SF 2018 (LSB 5221XS (7) 85)

SENATE FILE 2018

BY  DVORSKY

A BILL FOR

An Act concerning school instructional days and including effective date and applicability provisions.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  Section 256.7, subsection 19, Code 2013, as amended by 2013 Iowa Acts, chapter 121, section 79, is amended to read as follows:
   19.  Define For a school or school district with a school calendar measuring instructional time in days pursuant to section 279.10, subsection 1, define the minimum school day as a day consisting of six hours of instructional days or time for grades one through twelve. The minimum hours as time that shall be exclusive of the lunch period, but may include passing time between classes. Time spent on parent-teacher conferences shall be considered instructional time. A school or school district may record a day of school with less than the minimum instructional hours as a minimum school day if any of the following apply:
   a.  If emergency health or safety factors require the late arrival or early dismissal of students on a specific day.
   b.  If the total hours of instructional school time for grades one through twelve for any five consecutive school days equal a minimum of thirty hours, even though any one day of school is less than the minimum instructional hours because of a staff development opportunity provided for the professional instructional staff or because parent-teacher conferences have been scheduled beyond the regular school day. Furthermore, if the total hours of instructional time for the first four consecutive days equal at least thirty hours because parent-teacher conferences have been scheduled beyond the regular school day, a school or school district may record zero hours of instructional time on the fifth consecutive school day as a minimum school day.
    Sec. 2.  EFFECTIVE UPON ENACTMENT.  This Act, being deemed of immediate importance, takes effect upon enactment.
    Sec. 3.  APPLICABILITY.  This Act applies to school years beginning on or after July 1, 2014.
EXPLANATION
The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with

the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
   This bill restores language struck by 2013 Iowa Acts, chapter 121 (House File 215) that permits a school or school district with a school calendar measuring instructional time in days to record a day of school with less than the minimum instructional hours as a minimum school day for emergency health or safety factors and for staff development opportunities and parent-teacher conferences. However, the bill provides that a minimum school day shall consist of six hours of instructional time.
   The bill takes effect upon enactment.
   The bill applies to school years beginning on or after July 1, 2014.