HF 2021 (LSB 5125YH (3) 89)

HOUSE FILE 2021

BY  GOBBLE

A BILL FOR

An Act relating to practitioner preparation programs, including field experiences and the assessments administered to students admitted to practitioner preparation programs, and including applicability provisions.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  Section 256.7, subsection 3, paragraph b, Code 2022, is amended to read as follows:
   b.  Procedures provided for approval of programs shall include procedures for enforcement of the prescribed standards and, except as provided in section 256.16, subsection 3, shall not include a procedure for the waiving of any of the standards prescribed.
    Sec. 2.  Section 256.16, subsection 1, paragraphs a and d, Code 2022, are amended to read as follows:
   a.  (1)  If the institution administers a preprofessional skills test offered by a nationally recognized testing service to practitioner preparation program admission candidates, the institution shall report to the department no later than August 1 annually, in the form and manner prescribed by the department, the percentage of students whose scores on the assessments administered during the prior fiscal year were above, at, and below the minimum passing score set by the institution, and shall report any services or opportunities to retake the assessment the institution may make available to a student who fails assessment. The department shall compile the reports submitted under this subparagraph paragraph and publish the compiled information on its internet site.
   (2)  Administer, prior to a student’s completion of the practitioner preparation program and subject to the director’s approval, subject assessments designed by a nationally recognized testing service that measure pedagogy and knowledge of at least one subject area; or, a valid and reliable subject-area-specific, performance-based assessment for preservice teacher candidates, centered on student learning. A student shall not successfully complete the program unless the scores achieved by the student on the assessments administered under this subparagraph are at or above the minimum passing scores set by the department.
   (a)  In setting the minimum passing scores for purposes of this subparagraph, the department shall consider all of the following: 
   (i)  Scores required for similar tests in all of the states contiguous to Iowa.
   (ii)  The supply and demand imbalance of content areas or teaching positions currently experienced in Iowa.
   (b)  A student who successfully completes the practitioner preparation program as required under this subparagraph shall be deemed to have attained a passing score on the assessments administered under this subparagraph even if the department subsequently sets different minimum passing scores.
   d.  Require that each student admitted to an approved practitioner preparation program participate in pre-student teaching field experiences that include both observation and participation in teaching activities in a variety of school settings. These pre-student teaching field experiences shall comprise a total of at least fifty one hundred hours in duration, at least ten hours of which shall occur prior to a student’s acceptance in an approved practitioner preparation program. The student teaching experience shall be a minimum of fourteen weeks in duration during the student’s final year of the practitioner preparation program. The program shall make every reasonable effort to offer the student teaching experience prior to a student’s last semester, or equivalent, in the program, and to expand the student’s student teaching opportunities beyond one semester or the equivalent.
    Sec. 3.  Section 256.16, subsection 2, Code 2022, is amended to read as follows:
   2.  A person initially applying for a license shall successfully complete a practitioner preparation program approved under section 256.7, subsection 3, and containing the subject matter specified in this section, before the initial action by the board of educational examiners under chapter 272 takes place. However, this subsection shall not apply to a person who meets the requirements for an initial one-year license in accordance with subsection 3.
    Sec. 4.  Section 256.16, subsection 3, Code 2022, is amended by striking the subsection.
    Sec. 5.  Section 272.2, subsection 14, paragraph b, subparagraph (5), Code 2022, is amended to read as follows:
   (5)  The applicant fails to meet board standards for application for an initial or renewed license. However, this subparagraph shall not apply to a person who applies for an initial one-year license and submits to the board a waiver issued by the director of the department of education in accordance with section 256.16, subsection 3.
    Sec. 6.  Section 272.2, subsection 22, Code 2022, is amended by striking the subsection.
    Sec. 7.  APPLICABILITY.  The following applies to students admitted to an approved practitioner preparation program on or after the effective date of this Act:
   The portion of the section of this Act amending section 256.16, subsection 1, paragraph “d”.
EXPLANATION
The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
   This bill relates to practitioner preparation programs, including field experiences and the assessments administered to students admitted into practitioner preparation programs.
   Current law requires the state board of education to adopt rules requiring all higher education institutions providing practitioner preparation to, prior to a student’s completion of the practitioner preparation program, administer either subject assessments designed by a nationally recognized testing service or a valid and reliable subject-area-specific, performance-based assessment centered on student learning. The bill strikes this requirement and makes conforming changes.
   Current law also requires that each student admitted to an approved practitioner preparation program participate in field experiences of at least 50 hours in duration, a minimum of 10 hours of which occurring prior to the student’s acceptance into the program, which include both observation and participation in teaching activities in a variety of school settings. The bill provides that these field experiences must take place before the student begins student teaching and must be at least 100 hours in duration, a minimum of 10 hours of which occurring prior to the student’s acceptance into the program. This portion of the bill applies to students admitted to an approved practitioner preparation program on or after the effective date of the bill.