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PAG LIN
1 1 Section 1. Section 256.7, Code 1997, is amended by adding
1 2 the following new subsection:
1 3 NEW SUBSECTION. 21. Receive for review, modification, and
1 4 adoption, the reports of the council for voluntary high
1 5 standards and assessment development submitted under section
1 6 280.16A and transmit to area education agencies, schools, and
1 7 school districts the voluntary model content standards and
1 8 assessments adopted by the state board. The state board shall
1 9 advise and assist area education agencies in creating methods
1 10 for assisting schools in developing, adopting, and
1 11 implementing high content standards and assessments, as
1 12 defined in section 280.16. The board shall also evaluate and
1 13 identify departmental personnel and resources that may be
1 14 reallocated to assist schools and school districts with the
1 15 development and implementation of high content standards and
1 16 assessments. In addition, the board shall determine the level
1 17 of public demand on schools and school district personnel for
1 18 a shift to a content standard-driven curriculum and for
1 19 accountability of student achievement. The board shall submit
1 20 its findings and recommendations relating to voluntary model
1 21 content standards and assessments and the level of public
1 22 demand relating to a shift to a content standard-driven
1 23 curriculum and for accountability of student achievement to
1 24 the chairpersons and ranking members of the standing
1 25 committees on education of the senate and the house of
1 26 representatives, and to the chairpersons and ranking members
1 27 of the joint appropriations subcommittee on education by
1 28 February 1, 2000. The board shall revise the standards and
1 29 procedures prescribed in accordance with subsection 3 as
1 30 necessary to acknowledge the voluntary model content standards
1 31 adopted pursuant to section 280.16A.
1 32 Sec. 2. Section 256.9, Code 1997, is amended by adding the
1 33 following new subsection:
1 34 NEW SUBSECTION. 49. Grant, for up to five years,
1 35 exemptions from one or more of the minimum education standards
2 1 contained in section 256.11 and rules adopted by the state
2 2 board of education to nonpublic schools or public school
2 3 districts who have adopted high content standards and whose
2 4 assessments demonstrate to the satisfaction of the director
2 5 that the content standards adopted by the nonpublic school or
2 6 public school district in accordance with section 280.16
2 7 exceed the minimum education standards contained in section
2 8 256.11. To receive an exemption under this subsection, a
2 9 nonpublic school or public school district shall file a
2 10 request with the department that includes all of the
2 11 following:
2 12 a. A description of the content standards adopted by the
2 13 nonpublic school or public school district and the curriculum
2 14 designed to support the content standards and strengthen and
2 15 expand student achievement.
2 16 b. Identification of the standard or standards for which
2 17 the exemption is being sought, including a statement of the
2 18 reasons for requesting the exemption from the standard or
2 19 standards.
2 20 c. Identification of a method for periodic demonstration
2 21 that student achievement will not be lessened by the granting
2 22 of the exemption.
2 23 The director shall develop a procedure for application for
2 24 exemption and receipt, review, and evaluation of nonpublic
2 25 school and public school district requests, including but not
2 26 limited to development of criteria for the granting or denying
2 27 of requests for exemptions and a time line for the submission,
2 28 review, and granting or denying of requests for exemption from
2 29 one or more standards.
2 30 Sec. 3. NEW SECTION. 280.16 STANDARDS AND ASSESSMENT OF
2 31 EDUCATION.
2 32 1. The general assembly recognizes this state's exemplary
2 33 educational achievements, but finds and declares that the
2 34 state's educational system is capable of higher levels of
2 35 educational achievement and challenges the state's department
3 1 of education, practitioner preparation programs, schools and
3 2 school districts, area education agencies, teachers,
3 3 administrators, staff, parents, and children to further
3 4 improve educational achievement in Iowa by demanding, setting,
3 5 and reaching high content standards and implementing
3 6 assessments.
3 7 2. Not later than January 1, 1999, each accredited
3 8 nonpublic school and each school district shall hold at least
3 9 one public hearing to consider the findings and
3 10 recommendations of the voluntary high standards and assessment
3 11 development council and to present a plan for and discuss a
3 12 shift in school curriculum to a content standards education
3 13 program. The board shall publish notice of the time and place
3 14 of the public hearing not less than ten nor more than twenty
3 15 days before the public hearing in a newspaper of general
3 16 circulation in the district. After the public hearing the
3 17 board shall also assess the public demand for local school
3 18 accountability in reporting progress toward higher levels of
3 19 student achievement and performance to the residents of the
3 20 district or the families of students enrolled in the nonpublic
3 21 school.
