Text: HF02290 Text: HF02292 Text: HF02200 - HF02299 Text: HF Index Bills and Amendments: General Index Bill History: General Index
PAG LIN
1 1 Section 1. NEW SECTION. 256.37A SCHOOL COMMUNITY SERVICE
1 2 PROGRAM.
1 3 1. It is the policy of the general assembly that Iowa's
1 4 education system be structured to provide opportunities for
1 5 young people to learn and develop through active participation
1 6 in thoughtful organized school service experiences so that
1 7 they may become active, caring, and productive citizens who
1 8 promote a strong democracy in their communities. To achieve
1 9 this objective, each school district is encouraged to examine
1 10 the need for student involvement in the community, and to
1 11 generate and implement a plan to increase and promote
1 12 community involvement if such need is identified. Schools may
1 13 enhance what is taught by extending student learning beyond
1 14 the classroom by integrating their existing academic
1 15 curriculum content with community service opportunities.
1 16 Areas of service participation may include, but are not
1 17 limited to, the environment, intergenerational relationships,
1 18 poverty in the community, and the school as a community.
1 19 2. The department of education shall request the board of
1 20 directors of each public school district and the authorities
1 21 in charge of each nonpublic school to review the potential for
1 22 increasing student involvement in the community. The boards
1 23 and authorities shall comply with the request by completing
1 24 this review within one year of the effective date of this Act,
1 25 and by reporting the results to the department of education.
1 26 The review may include a request to hold local public hearings
1 27 to conduct survey research in order to determine support for
1 28 school community service programs. The department shall
1 29 report to the state board and to the general assembly
1 30 regarding the results of the review process, and include a
1 31 recommendation regarding both the potential and the funding
1 32 needs for school community service development.
1 33 3. The department of education shall assist public and
1 34 nonpublic schools in assessing the need for increased student
1 35 involvement at the community level as follows:
2 1 a. Establish guidelines and provide technical assistance
2 2 to schools requesting such support in developing school
2 3 community service programs.
2 4 b. Assist schools in accessing financial and curricular
2 5 resources to implement school community service programs and
2 6 examining existing resources within the school and community
2 7 which provide service learning experiences.
2 8 c. Provide administrative guidelines for schools desiring
2 9 to establish community service as a graduation requirement.
2 10 Sec. 2. IMPLEMENTATION. Section 25B.2, subsection 3,
2 11 shall not apply to this Act.
2 12 EXPLANATION
2 13 This bill provides for the establishment of a school
2 14 community service program to further the objective that the
2 15 education system in Iowa positions students to be productive
2 16 citizens involved in their communities.
2 17 The bill provides that evaluation of the potential for
2 18 school community service program development will take place
2 19 at the individual public and private school, school board, and
2 20 state board of education levels. Each school is encouraged to
2 21 review the need for increased student involvement in the
2 22 community, and to implement a plan for promoting student
2 23 involvement. Public and private school boards and authorities
2 24 can comply with this request by completing the review within
2 25 one year, and reporting the results to the department of
2 26 education. The department shall make a report of the results
2 27 of the review process to the state board of education and to
2 28 the general assembly, including a recommendation regarding the
2 29 potential for school community service program development and
2 30 anticipated funding needs.
2 31 In conducting their review, schools assessing the need for
2 32 increased student involvement may obtain the assistance of the
2 33 department of education. The department shall establish
2 34 guidelines and provide technical assistance to schools in
2 35 establishing programs, accessing financial and curricular
3 1 resources, and instituting community service graduation
3 2 requirements. Schools are encouraged to utilize existing
3 3 resources in evaluating programs emphasizing community
3 4 involvement.
3 5 This bill may include a state mandate as defined in section
3 6 25B.3. This bill makes inapplicable section 25B.2, subsection
3 7 3, which would relieve a political subdivision from complying
3 8 with a state mandate if funding for the cost of the state
3 9 mandate is not provided or specified. Therefore, political
3 10 subdivisions are required to comply with any state mandate
3 11 included in this bill.
3 12 LSB 3531HH 76
3 13 rn/cf/24.1
Text: HF02290 Text: HF02292 Text: HF02200 - HF02299 Text: HF Index Bills and Amendments: General Index Bill History: General Index
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