House File 2247 - Introduced HOUSE FILE 2247 BY MASCHER A BILL FOR An Act providing for the foreign-language instruction of 1 students in kindergarten through grade twelve, providing 2 a funding option for such instruction, and including 3 applicability provisions. 4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 5 TLSB 5776HH (3) 83 ak/sc

H.F. 2247 Section 1. Section 256.11, subsections 2, 3, and 4, Code 1 Supplement 2009, are amended to read as follows: 2 2. The kindergarten program shall include experiences 3 designed to develop healthy emotional and social habits and 4 growth in the language arts and communication skills, as well 5 as a capacity for the completion of individual tasks, and 6 protect and increase physical well-being with attention given 7 to experiences relating to the development of life skills and 8 human growth and development. Students shall be provided 9 instruction in a foreign language other than American sign 10 language. A kindergarten teacher shall be licensed to teach 11 in kindergarten. An accredited nonpublic school must meet the 12 requirements of this subsection only if the nonpublic school 13 offers a kindergarten program. 14 3. The following areas shall be taught in grades one through 15 six: English-language arts, social studies, mathematics, 16 science, health, age-appropriate and research-based human 17 growth and development, physical education, traffic safety, 18 music, and visual art , and a foreign language other than 19 American sign language . The health curriculum shall include 20 the characteristics of communicable diseases including acquired 21 immune deficiency syndrome. The state board as part of 22 accreditation standards shall adopt curriculum definitions for 23 implementing the elementary program. 24 4. The following shall be taught in grades seven and 25 eight: English-language arts; social studies; mathematics; 26 science; health; age-appropriate and research-based human 27 growth and development; family, consumer, career, and 28 technology education; physical education; music; and visual 29 art ; and a foreign language other than American sign language . 30 The health curriculum shall include age-appropriate and 31 research-based information regarding the characteristics 32 of sexually transmitted diseases, including HPV and the 33 availability of a vaccine to prevent HPV, and acquired immune 34 deficiency syndrome. The state board as part of accreditation 35 -1- LSB 5776HH (3) 83 ak/sc 1/ 3

H.F. 2247 standards shall adopt curriculum definitions for implementing 1 the program in grades seven and eight. However, this 2 subsection shall not apply to the teaching of family, consumer, 3 career, and technology education in nonpublic schools. For 4 purposes of this section, “age-appropriate” , “HPV” , and 5 “research-based” mean the same as defined in section 279.50. 6 Sec. 2. Section 256.11, subsection 5, paragraph f, Code 7 Supplement 2009, is amended to read as follows: 8 f. Four Eight sequential units of one foreign language 9 other than American sign language. Provision of instruction in 10 American sign language shall be in addition to and not in lieu 11 of provision of instruction in other foreign languages. The 12 department may waive the third and fourth years of the foreign 13 language requirement on an annual basis upon the request of the 14 board of directors of a school district or the authorities in 15 charge of a nonpublic school if the board or authorities are 16 able to prove that a licensed teacher was employed and assigned 17 a schedule that would have allowed students to enroll in a 18 foreign language class, the foreign language class was properly 19 scheduled, students were aware that a foreign language class 20 was scheduled, and no students enrolled in the class. 21 Sec. 3. Section 298.3, Code Supplement 2009, is amended by 22 adding the following new subsection: 23 NEW SUBSECTION . 1A. The revenue from the voter-approved 24 physical plant and equipment levy and the portion of any 25 unspent balance in the physical plant and equipment levy fund 26 that is attributable to the voter-approved physical plant and 27 equipment levy may be expended to fund the costs of providing 28 foreign-language instruction to students in kindergarten 29 through grade twelve pursuant to section 256.11. 30 Sec. 4. STATE MANDATE FUNDING SPECIFIED. In accordance 31 with section 25B.2, subsection 3, the state cost of requiring 32 compliance with any state mandate included in this Act shall 33 be paid by a school district from state school foundation aid 34 received by the school district under section 257.16. This 35 -2- LSB 5776HH (3) 83 ak/sc 2/ 3

H.F. 2247 specification of the payment of the state cost shall be deemed 1 to meet all the state funding-related requirements of section 2 25B.2, subsection 3, and no additional state funding shall 3 be necessary for the full implementation of this Act by and 4 enforcement of this Act against all affected school districts. 5 Sec. 5. APPLICABILITY. This Act applies to school years 6 beginning on or after July 1, 2011. 7 EXPLANATION 8 This bill provides that students in kindergarten through 9 grade twelve shall receive instruction in a foreign language 10 other than American sign language as part of the regular 11 program or curriculum of public schools and accredited 12 nonpublic schools. 13 The bill provides that if a school district is imposing a 14 voter-approved physical plant and equipment levy (PPEL), such 15 funds and unspent moneys in the PPEL fund that are attributable 16 to the voter-approved PPEL may be used by a school district 17 to pay for costs associated with providing foreign language 18 instruction to students in kindergarten through grade twelve. 19 The bill may include a state mandate as defined in Code 20 section 25B.3. The bill requires that the state cost of 21 any state mandate included in the bill be paid by a school 22 district from state school foundation aid received by the 23 school district under section 257.16. The specification is 24 deemed to constitute state compliance with any state mandate 25 funding-related requirements of Code section 25B.2. The 26 inclusion of this specification is intended to reinstate the 27 requirement of political subdivisions to comply with any state 28 mandates included in the bill. 29 The bill applies to school years beginning on or after July 30 1, 2011. 31 -3- LSB 5776HH (3) 83 ak/sc 3/ 3