3 22 3. By July 1, 2000, the authorities in charge of each
3 23 accredited nonpublic school and the board of directors of each
3 24 school district shall consider the findings and
3 25 recommendations of the voluntary high standards and assessment
3 26 development council, develop and adopt high content standards
3 27 for the student achievement goals adopted by the school or
3 28 school district in accordance with section 280.18. The
3 29 authorities in charge of each accredited nonpublic school and
3 30 the board of directors of each school district shall, by July
3 31 1, 2001, and each succeeding year, make public a report
3 32 documenting the school or school district's progress relating
3 33 to student achievement of locally determined content
3 34 standards.
3 35 4. As used in this chapter and section 256.7, subsection
4 1 21, unless the context otherwise requires, "assessments" means
4 2 methods used to test a student's knowledge or ability in
4 3 specific academic areas, and "content standard" means the
4 4 locally determined minimum level of knowledge and ability each
4 5 student shall be expected to attain in a specific academic
4 6 area by a certain grade level.
4 7 Sec. 4. NEW SECTION. 280.16A VOLUNTARY HIGH STANDARDS
4 8 AND ASSESSMENT DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL ESTABLISHED.
4 9 1. A voluntary high standards and assessment development
4 10 council is established consisting of nine members, four of
4 11 whom shall be appointed by the governor, two of whom shall be
4 12 appointed by the majority leader of the senate, two of whom
4 13 shall be appointed by the speaker of the house of
4 14 representatives, and the director of the department of
4 15 education or the director's designee. Appointments shall
4 16 comply with sections 69.16 and 69.16A. Vacancies shall be
4 17 filled in the same manner as the appointment of the original
4 18 members. Members shall serve without compensation, but shall
4 19 receive reimbursement for actual and necessary expenses,
4 20 including travel at the state rate, incurred in the
4 21 performance of their duties. Payment shall be made from funds
4 22 available pursuant to section 2.12; however, members appointed
4 23 by the governor shall be paid from funds appropriated to the
4 24 office of the governor. Administrative support and staffing
4 25 for the council shall be provided by the department of
4 26 education. The director of the department of education or the
4 27 director's designee shall convene the initial meeting, at
4 28 which the council shall elect, for a one-year term, a
4 29 chairperson from among its members.
4 30 2. The council shall schedule and conduct at least five
4 31 public hearings, each in a different geographic region of the
4 32 state, to hear testimony regarding the expansion of student
4 33 achievement goals and the development of voluntary model
4 34 content standards and assessments.
4 35 3. The council shall seek specific recommendations on the
5 1 expansion of student achievement goals and the development of
5 2 voluntary model minimum content standards and assessments from
5 3 area education agencies, nonpublic schools and school
5 4 districts, educators, parents, students, representatives from
5 5 postsecondary institutions, representatives from business and
5 6 employee organizations, and community members representative
5 7 of the cultural diversity of the state.
5 8 4. The council shall do all of the following:
5 9 a. Develop recommendations for the expansion of student
5 10 achievement goals adopted in accordance with section 280.18,
5 11 which include, but are not limited to, the following areas:
5 12 reading, writing, speaking, listening, mathematics, reasoning,
5 13 studying, and technological literacy.
5 14 b. Develop voluntary model minimum content standards for
5 15 the student achievement goals adopted by schools and school
5 16 districts utilizing the reports filed with the department of
5 17 education in accordance with section 280.18.
5 18 c. Submit a report, by July 1, 1998, containing its
5 19 findings and recommendations to the state board of education
5 20 for review, modification, and adoption of the recommendations
5 21 for the expansion of student achievement goals and the
5 22 development of voluntary model content standards based upon
5 23 those goals. The state board of education shall adopt
5 24 voluntary model content standards by January 1, 1999, and
5 25 shall publish and distribute the voluntary model content
5 26 standards adopted for use by area education agencies, schools,
5 27 and school districts.
