House File 273 - Introduced
HOUSE FILE
BY SALMON, WILLS, FISHER,
GUSTAFSON, HEARTSILL,
HOLT, RIZER, GASSMAN,
WINDSCHITL, SHEETS,
WATTS, and LANDON
A BILL FOR
1 An Act relating to academic and assessment standards for school
2 districts and accredited nonpublic schools.
3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
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PAG LIN
1 1 Section 1. Section 256.7, subsection 21, paragraph b,
1 2 subparagraphs (2) and (3), Code 2015, are amended to read as
1 3 follows:
1 4 (2) Notwithstanding subparagraph (1), for the school year
1 5 beginning July 1, 2016, and each succeeding school year, the
1 6 rules shall provide that all students enrolled in school
1 7 districts in grades three through eleven shall be administered
1 8 an assessment during the last quarter of the school year that
1 9 at a minimum assesses the core academic indicators identified
1 10 in this paragraph "b"; is aligned with the Iowa common core
1 11 content standards in both content and rigor; accurately
1 12 describes student achievement and growth for purposes of the
1 13 school, the school district, and state accountability systems;
1 14 and provides valid, reliable, and fair measures of student
1 15 progress toward college or career readiness.
1 16 (3) The director shall establish an assessment task
1 17 force to review and make recommendations for a statewide
1 18 assessment of student progress on the core academic indicators
1 19 identified pursuant to this paragraph "b". The task force
1 20 shall recommend a statewide assessment that is aligned to
1 21 the Iowa common core content standards and is, at a minimum,
1 22 valid, reliable, tested, and piloted in Iowa. In addition,
1 23 in developing recommendations, the task force shall consider
1 24 the costs to school districts and the state in providing and
1 25 administering such an assessment and the technical support
1 26 necessary to implement the assessment. The task force shall
1 27 submit its recommendations in a report to the director, the
1 28 state board, and the general assembly by January 1, 2015.
1 29 The task force shall assist with the final development and
1 30 implementation of the assessment administered pursuant to
1 31 subparagraph (2). The task force members shall include but
1 32 not be limited to teachers, school administrators, business
1 33 leaders, representatives of state agencies, and members of the
1 34 general public. This subparagraph is repealed July 1, 2020.
1 35 Sec. 2. Section 256.7, subsection 21, paragraph c, Code
2 1 2015, is amended to read as follows:
2 2 c. A requirement that all school districts and accredited
2 3 nonpublic schools annually report to the department and the
2 4 local community the district=wide progress made in attaining
2 5 student achievement goals on the academic and other core
2 6 indicators and the district=wide progress made in attaining
2 7 locally established student learning goals. The school
2 8 districts and accredited nonpublic schools shall demonstrate
2 9 the use of multiple assessment measures in determining student
2 10 achievement levels. The school districts and accredited
2 11 nonpublic schools shall also report the number of students
2 12 who graduate; the number of students who drop out of school;
2 13 the number of students who are tested and the percentage of
2 14 students who are so tested annually; and the percentage of
2 15 students who graduated during the prior school year and who
2 16 completed a core curriculum the Iowa content standards. The
2 17 board shall develop and adopt uniform definitions consistent
2 18 with the federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, Pub. L. No.
2 19 107=110 and any federal regulations adopted pursuant to the
2 20 federal Act. The school districts and accredited nonpublic
2 21 schools may report on other locally determined factors
2 22 influencing student achievement. The school districts and
2 23 accredited nonpublic schools shall also report to the local
2 24 community their results by individual attendance center.
2 25 Sec. 3. Section 256.7, subsection 26, paragraph a,
2 26 unnumbered paragraph 1, Code 2015, is amended to read as
2 27 follows:
2 28 Adopt rules that establish a core curriculum and the Iowa
2 29 content standards, which school districts and accredited
2 30 nonpublic schools may elect to use, in whole or in part, at the
2 31 discretion of the school district or school. The state board
2 32 shall also adopt high school graduation requirements for all
2 33 students in school districts and accredited nonpublic schools
2 34 that include at a minimum satisfactory completion of four years
2 35 of English and language arts, three years of mathematics, three
3 1 years of science, and three years of social studies.
3 2 Sec. 4. Section 256.7, subsection 26, paragraph a,
3 3 subparagraph (3), Code 2015, is amended to read as follows:
3 4 (3) The rules establishing a core curriculum the Iowa
3 5 content standards shall address the core content assessment
3 6 standards in subsection 28 and the skills and knowledge
3 7 students need to be successful in the twenty=first century.
