HF 2388 (LSB 6154HV (7) 85)

RELATING TO CONTINUITY OF LEARNING FOR CHILDREN ADJUDICATED UNDER THE JUVENILE JUSTICE LAW OR RECEIVING FOSTER CARE SERVICES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  Section 273.2, Code 2014, is amended by adding the following new subsection:
   NEW SUBSECTION.  10.  The area education agency board is encouraged to employ a child welfare liaison to provide services and guidance to local school districts to facilitate the efficient and effective transfer and enrollment of a child adjudicated under chapter 232 or receiving foster care services to another school district, including but not limited to guidance relating to the transfer of credit earned for coursework taken by the student, enrollment transition planning, facilitating information sharing between education and child welfare agencies, and developing systems designed to ameliorate the transition issues faced by a child adjudicated under chapter 232 or receiving foster care services who is transferring to and enrolling in a school district.
    Sec. 2.  Section 280.29, Code 2014, is amended to read as follows:
   280.29  Enrollment of children adjudicated or in foster care —— transfer of educational records —— services.
   1.  In order to facilitate the educational stability of children in adjudicated under chapter 232 or receiving foster care services, a school district, upon notification by an agency of the state that a child in adjudicated under chapter 232 or receiving foster care services is transferring into to and enrolling in the school district, shall provide for the immediate and appropriate enrollment of the child.  The school district shall do the following:
   a.  Work with an area education agency child welfare liaison, if the area education agency has employed such a liaison in accordance with section 273.2, subsection 10, to develop systems to ease the enrollment transition of a child adjudicated under chapter 232 or receiving foster care services to another school.
   b.  Develop procedures for awarding credit for coursework, including electives, completed by a child adjudicated under chapter 232 or receiving foster care services while enrolled at another school.
   (1)  Credits and grades earned and offered for acceptance shall be based on official transcripts and shall be accepted without validation unless required under the receiving school district’s accreditation requirements.
   (2)  If the child earned less than a passing grade for a unit of coursework, the school district may require the child to retake the class in middle or high school. If the school district determines the child’s proficiencies in an elementary grade are substantially deficient, the child’s parent or guardian shall be notified and intensive instructional services and supports pursuant to section 279.68 shall be provided if appropriate.
   c.  Promote practices that facilitate access by a child adjudicated under chapter 232 or receiving foster care services to extracurricular programs, summer programs, and credit transfer services.
   d.  Establish procedures to lessen the adverse impact of the enrollment transfer of a child adjudicated under chapter 232 or receiving foster care services to another school.
   e.  Enter into a memorandum of understanding with the department of human services regarding the exchange of information as appropriate to facilitate the enrollment transition of children adjudicated under chapter 232 or receiving foster care services from one school to another school.
   f.  Provide other assistance as identified by the area education child welfare liaison.
   2.  A school district or an accredited nonpublic school, upon notification by an agency of the state that a child adjudicated under chapter 232 or in foster care is transferring enrollment from the school district or accredited nonpublic school to another school district or accredited nonpublic school, shall promptly provide for the transfer of all of the educational records of the child not later than five school days after receiving the notification.
    Sec. 3.  STATE MANDATE FUNDING SPECIFIED.  In accordance with section 25B.2, subsection 3, the state cost of requiring compliance with any state mandate included in this Act shall be paid by a school district from state school foundation aid received by the school district under section 257.16. This specification of the payment of the state cost shall be deemed to meet all of the state funding-related requirements of section 25B.2, subsection 3, and no additional state funding shall be necessary for the full implementation of this Act by and enforcement of this Act against all affected school districts.

______________________________
KRAIG PAULSEN

Speaker of the House

______________________________
PAM JOCHUM

President of the Senate

   I hereby certify that this bill originated in the House and is known as House File 2388, Eighty-fifth General Assembly.

______________________________
CARMINE BOAL

Chief Clerk of the House
Approved _______________, 2014

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TERRY E. BRANSTAD

Governor