Senate Amendment 3057


PAG LIN




     1  1    Amend Senate File 245 as follows:
     1  2 #1.  Page 2, by inserting after line 6 the
     1  3 following:
     1  4    <Sec.    .  EDUCATIONAL DATA DEFINITIONS WORKING
     1  5 GROUP.
     1  6    1.  FINDINGS.  The general assembly finds that
     1  7 individuals whose educational endeavors end without
     1  8 the receipt of a high school diploma have a much
     1  9 higher rate of unemployment and are much more likely
     1 10 to need welfare or other forms of government
     1 11 assistance.  The economic implications of students'
     1 12 failure to earn at a minimum a high school diploma are
     1 13 staggering, and increasingly so as our economy becomes
     1 14 more dependent on the service and information
     1 15 industries.  To understand the current state of
     1 16 educational achievement and future likelihood of
     1 17 success for Iowa's students, it is vital that state
     1 18 and local school district data on graduation rates be
     1 19 collectively understood and accurate.
     1 20    2.  The department of education shall coordinate a
     1 21 working group to develop clear, accurate, meaningful,
     1 22 and unambiguous definitions for the key data areas
     1 23 relating to, but not limited to, attrition,
     1 24 completion, and attendance rates, which school
     1 25 districts shall use in compiling state and local
     1 26 report cards.  The working group shall determine the
     1 27 baseline data necessary to report on these terms and
     1 28 shall develop a strategy to contact school districts
     1 29 to ensure that the school districts are applying the
     1 30 definitions and consistently submitting data in
     1 31 accordance with the definitions.  The working group
     1 32 shall consist of the following members:
     1 33    a.  Two senators appointed by the president of the
     1 34 senate after consultation with the majority leader and
     1 35 the minority leader of the senate.
     1 36    b.  Two representatives appointed by the speaker of
     1 37 the house after consultation with the minority leader
     1 38 of the house.
     1 39    c.  Members representing minority populations.
     1 40    d.  A member representing the largest school
     1 41 district in Iowa.
     1 42    e.  A member representing a school district with an
     1 43 enrollment of more than one thousand one hundred
     1 44 ninety=nine students but not more than four thousand
     1 45 seven hundred fifty students.
     1 46    f.  A member representing a school district with an
     1 47 enrollment of one thousand one hundred ninety=nine
     1 48 students or less.
     1 49    g.  Other members representing the education
     1 50 community as needed.
     2  1    3.  The working group shall submit its findings and
     2  2 recommendations to the department of education and the
     2  3 chairpersons and members of the committees on
     2  4 education in the senate and the house of
     2  5 representatives not later than January 15, 2006.>
     2  6 #2.  Title page, line 4, by striking the words <and
     2  7 requiring> and inserting the following:  <requiring>.
     2  8 #3.  Title page, line 5, by inserting after the
     2  9 word <annually> the following:  <, and providing for
     2 10 the coordination of an educational data definitions
     2 11 working group.>
     2 12 #4.  By renumbering, redesignating, and correcting
     2 13 internal references as necessary.
     2 14
     2 15
     2 16                               
     2 17 MIKE CONNOLLY
     2 18
     2 19
     2 20                               
     2 21 BOB BRUNKHORST
     2 22
     2 23
     2 24                               
     2 25 JACK HATCH
     2 26
     2 27
     2 28                               
     2 29 BRAD ZAUN
     2 30
     2 31
     2 32                               
     2 33 CHARLES W. LARSON, JR.
     2 34 SF 245.502 81
     2 35 kh/pj/2325

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