3 8 The core curriculum Iowa content standards shall include
3 9 social studies and twenty=first century learning skills which
3 10 include but are not limited to civic literacy, health literacy,
3 11 technology literacy, financial literacy, and employability
3 12 skills; and shall address the curricular needs of students in
3 13 kindergarten through grade twelve in those areas. The state
3 14 board shall further define the twenty=first century learning
3 15 skills components by rule.
3 16 Sec. 5. Section 256.7, subsection 26, paragraph b, Code
3 17 2015, is amended by striking the paragraph.
3 18 Sec. 6. Section 256.7, subsection 26, paragraph c, Code
3 19 2015, is amended to read as follows:
3 20 c. Neither the state board nor the department shall require
3 21 school districts or accredited nonpublic schools to adopt a
3 22 specific textbook, textbook series, or specific instructional
3 23 methodology, or acquire specific textbooks, curriculum
3 24 materials, or educational products from a specific vendor
3 25 in order to meet the core curriculum requirements of this
3 26 subsection or the core content assessment standards adopted
3 27 pursuant to subsection 28.
3 28 Sec. 7. Section 256.7, subsection 28, Code 2015, is amended
3 29 to read as follows:
3 30 28. Adopt a set of core content assessment standards
3 31 applicable to all students in kindergarten through grade twelve
3 32 in every school district and accredited nonpublic school.
3 33 For purposes of this subsection, "core content assessment
3 34 standards" includes reading, mathematics, and science. The core
3 35 content assessment standards shall be identical to the core
4 1 content assessment standards included in Iowa's approved 2006
4 2 standards and assessment system under Tit. I of the federal
4 3 Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, 20 U.S.C. {6301
4 4 et seq., as amended by the federal No Child Left Behind Act of
4 5 2001, Pub. L. No. 107=110. School districts and accredited
4 6 nonpublic schools shall include, at a minimum, the core content
4 7 assessment standards adopted pursuant to this subsection in any
4 8 set of locally developed content standards. School districts
4 9 and accredited nonpublic schools are strongly encouraged to set
4 10 higher expectations in local standards. As changes in federal
4 11 law or regulation occur, the state board is authorized to amend
4 12 the core content standards as appropriate.
4 13 Sec. 8. Section 256.9, subsection 53, paragraph a, Code
4 14 2015, is amended to read as follows:
4 15 a. Develop and distribute, in collaboration with the area
4 16 education agencies, core curriculum Iowa content standards
4 17 technical assistance and implementation strategies that school
4 18 districts and accredited nonpublic schools shall may utilize,
4 19 including but not limited to the development and delivery
4 20 of formative and end=of=course model assessments classroom
4 21 teachers may use to measure student progress on the core
4 22 curriculum content standards adopted pursuant to section
4 23 256.7, subsection 26. The department shall, in collaboration
4 24 with the advisory group convened in accordance with paragraph
4 25 "b" and educational assessment providers, identify and make
4 26 available to school districts end=of=course and additional
4 27 model end=of=course and additional assessments to align with
4 28 the expectations included in the Iowa core curriculum content
4 29 standards. The model assessments shall be suitable to meet the
4 30 multiple assessment measures requirement specified in section
4 31 256.7, subsection 21, paragraph "c".
4 32 Sec. 9. Section 256.9, subsection 54, Code 2015, is amended
4 33 to read as follows:
4 34 54. Submit an annual report to the general assembly by
4 35 January 1 regarding activities, findings, and student progress
5 1 under the core curriculum Iowa content standards established
5 2 pursuant to section 256.7, subsection 26. The annual report
5 3 shall include the state board's findings and recommendations.
5 4 Sec. 10. Section 256.40, subsection 2, paragraph e, Code
5 5 2015, is amended to read as follows:
5 6 e. Integrate services provided through the program with
5 7 other career exploration=related activities such as the student
5 8 core curriculum graduation plan and the career information and
5 9 decision=making system developed and administered under section
5 10 279.61, where appropriate.
