Text: HF00546 Text: HF00548 Text: HF00500 - HF00599 Text: HF Index Bills and Amendments: General Index Bill History: General Index
PAG LIN
1 1 Section 1. NEW SECTION. 299B.1 SHORT TITLE.
1 2 This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the "Church
1 3 and Christian Schools Act".
1 4 Sec. 2. NEW SECTION. 299B.2 DEFINITIONS.
1 5 As used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise
1 6 requires:
1 7 1. "Christian school" means a school operated by an
1 8 independent Christian church or group of Christian churches, a
1 9 Christian religious denomination, or a board of an independent
1 10 Christian church, group of Christian churches, or a Christian
1 11 religious denomination, consisting of at least five members
1 12 affiliated with the church or denomination, which provides
1 13 instruction to children in any grade or grades from grades
1 14 kindergarten through twelve.
1 15 2. "Church school" means a school which is an inseparable
1 16 part of a Christian church ministry, and which provides
1 17 instruction to children in any grade or grades from grades
1 18 kindergarten through twelve.
1 19 3. "Department" means the department of education.
1 20 4. "Director" means the director of the department of
1 21 education.
1 22 Sec. 3. NEW SECTION. 299B.3 RECOGNITION.
1 23 A church or Christian school as defined in section 299B.2
1 24 may file with the director of the department proof of its
1 25 association with an independent Christian church or group of
1 26 churches or a board associated therewith, Christian religious
1 27 denomination or a board associated therewith, or Christian
1 28 church ministry, together with a list of the names, ages, and
1 29 mailing addresses of all persons of compulsory school age
1 30 desiring to be exempted from mandatory compliance with the
1 31 educational and accreditation standards set forth in section
1 32 256.11, the uniform school requirements of chapter 280, the
1 33 school attendance and tuition requirements of chapter 282, and
1 34 rules adopted in implementation thereof, whose parents or
1 35 guardians are members of the church, denomination, board, or
2 1 ministry. The director, subject to the approval of the state
2 2 board of education, may exempt the church or Christian school
2 3 from mandatory compliance with any or all educational
2 4 standards and requirements, and permit the church or Christian
2 5 school to develop and administer a curriculum which reflects
2 6 the principles or tenets professed by the church,
2 7 denomination, or ministry organizing the school. When an
2 8 exemption has been granted, renewal of the exemption for each
2 9 succeeding school year may be conditioned by the director,
2 10 with the approval of the state board of education, under the
2 11 terms and conditions set forth in section 299.24 for the
2 12 renewal of exemptions for religious groups.
2 13 Sec. 4. NEW SECTION. 299B.4 ANNUAL INFORMATION REPORT.
2 14 At least annually, a church or Christian school shall make
2 15 information available to the parent or legal guardian of any
2 16 student enrolled in the school regarding all of the following:
2 17 1. A description of the instructional program or
2 18 curriculum.
2 19 2. A description of the qualifications of the
2 20 administrative and teaching staff.
2 21 3. A statement of the length of the school year and the
2 22 school calendar, number of days, length of the school day, and
2 23 the number of periods of instruction per school day.
2 24 4. Aggregate student achievement data based upon the
2 25 results of any student competency tests, statewide assessment
2 26 tests, or nationally normed achievement tests that were given
2 27 to the students enrolled in the school.
2 28 The furnishing of the information required in this section
2 29 shall be in addition to the information furnished to the
2 30 director for an exemption renewal pursuant to section 299B.3.
2 31 Sec. 5. NEW SECTION. 299B.5 ALTERNATE ACCREDITATION.
2 32 A teacher or other education practitioner employed by a
2 33 church or Christian school which is granted an exemption
2 34 pursuant to section 299B.3 is not required to be licensed
2 35 under chapter 272 if the teacher or other education
3 1 practitioner receives accreditation or certification from the
3 2 American association of Christian schools and has submitted to
3 3 the director of the department the accreditation standards
3 4 subscribed to, and proof that the accrediting organization or
3 5 association has recognized those standards as having been met.
3 6 Sec. 6. NEW SECTION. 299B.6 COMPLIANCE WITH SAFETY,
3 7 HEALTH, AND WELFARE STANDARDS.
3 8 An exemption for a church or Christian school shall not
3 9 apply to any fire, safety, physical health, or welfare
3 10 standards under federal, state, or local law generally
3 11 applicable to all schools in the state.
3 12 EXPLANATION
3 13 This bill provides for the recognition of church schools
3 14 and Christian schools as educational institutions. The bill
3 15 defines church and Christian schools to encompass schools
3 16 organized by and affiliated with a Christian church, group of
3 17 Christian churches, a Christian religious denomination, a
3 18 board comprised of at least five members affiliated with a
3 19 Christian church or denomination, or a Christian church
3 20 ministry. Such schools may receive an exemption from the
3 21 director of the department of education from mandatory
3 22 compliance with the educational standards prescribed in Code
3 23 section 256.11, the uniform school requirements of Code
3 24 chapter 280, and the school attendance and tuition
3 25 requirements of Code chapter 282, and may establish their own
3 26 curriculum, if proof of association with a religious
3 27 organization, and names, ages, and addresses of all compulsory
3 28 school age children whose parents are affiliated with the
3 29 organization, are furnished. Exemption renewals must meet the
3 30 requirements of Code section 299.24 regarding the renewal of
3 31 exemptions for religious groups. The bill provides that
3 32 teachers and other education practitioners employed by church
3 33 and Christian schools may receive accreditation from the
3 34 American association of Christian schools, rather than from
3 35 the state, upon submitting a copy of the accreditation
4 1 standards and proof that the standards have been met. The
4 2 bill does not exempt church and Christian schools from meeting
4 3 fire, safety, and physical health and welfare standards
4 4 prescribed by law for all schools in the state.
4 5 LSB 2284YH 77
4 6 rn/sc/14
Text: HF00546 Text: HF00548 Text: HF00500 - HF00599 Text: HF Index Bills and Amendments: General Index Bill History: General Index
Iowa General Assembly
Search: House Bills and Amendments (77th General Assembly)
© 1997 Cornell College and League of Women Voters of Iowa
Comments about this site or page? webmaster@legis.iowa.gov. Please remember that the person listed above does not vote on bills. Direct all comments concerning legislation to State Legislators.
Last update: Thu Mar 20 03:41:20 CST 1997
URL: /DOCS/GA/77GA/Legislation/HF/00500/HF00547/970311.html
jhf