvement, under an academic watch, or in a state of academic emergency.

(C) The parent of each student enrolled in a school district to which this section applies shall attend, prior to the thirty-first day of December of the school year, at least one parent-teacher conference held by the school the student attends to meet the student's teachers. The conference shall provide an opportunity for the parent and the student's teachers to establish expectations of the student for the school year, discuss the student's performance at school, and foster effective communication. In the case of a parent who has more than one child enrolled in the district, the requirement of this division shall apply separately with respect to each of the parent's children so enrolled.

(D) The board of education of each school district to which this section applies shall impose a fine of fifty dollars on each parent who fails to comply with division (C) of this section. In the case of a parent who has more than one child enrolled in the district, the board shall impose a separate fine of fifty dollars for each child for whom the parent fails to comply with that division. The board shall send the parent written notification of the fine. The notification shall inform the parent of the following:

(1) The amount of the fine, methods of payment, and the deadline for payment;

(2) The procedures adopted under division (F) of this section for showing good cause as to why the parent was unable to comply.

(E) The board shall notify parents of students enrolled in the district of the requirements of divisions (C) and (D) of this section. To the extent possible, the notification shall be provided prior to the opening day of school.

(F) The board shall adopt a policy establishing procedures by which a parent may appeal the fine imposed under division (D) of this section. The policy shall require the board to waive the fine for any parent who shows good cause as to why the parent was unable to comply with division (C) of this section.

(G) The board shall use all fines collected under this section solely to pay the costs of establishing and operating mentoring programs for students or other volunteer programs.