CLEVELAND -- It's no secret that schools need volunteers in order to do more for students, but one proposed law in Indiana would make it a requirement for parents to volunteer at their children's school.

Parent Darlene Boyd has been volunteering at her grandchildren's school for six years. If the state legislature passes House Bill 519, she'll have a lot of company, Cleveland station WEWS reports.

The bill would require all parents to volunteer 13 hours each school year, either in the lunchroom, chaperoning field trips, or wherever the district needs help.

Research shows parents' involvement leads to student success, but Cleveland schools CEO Eugene Sanders said volunteerism is almost impossible to legislate.

"If there's a way to encourage it, create incentives -- that's the better way. The difficulty is what are your options to address it if it doesn't occur? Your legal options are limited in that kind of setting," Sanders said.

The bill's incentive is a $100 fine for parents who don't fulfill the requirement.

Franklin D. Roosevelt Academy Principal Sam Vawters said he can always use more parent volunteers, but he doesn't think that's the way to do it.

And Boyd agrees: "I wouldn't want anyone to be forced to come here. Either you want to be here or you don't."

According to the bill, if a parent doesn't fulfill the requirement and refuses to pay the fine, the money would be taken out of the parent's state tax refund.

House Bill 519 is sponsored by Sandra Williams (D-Cleveland) from District 11. You can e-mail her at district11@ohr.state.oh.us.