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Bill > HF554

IA HF554

IA HF554
A bill for an act relating to public schools, including by modifying provisions related to school district library programs and requests to remove educational materials from classrooms and school libraries.

summary

Introduced
02/24/2025
In Committee
02/24/2025
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead

Introduced Session

91st General Assembly

Bill Summary

This bill relates to public schools, including by modifying provisions related to school district library programs and requests to remove educational materials from classrooms and school libraries. Current law requires school districts to employ either a qualified teacher librarian licensed by the board of educational examiners or a person previously employed as a librarian by a public library. The bill modifies this provision to provide that, beginning July 1, 2025, each school district shall employ a qualified teacher librarian licensed by the board of educational examiners. Current law requires each school district to establish a kindergarten through grade 12 library program that contains only age-appropriate materials. Current law also establishes enforcement mechanisms related to this requirement that include the issuance of written warnings by the department of education and hearings before the board of educational examiners. The bill strikes the enforcement mechanisms. The bill strikes a provision of Code section 279.77 (transparency —— publication of school district information) that provides that the identity of a parent or guardian who requests the removal of a book, article, outline, handout, video, or other educational material that is available to students in the classroom or in a library operated by the school district shall be confidential and shall not be a public record subject to disclosure under Code chapter 22 (examination of public records). Current law prohibits school districts, charter schools, and innovation zone schools from allowing a student to serve on any committee that determines, or provides recommendations related to, whether a material in a library operated by the school should be removed. The bill strikes the provisions implementing these prohibitions.

AI Summary

This bill modifies several provisions related to school library programs and educational material in Iowa public schools. Starting July 1, 2025, school districts will be required to employ a qualified teacher librarian licensed by the board of educational examiners, removing the previous option of hiring a librarian previously employed by a public library. The bill eliminates previous enforcement mechanisms related to age-appropriate library materials and strikes provisions that protected the confidentiality of parents or guardians requesting the removal of educational materials. Additionally, the bill removes existing prohibitions that prevented students from serving on committees that make decisions about library materials. The board of educational examiners will also no longer require a master's degree for teacher librarian license applicants. These changes appear to provide more flexibility in school library staffing and material selection processes, while potentially reducing restrictions on student involvement in library-related decision-making.

Committee Categories

Education

Sponsors (12)

Last Action

Introduced, referred to Education. H.J. 413. (on 02/24/2025)

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