5 11 Sec. 11. Section 256.42, subsection 6, Code 2015, is amended
5 12 to read as follows:
5 13 6. Coursework offered under the initiative shall be
5 14 rigorous and high quality, and the department shall annually
5 15 evaluate the quality of the courses and ensure that coursework
5 16 is aligned with the state's core curriculum and core Iowa
5 17 content requirements standards and the assessment standards, as
5 18 well as national standards of quality for online courses issued
5 19 by an internationally recognized association for kindergarten
5 20 through grade twelve online learning.
5 21 Sec. 12. Section 257.11, subsection 9, Code 2015, is amended
5 22 to read as follows:
5 23 9. Shared classes and curriculum standards. A school
5 24 district shall ensure that any course made available to a
5 25 student through any sharing agreement between the school
5 26 district and a community college or any other entity providing
5 27 course programming pursuant to this section to students
5 28 enrolled in the school district meets the expectations
5 29 contained in the core curriculum adopted pursuant to section
5 30 256.7, subsection 26. The school district shall ensure that
5 31 any course that has the capacity to generate college credit
5 32 shall be equivalent to college=level work.
5 33 Sec. 13. Section 258.4, subsection 8, Code 2015, is amended
5 34 to read as follows:
5 35 8. Establish a minimum set of competencies and core
6 1 curriculum content standards for approval of a vocational
6 2 program sequence that addresses the following: new and
6 3 emerging technologies; job=seeking, job=keeping, and
6 4 other employment skills, including self=employment and
6 5 entrepreneurial skills, that reflect current industry
6 6 standards, leadership skills, entrepreneurial, and labor=market
6 7 needs; and the strengthening of basic academic skills.
6 8 Sec. 14. Section 260C.14, subsection 22, paragraph b, Code
6 9 2015, is amended to read as follows:
6 10 b. Collaborate with the state board of regents to meet
6 11 the requirements specified in section 262.9, subsection 33,
6 12 including but not limited to developing a systematic process
6 13 for expanding academic discipline and meetings between the
6 14 community college faculty and faculty of the institutions
6 15 of higher education governed by the state board of regents,
6 16 developing criteria to prioritize core curriculum areas
6 17 Iowa content standards, promoting greater awareness of
6 18 articulation=related activities, facilitating additional
6 19 opportunities for individual institutions to pursue program
6 20 articulation agreements for career and technical educational
6 21 programs, and developing and implementing a process to
6 22 examine a minimum of eight new associate of applied science
6 23 degree programs for which articulation agreements would serve
6 24 students' continued academic success in those degree programs.
6 25 Sec. 15. Section 261E.4, subsection 4, Code 2015, is amended
6 26 to read as follows:
6 27 4. A school district shall establish prerequisite
6 28 coursework for each advanced placement course offered and shall
6 29 describe the prerequisites in the course registration handbook,
6 30 which shall be provided to every junior high school or middle
6 31 school student prior to the development of a core curriculum
6 32 graduation plan pursuant to section 279.61.
6 33 Sec. 16. Section 261E.6, subsection 2, Code 2015, is amended
6 34 to read as follows:
6 35 2. Notification. The availability and requirements of this
7 1 program shall be included in each school district's student
7 2 registration handbook. Information about the program shall be
7 3 provided to the student and the student's parent or guardian
7 4 prior to the development of the student's core curriculum
7 5 graduation plan under section 279.61. The school district
7 6 shall establish a process by which students may indicate
7 7 interest in and apply for enrollment in the program.
7 8 Sec. 17. Section 261E.8, subsection 1, Code 2015, is amended
7 9 to read as follows:
7 10 1. A district=to=community college sharing or concurrent
7 11 enrollment program is established to be administered by the
7 12 department to promote rigorous academic or career and technical
7 13 pursuits and to provide a wider variety of options to high
7 14 school students to enroll part=time in eligible nonsectarian
7 15 courses at or through community colleges established under
7 16 chapter 260C. The program shall be made available to all
7 17 resident students in grades nine through twelve. Notice of
7 18 the availability of the program shall be included in a school
7 19 district's student registration handbook and the handbook shall
7 20 identify which courses, if successfully completed, generate
7 21 college credit under the program. A student and the student's
7 22 parent or legal guardian shall also be made aware of this
7 23 program as a part of the development of the student's core
7 24 curriculum graduation plan in accordance with section 279.61.
7 25 Sec. 18. Section 261E.9, subsection 2, paragraph b, Code
7 26 2015, is amended to read as follows:
7 27 b. A regional academy may include in its curriculum virtual
7 28 or internet=based coursework and courses delivered via the Iowa
7 29 communications network, career and technical courses, core
7 30 curriculum Iowa content standards coursework, courses required
7 31 pursuant to section 256.7, subsection 26, or section 256.11,
7 32 subsections 4 and 5, and asynchronous learning networks.
