Bill > HF5

Introduced Session

This bill relates to education, including requiring the boards of directors of school districts and the governing boards of charter schools to publish certain specified information and modifying provisions related to required social studies instruction. DIVISION I —— SCHOOL DISTRICT AND CHARTER SCHOOL TRANSPARENCY. The bill enacts new Code section 279.77, which requires the board of directors of a school district and charter schools to adopt a policy describing the procedures for the parent or guardian of a student enrolled in the school district or charter school to review the instructional materials used in the student’s classroom. The bill requires the policy to include a process for the parent or guardian to request that the student not be provided with certain instructional materials. The bill also requires the school district or charter school to display the policy on its internet site and annually provide a written or electronic copy of the policy to the parent or guardian of each student enrolled in the school district or charter school. New Code section 279.77 also requires school districts and charter schools to provide the parent or guardian of a student enrolled in the school district or charter school with all of the following information related to the current school year: a course syllabus or summary of material that will be taught in the student’s classes, how the student’s classes meet or exceed educational standards, and a list of all instructional materials that will be used in the student’s classes. The bill establishes that school districts and charter schools may provide the information in certain specified electronic forms. The bill requires a teacher or the school district or charter school to update the information on or before the end of the school week when a modification occurs. New Code section 279.77 requires school districts and charter schools to make available to the parent or guardian of a student enrolled in the school district or charter school a comprehensive list of all books available to students in libraries operated by the school district or charter school. The bill requires school districts and charter schools to provide instructions on their internet sites that show the procedures in effect for the parent or guardian to request the removal of a book from a school library. New Code section 279.77 requires school districts and charter schools to publish on their internet sites information related to the training and professional development courses and programs offered by the school district or charter school in which employees of the school district or charter school have participated during the current school year. New Code section 279.77 establishes that it does not apply to teachers providing special education instruction pursuant to Code chapter 256B. The bill provides that if the department of education determines a school district or charter school is found to be in noncompliance with new Code section 279.77, after having an opportunity to correct the issue, the department is required to take corrective action, which could include imposing conditions on funding or withholding certain payments. The bill also provides that if the school district or charter school continues to be in noncompliance with new Code section 279.77 within 14 days after receipt of notice from the department, the department shall assess a civil penalty against the school district or charter school in an amount not less than $500 and not more than $5,000. The bill requires the department to provide notice to the board of educational examiners indicating the identity of any individual licensed by the board whose violation of new Code section 279.77 leads to enforcement action by the department. The bill enacts new Code section 279.78, which requires the board of directors of a school district or charter school to adopt protocols for the selection, review, reconsideration, and removal of materials in school libraries. The bill establishes that the protocols are required to include all of the following: a process for the selection and removal of materials from school libraries; a process for a parent or guardian of a student enrolled in the school district or charter school to request that specific library materials not be checked out by the student; the lawful and ethical use of information resources; and a process that allows the parent or guardian of a student enrolled in the school district or charter school to request the removal of materials from school libraries. The bill requires the board of directors of a school district or charter school to create a document illustrating the procedure for the parent or guardian to request the removal of a book that is available in a school library. DIVISION II —— SOCIAL STUDIES INSTRUCTION. Under current law, the educational program established pursuant to Code section 256.11 is required to include, in grades 9 through 12, five units of social studies, one-half unit of which is to consist of instruction in United States government. The bill provides that this one-half unit of United States government shall include an assessment of the student’s knowledge of United States government and civics. The bill provides that the most recent version of the civics test developed by the United States citizenship and immigration services shall be used as the assessment. The bill requires each school district and nonpublic school to submit the results of the assessment to the department of education by June 30 of each year. By operation of law, a charter school is subject to the education standards of Code section 256.11 unless the state board of education waives a particular standard for the charter school during the charter school’s application.

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Committee Categories

Eddie Andrews (R)*,  Brooke Boden (R)*,  Jacob Bossman (R)*,  Steve Bradley (R)*,  Taylor Collins (R)*,  Dave Deyoe (R)*,  Jon Dunwell (R)*,  Dean Fisher (R)*,  Dan Gehlbach (R)*,  Thomas Gerhold (R)*,  Martin Graber (R)*,  Pat Grassley (R)*,  Stan Gustafson (R)*,  Bill Gustoff (R)*,  Austin Harris (R)*,  Steven Holt (R)*,  Heather Hora (R)*,  Tom Jeneary (R)*,  Craig Johnson (R)*,  Norlin Mommsen (R)*,  Tom Moore (R)*,  Carter Nordman (R)*,  Anne Osmundson (R)*,  Jeff Shipley (R)*,  Luana Stoltenberg (R)*,  Henry Stone (R)*,  Phil Thompson (R)*,  Skyler Wheeler (R)*,  John Wills (R)*,  Matt Windschitl (R)*,  Devon Wood (R)*,  Derek Wulf (R)*,  David Young (R)*, 

Subcommittee recommends passage. Vote Total: 2-1. (on 02/01/2023)

Official Document