House Study Bill 556 - Introduced SENATE/HOUSE FILE _____ BY (PROPOSED DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION BILL) A BILL FOR An Act providing for the establishment of an Iowa middle school 1 extended learning time pilot project grant program. 2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 3 TLSB 5296XD (6) 85 kh/rj

S.F. _____ H.F. _____ Section 1. NEW SECTION . 256.34 Middle school extended 1 learning time pilot project grant program. 2 1. Subject to an appropriation by the general assembly for 3 purposes of this section, the department shall establish a 4 pilot project grant program to provide funding to one or more 5 school districts individually or working collaboratively for 6 planning and implementing extended learning time for middle 7 school students in the form of longer school days or a longer 8 school year. 9 2. The department shall develop an application and 10 evaluation process for approval of pilot project grant 11 applications submitted by school districts. In evaluating 12 grant applications, the department shall consider all of the 13 following: 14 a. The percentage of eighth grade students in the school 15 district in a designated middle school building or in a 16 specific student population within such a building who have not 17 demonstrated proficiency in reading. 18 b. Evidence that the school district has included 19 community-based organizations in the submission of the 20 application. 21 c. The school district’s proposed comprehensive 22 restructuring of the school day or year to maximize the use of 23 extra time for learning by middle school students, including a 24 mix of additional time spent on core academics and enrichment 25 opportunities. 26 d. Whether the school district’s plan for teacher 27 collaboration and professional development of professional 28 staff supports success of the extended learning time pilot 29 project. 30 3. A school district awarded an extended learning time pilot 31 project grant shall do all of the following: 32 a. Add up to three hundred hours of additional instruction 33 or learning activities annually for all students in a 34 designated middle school building or in a specific student 35 -1- LSB 5296XD (6) 85 kh/rj 1/ 3

S.F. _____ H.F. _____ population within such a building. 1 b. Enter into an annual performance agreement with the 2 department that establishes clear academic achievement goals, 3 developed collaboratively with district professional staff, for 4 each designated middle school building. 5 4. Extended learning time pilot project grants shall be 6 awarded for a period of three years, subject annually to a 7 successful review of program performance by the department. 8 5. School districts may collaborate with one another to 9 submit a joint grant application. 10 EXPLANATION 11 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 12 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 13 This bill provides for the establishment of an Iowa middle 14 school extended learning time pilot project grant program by 15 the department of education, subject to an appropriation by the 16 general assembly, to provide funding to school districts for 17 planning and implementing extended learning time for middle 18 school students in the form of longer school days or a longer 19 school year. 20 In evaluating grant applications, the department shall 21 consider the percentage of eighth grade students in the 22 school district in a designated middle school building or in 23 a specific student population within such a building who have 24 not demonstrated proficiency in reading; evidence that the 25 school district has included community-based organizations in 26 the submission of the application; the district’s proposed 27 comprehensive restructuring of the school day or year to 28 maximize the use of extra time for learning, including a mix 29 of additional time spent on core academics and enrichment 30 opportunities; and whether the school district’s plan 31 for teacher collaboration and professional development of 32 professional staff supports success of the extended learning 33 time pilot project. 34 A school district awarded an extended learning time 35 -2- LSB 5296XD (6) 85 kh/rj 2/ 3

S.F. _____ H.F. _____ pilot project grant must add up to 300 hours of additional 1 instruction or learning activities annually for all students in 2 a designated middle school building or in a specific student 3 population within such a building; and enter into an annual 4 performance agreement with the department that establishes 5 clear academic achievement goals, developed collaboratively 6 with district professional staff, for each designated building. 7 Grants shall be awarded for a period of three years, subject 8 annually to a successful review of program performance by the 9 department. School districts may collaborate with one another 10 to submit a joint grant application. 11 -3- LSB 5296XD (6) 85 kh/rj 3/ 3