5 28 5. By July 1, 1999, the council shall submit a report
5 29 containing its findings and recommendations to the state board
5 30 of education for review, modification, and adoption of the
5 31 recommendations for the voluntary assessments based upon the
5 32 voluntary model content standards adopted by the state board
5 33 of education. The state board shall adopt voluntary model
5 34 assessments by January 15, 2000, and shall publish and
5 35 distribute the voluntary model assessments adopted for use by
6 1 area education agencies, schools, and school districts.
6 2 EXPLANATION
6 3 This bill provides that while the general assembly
6 4 recognizes Iowa's exemplary educational achievements, it finds
6 5 and declares that its educational system is capable of higher
6 6 achievement and challenges educational professionals and other
6 7 interested persons in the state to further improve educational
6 8 achievement in Iowa by demanding, setting, and reaching high,
6 9 clear content standards, and implementing assessments. The
6 10 bill also establishes a nine-member council for voluntary high
6 11 standards and assessment development to develop
6 12 recommendations for the expansion of student achievement
6 13 goals, model minimum content standards for those goals, and to
6 14 propose assessments.
6 15 Four members of the council for voluntary high standards
6 16 and assessment development shall be appointed by the governor,
6 17 four shall be appointed by the leadership of the general
6 18 assembly, and the ninth member is the director of the
6 19 department of education. Administrative support and staffing
6 20 for the council shall be provided by the department of
6 21 education. The council shall schedule and conduct at least
6 22 five public hearings in different geographic regions of the
6 23 state and shall seek specific recommendations on the expansion
6 24 of student achievement goals and the development of voluntary
6 25 model minimum content standards and assessments from education
6 26 professionals, parents, students, community members, and
6 27 representatives from business and employee organizations.
6 28 The bill requires the council to submit, by July 1, 1998, a
6 29 report containing its findings and recommendations to the
6 30 state board of education for review, modification, and
6 31 adoption of its recommendations for the expansion of student
6 32 achievement goals and the development of voluntary model
6 33 content standards based upon those goals. The state board of
6 34 education is directed by the bill to adopt voluntary model
6 35 content standards by January 1, 1999, and to publish and
7 1 distribute the model content standards adopted for use by area
7 2 education agencies, schools, and school districts. The board
7 3 is also directed to revise, based upon its adoption of
7 4 voluntary model content standards, the standards and
7 5 procedures it prescribes for the approval of practitioner
7 6 preparation programs.
7 7 By July 1, 1999, the council is directed under the bill to
7 8 submit a report containing its findings and recommendations to
7 9 the state board of education for review, modification, and
7 10 adoption of its recommendations for the assessments based upon
7 11 the voluntary model content standards adopted by the state
7 12 board of education. The state board shall adopt voluntary
7 13 model assessments by January 1, 2000, and to publish and
7 14 distribute the voluntary model assessments adopted for use by
7 15 area education agencies, schools, and school districts.
7 16 The bill directs the state board of education to determine
7 17 the level of public demand on schools and school district
7 18 personnel to shift to a content standard-driven curriculum and
7 19 for accountability of student achievement, and further directs
7 20 the board to evaluate and identify departmental personnel and
7 21 resources that may be relocated to assist schools and school
7 22 districts with the adoption of high content standards and
7 23 assessments.
7 24 The board is also to consult with and assist area education
7 25 agencies in developing methods for assisting schools in
7 26 developing, adopting, and implementing high content standards
7 27 and assessments. The board is to submit its findings and
7 28 recommendations to the chairpersons and ranking members of the
7 29 standing committees on education of the senate and the house
7 30 of representatives, and to the chairpersons and ranking
7 31 members of the joint appropriations subcommittee on education
7 32 by February 1, 2000.
7 33 The bill requires each accredited nonpublic school and
7 34 school district to hold at least one public hearing by January
7 35 1, 1999, to consider a shift in school curriculum to a content
8 1 standards education program and assess the public's demand for
8 2 local school accountability in reporting progress toward
8 3 higher levels of student achievement and performance. Each
8 4 school and school district is directed to adopt high content
8 5 standards for their student achievement goals, adopted in
8 6 accordance with section 280.18, by July 1, 2000, and by July
8 7 1, 2001, and each succeeding year, make public a report
8 8 documenting the school or school district's progress relating
8 9 to student achievement of locally determined content
8 10 standards.
8 11 LSB 1928XS 77
8 12 kh/jw/5
Text: SF00219 Text: SF00221 Text: SF00200 - SF00299 Text: SF Index Bills and Amendments: General Index Bill History: General Index
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