House Study Bill 553 - Introduced SENATE/HOUSE FILE _____ BY (PROPOSED DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION BILL) A BILL FOR An Act relating to standards for educational and instructional 1 models, programs, and supplementary weighting for students 2 identified as limited English proficient. 3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 4 TLSB 5259XD (3) 85 kh/rj

S.F. _____ H.F. _____ Section 1. Section 256.7, subsection 31, Code 2014, is 1 amended by adding the following new paragraph: 2 NEW PARAGRAPH . c. Adopt rules, in collaboration with 3 the Iowa reading research center established pursuant to 4 section 256.9, subsection 53, to establish standards for 5 the identification, selection, and use of research-based 6 educational and instructional models for students identified as 7 limited English proficient, and standards for the professional 8 development of the instructional staff responsible for 9 implementation of those models. 10 Sec. 2. Section 256.9, Code 2014, is amended by adding the 11 following new subsection: 12 NEW SUBSECTION . 65. Establish, subject to an appropriation 13 of funds by the general assembly, an English language literacy 14 for all grant program which shall be made available to all 15 school districts. Priority in issuing grants shall be given 16 to school districts with the highest percentage of students 17 identified as limited English proficient. A grant may be 18 awarded for a period of up to three years. The department 19 and each school district receiving a grant shall enter into 20 a performance agreement, which shall be renewed annually, 21 that identifies clear literacy achievement goals for limited 22 English proficient students enrolled in the school district 23 and includes an accountability system to measure student 24 performance and evaluate program effectiveness to ensure that 25 program goals are met. School districts may expend grant 26 moneys for professional development for professional staff 27 providing instructional services to limited English proficient 28 students. 29 Sec. 3. Section 280.4, subsection 3, paragraph b, Code 2014, 30 is amended to read as follows: 31 b. For students first determined to be limited English 32 proficient for a budget year beginning on or after July 1, 33 2010, the additional weighting provided under paragraph “a” 34 shall be included in the weighted enrollment of the school 35 -1- LSB 5259XD (3) 85 kh/rj 1/ 3

S.F. _____ H.F. _____ district of residence for a cumulative period of time not 1 exceeding five years beginning with the budget year for 2 which the student was first determined to be limited English 3 proficient. The five years of eligibility for the additional 4 weighting need not be consecutive and a student’s eligibility 5 for the additional weighting is transferable to another 6 district of residence. 7 EXPLANATION 8 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 9 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 10 This bill relates to standards for educational and 11 instructional models, programs, and supplementary weighting for 12 students identified as limited English proficient. 13 The state board of education is directed to adopt rules, 14 in collaboration with the Iowa reading research center, to 15 establish standards for the identification, selection, and 16 use of research-based educational and instructional models 17 for students identified as limited English proficient, and 18 standards for the professional development of the instructional 19 staff responsible for implementation of those models. 20 The director of the department of education is directed 21 to establish, subject to an appropriation of funds by the 22 general assembly, an English language literacy for all grant 23 program for school districts. Priority must be given to school 24 districts with the highest percentage of limited English 25 proficient students. A grant may be awarded for up to three 26 years. The department and each school district receiving a 27 grant must enter into a performance agreement, which must be 28 renewed annually, that identifies clear literacy achievement 29 goals and includes an accountability system. School districts 30 may expend grant moneys for professional development for 31 professional staff providing instructional services to limited 32 English proficient students. 33 The bill permits some flexibility for the amount of time a 34 student may be eligible for additional weighting as a limited 35 -2- LSB 5259XD (3) 85 kh/rj 2/ 3

S.F. _____ H.F. _____ English proficient student by providing that the five-year 1 eligibility period is cumulative, and need not be consecutive, 2 and is transferable to another district of residence. 3 -3- LSB 5259XD (3) 85 kh/rj 3/ 3