7 33 Sec. 19. Section 261E.9, subsection 4, Code 2015, is amended
7 34 to read as follows:
7 35 4. Information regarding regional academies shall be
8 1 provided to a student and the student's parent or guardian
8 2 prior to the development of the student's core curriculum
8 3 graduation plan under section 279.61.
8 4 Sec. 20. Section 261E.10, subsection 4, Code 2015, is
8 5 amended to read as follows:
8 6 4. Information regarding career academies shall be provided
8 7 by the school district to a student and the student's parent
8 8 or guardian prior to the development of the student's core
8 9 curriculum graduation plan under section 279.61.
8 10 Sec. 21. Section 262.9, subsection 33, paragraph c, Code
8 11 2015, is amended to read as follows:
8 12 c. Develop criteria to prioritize core curriculum areas the
8 13 Iowa content standards and create or review transition guides
8 14 for the core curriculum areas Iowa content standards.
8 15 Sec. 22. Section 279.61, Code 2015, is amended to read as
8 16 follows:
8 17 279.61 Student plan for progress toward university admissions
8 18 == report.
8 19 1. For the school year beginning July 1, 2008, and each
8 20 succeeding school year, the The board of directors of each
8 21 school district shall cooperate with each student enrolled
8 22 in grade eight to develop for the student a core curriculum
8 23 plan to guide the student toward the goal of successfully
8 24 completing, at a minimum, the core curriculum developed high
8 25 school graduation requirements adopted by the state board of
8 26 education pursuant to section 256.7, subsection 26, by the
8 27 time the student graduates from high school. The plan shall
8 28 include career options and shall identify the coursework
8 29 needed in grades nine through twelve to support the student's
8 30 postsecondary education and career options. Additionally, the
8 31 plan shall include a timeline for each student to successfully
8 32 complete, prior to graduation, all components of the
8 33 state=designated career information and decision=making system
8 34 administered by the department in accordance with section 118
8 35 of the federal Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education
9 1 Improvement Act of 2006, Pub. L. No. 109=270. The student's
9 2 parent or guardian shall sign the core curriculum graduation
9 3 plan developed with the student and the signed plan shall be
9 4 included in the student's cumulative records.
9 5 2. For the school year beginning July 1, 2008, and each
9 6 succeeding school year, the The board of directors of each
9 7 school district shall report annually to each student enrolled
9 8 in grades nine through twelve in the school district, and, if
9 9 the student is under the age of eighteen, to each student's
9 10 parent or guardian, the student's progress toward meeting the
9 11 goal of successfully completing the core curriculum and high
9 12 school graduation requirements adopted by the state board of
9 13 education pursuant to section 256.7, subsection 26.
9 14 Sec. 23. Section 280.3, subsection 3, Code 2015, is amended
9 15 by striking the subsection.
9 16 EXPLANATION
9 17 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
9 18 the explanation's substance by the members of the general assembly.
9 19 This bill continues to direct the state board of education
9 20 to adopt sets of academic and assessment standards, but amends
9 21 the terms used to describe the standards and makes use of the
9 22 academic standards by school districts and accredited nonpublic
9 23 schools voluntary. The bill also strikes language that
9 24 authorizes the state board to amend the core content standards
9 25 as changes in federal law or regulation occur.
9 26 The bill replaces the terms "core curriculum", "Iowa
9 27 core curriculum", and "Iowa common core", which were used to
9 28 describe the academic standards adopted by the state board,
9 29 with the term "Iowa content standards". Also, provisions
9 30 directing school districts to cooperate with each eighth grade
9 31 student on a core curriculum plan to meet core curriculum
9 32 requirements are amended to replace "core curriculum plan"
9 33 with "graduation plan" and "core curriculum requirements"
9 34 with "high school graduation requirements". The term "core
9 35 content standards", which was used to describe the assessment
10 1 standards adopted by the state board, is replaced with the
10 2 term "assessment standards". The assessment standards will
10 3 remain applicable to all students in kindergarten through
10 4 grade 12 in every school district and accredited nonpublic
10 5 school. Corresponding changes are made throughout the Code,
10 6 and obsolete language is eliminated.
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