House File 2269 - Introduced
HOUSE FILE
BY WENDT
Passed House, Date Passed Senate, Date
Vote: Ayes Nays Vote: Ayes Nays
Approved
A BILL FOR
1 An Act relating to the development of an Iowa studies
2 professional development plan and the establishment of an Iowa
3 studies committee.
4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
5 TLSB 6155HH 81
6 kh/gg/14
PAG LIN
1 1 Section 1. NEW SECTION. 303.17 IOWA STUDIES == FINDINGS
1 2 == CURRICULUM == COMMITTEE.
1 3 1. The general assembly finds that Iowa students should
1 4 have an appreciation for Iowa through the study of Iowa's
1 5 history and government, and Iowa citizens' long and
1 6 distinguished record of civic responsibility. A fundamental
1 7 need exists to provide Iowa's students with learning
1 8 opportunities that assist the students in succeeding in
1 9 society and confer upon them the ability to make their own
1 10 valuable contributions to Iowa's history.
1 11 2. The department of cultural affairs shall develop an
1 12 Iowa studies professional development plan that includes
1 13 professional development materials and training measures to
1 14 provide Iowa's teachers with effective ways to infuse Iowa
1 15 studies into their classrooms. The materials developed shall
1 16 include an active and innovative Iowa studies learning
1 17 curriculum that may be integrated into the social studies
1 18 requirements for Iowa's secondary school students at the
1 19 discretion of each board of directors of a school district or
1 20 the authorities in charge of each accredited nonpublic school.
1 21 The curriculum shall include lesson plans covering Iowa
1 22 history, civics, government, and heritage studies. The
1 23 curriculum developed shall contain enough content for the
1 24 creation of a course of at least one=half unit of credit.
1 25 3. a. The director of the department of cultural affairs
1 26 shall establish an Iowa studies committee to do the following:
1 27 (1) Work to inform Iowa's school districts, accredited
1 28 nonpublic schools, and area education agencies of the Iowa
1 29 studies professional development plan, including how to
1 30 effectively utilize the curriculum developed pursuant to
1 31 subsection 2.
1 32 (2) Develop partnerships with organizations such as
1 33 nonprofit history or humanities organizations, civic
1 34 organizations, libraries, and the business community to
1 35 support and promote Iowa studies statewide.
2 1 (3) Establish evaluation criteria for the Iowa studies
2 2 professional development plan, including but not limited to
2 3 teacher and student evaluation, student tracking, and
2 4 curriculum and plan effectiveness, which may include a survey
2 5 of student participation in civic activities and involvement
2 6 in the election process.
2 7 (4) Develop a strategy and plan to allow for the
2 8 implementation of the Iowa studies professional development
2 9 plan and curriculum in a limited number of schools and area
2 10 education agencies across the state. Participation by a
2 11 school or area education agency shall be voluntary. However,
2 12 a school or area education agency selected to participate in
2 13 the plan shall agree to participate in the evaluation
2 14 component conducted by the Iowa studies committee pursuant to
2 15 subsection 4.
2 16 b. The Iowa studies committee membership shall be
2 17 comprised of the following:
2 18 (1) The director of the department of cultural affairs or
2 19 the director's designee.
2 20 (2) The director of the department of education or the
2 21 director's designee.
2 22 (3) The secretary of state or the secretary's designee.
2 23 (4) The state librarian or the state librarian's designee.
2 24 (5) Additional persons knowledgeable in Iowa studies, who
2 25 shall be appointed by the director of the department of
2 26 cultural affairs and who shall include but not be limited to
2 27 the following:
2 28 (a) An employee of an area education agency.
2 29 (b) An individual employed as an Iowa social studies
2 30 teacher at a public school.
2 31 (c) A faculty member of an institution of higher education
2 32 governed by the state board of regents.
2 33 (d) An individual employed by a community college.
2 34 (e) A faculty member of an accredited private institution
2 35 as defined in section 261.9.
3 1 (f) A member of the Iowa council of social studies.
3 2 (g) A curriculum specialist for a kindergarten through
3 3 grade twelve public school district.
3 4 (h) An employee of the public broadcasting division of the
3 5 department of education.
3 6 4. The Iowa studies committee shall do all of the
3 7 following:
3 8 a. Conduct an evaluation of the Iowa studies professional
3 9 development plan using the evaluation criteria established by
3 10 the committee.
3 11 b. Submit, for school years ending on or before June 30,
3 12 2009, an annual status report on the utilization of the Iowa
3 13 studies professional development plan in Iowa's school
3 14 districts and accredited nonpublic schools to the chairpersons
3 15 and ranking members of the senate and house committees on
3 16 education by January 15. The annual report shall include the
3 17 number of schools utilizing the plan.
3 18 c. Submit its findings and recommendations in a final
3 19 report based upon the evaluation data compiled in accordance
3 20 with subsection 3 to the chairpersons and ranking members of
3 21 the senate and house committees on education by January 15,
3 22 2010.
3 23 5. This section is repealed effective July 1, 2010.
3 24 EXPLANATION
3 25 This bill establishes the general assembly's findings with
3 26 regard to the need for Iowa's students to have an appreciation
3 27 for the state through the study of its history, government,
3 28 and long and distinguished record of civic activities and
3 29 contributions. The bill requires the department of cultural
3 30 affairs to develop an Iowa studies professional development
3 31 plan that includes a professional development curriculum and
3 32 supporting materials and training measures to provide Iowa's
3 33 teachers with effective ways to infuse Iowa studies into their
3 34 secondary school classrooms.
3 35 The bill requires the director of the department to
4 1 establish an Iowa studies committee to work to inform Iowa's
4 2 school districts, accredited nonpublic schools, and area
4 3 education agencies of the Iowa studies professional
4 4 development plan, develop partnerships to support and promote
4 5 Iowa studies statewide, establish evaluation criteria for the
4 6 Iowa studies professional development plan, and develop a
4 7 strategy and plan to allow for the implementation of the
4 8 professional development plan and curriculum in a limited
4 9 number of schools and AEAs across the state.
4 10 The committee is directed to conduct an evaluation of the
4 11 Iowa studies professional development plan, submit an annual
4 12 status report on the utilization of the Iowa studies
4 13 professional development plan, and, by January 15, 2010,
4 14 submit a final report, to the chairpersons and ranking members
4 15 of the senate and house committees on education.
4 16 The bill is repealed July 1, 2010.
4 17 LSB 6155HH 81
4 18 kh:nh/gg/14