House
File
2231
-
Enrolled
House
File
2231
AN
ACT
ESTABLISHING
A
SEAL
OF
CIVICS
EXCELLENCE
PROGRAM
ADMINISTERED
BY
THE
DEPARTMENT
OF
EDUCATION
TO
RECOGNIZE
STUDENT
EXCELLENCE
IN
CIVICS.
BE
IT
ENACTED
BY
THE
GENERAL
ASSEMBLY
OF
THE
STATE
OF
IOWA:
Section
1.
Section
256.9,
subsection
59,
Code
2026,
is
amended
to
read
as
follows:
59.
a.
Develop
and
administer
a
seal
of
biliteracy
program
to
recognize
students
graduating
from
high
school
who
have
demonstrated
proficiency
in
two
or
more
world
languages,
one
of
which
may
be
American
sign
language,
though
one
of
which
must
be
English.
Participation
in
the
program
by
a
school
district,
attendance
center,
or
accredited
nonpublic
school
shall
be
voluntary.
The
department
shall
work
with
stakeholders
to
identify
standardized
tests
that
may
be
utilized
to
demonstrate
proficiency.
The
department
shall
produce
a
seal
of
biliteracy,
which
may
include
but
need
not
be
limited
to
a
sticker
that
may
be
affixed
to
a
student’s
high
school
transcript
or
a
certificate
that
may
be
awarded
to
the
student.
A
participating
school
district
or
school
shall
notify
the
department
of
the
names
of
the
students
who
have
qualified
for
the
seal
and
the
department
shall
provide
the
school
district
or
school
with
the
appropriate
number
of
seals
or
other
authorized
endorsement.
The
department
may
charge
a
nominal
fee
to
cover
printing
and
postage
charges
related
to
issuance
of
the
biliteracy
seal
under
this
subsection
paragraph
.
House
File
2231,
p.
2
b.
Develop
and
administer
a
seal
of
civics
excellence
program
to
recognize
students
graduating
from
high
school
who
have
demonstrated
proficiency
in
civics.
The
department
shall
determine
the
minimum
requirements
necessary
for
a
student
to
obtain
a
civics
seal,
including
knowledge
of
American
government
and
participation
in
civic
and
community
activities.
The
department
shall
produce
a
civics
seal,
which
may
include
a
sticker
which
may
be
affixed
to
a
student’s
high
school
transcript
or
a
certificate
awarded
to
the
student.
A
seal
of
civics
excellence
may
be
affixed
to
the
diploma
and
noted
on
the
transcript
of
a
student
to
recognize
that
the
student
has
achieved
excellence
in
civics.
Participation
in
the
program
by
a
school
district
or
accredited
nonpublic
school
shall
be
voluntary.
A
participating
school
district
or
accredited
nonpublic
school
shall
notify
the
department
of
the
names
of
students
who
have
qualified
for
a
seal,
and
the
department
shall
provide
the
school
district
or
accredited
nonpublic
school
with
the
appropriate
number
of
seals
or
other
authorized
endorsement.
The
department
may
charge
a
nominal
fee
to
cover
printing
and
postal
charges
related
to
the
issuance
of
the
civics
seal
under
this
paragraph.
______________________________
PAT
GRASSLEY
Speaker
of
the
House
______________________________
AMY
SINCLAIR
President
of
the
Senate
I
hereby
certify
that
this
bill
originated
in
the
House
and
is
known
as
House
File
2231,
Ninety-first
General
Assembly.
______________________________
MEGHAN
NELSON
Chief
Clerk
of
the
House
Approved
_______________,
2026
______________________________
KIM
REYNOLDS
Governor