House File 593 - Introduced
HOUSE FILE
BY MASCHER, LENSING, WINCKLER,
JOCHUM, HUNTER, BERRY, HEDDENS,
COHOON, ZIRKELBACH, JACOBY,
FOEGE, OLDSON, WESSEL=KROESCHELL,
REICHERT, WENDT, WHITEAD,
T. TAYLOR, BUKTA, D. OLSON,
KRESSIG, DAVITT, FREVERT, and
SCHUELLER
Passed House, Date Passed Senate, Date
Vote: Ayes Nays Vote: Ayes Nays
Approved
A BILL FOR
1 An Act requiring school districts and accredited nonpublic
2 schools to have media centers and specialists and an
3 elementary=secondary guidance program and providing for
4 waivers.
5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
6 TLSB 2582HH 81
7 kh/cf/24
PAG LIN
1 1 Section 1. Section 256.7, subsection 24, Code 2005, is
1 2 amended to read as follows:
1 3 24. Adopt rules on or before January 1, 2001, to require
1 4 school districts and accredited nonpublic schools to adopt
1 5 local policies relating to health services, media services
1 6 programs, and guidance programs, as part of the general
1 7 accreditation standards applicable to school districts
1 8 pursuant to section 256.11. This subsection shall be
1 9 applicable strictly for reporting purposes and shall not be
1 10 interpreted to require school districts and accredited
1 11 nonpublic schools to provide or offer health services, media
1 12 services programs, or guidance programs.
1 13 Sec. 2. Section 256.11, Code 2005, is amended by adding
1 14 the following new subsection:
1 15 NEW SUBSECTION. 9. Unless a waiver has been obtained
1 16 under section 256.11A, each accredited nonpublic school or
1 17 school district shall have the following:
1 18 a. A media center in each attendance center accessible to
1 19 students throughout the school day and a qualified school
1 20 media services specialist who meets the licensing standards
1 21 prescribed by the board of educational examiners and who is
1 22 responsible for media center supervision.
1 23 b. An articulated sequential elementary=secondary guidance
1 24 program for grades kindergarten through twelve and a guidance
1 25 counselor who meets the licensing standards prescribed by the
1 26 board of educational examiners.
1 27 In determining the requirements of this subsection for an
1 28 accredited nonpublic school, the department shall evaluate the
1 29 accredited nonpublic school on an accredited nonpublic school
1 30 system basis rather than on an individual accredited nonpublic
1 31 school basis.
1 32 Sec. 3. Section 256.11A, subsection 1, Code 2005, is
1 33 amended to read as follows:
1 34 1. Schools Accredited nonpublic schools and school
1 35 districts unable to meet the standard adopted by the state
2 1 board requiring each school or school district operating a
2 2 kindergarten through grade twelve program to provide an
2 3 articulated sequential elementary=secondary guidance program
2 4 may, not later than August 1, 1995 2005, for the school year
2 5 beginning July 1, 1995 2005, file a written request to the
2 6 department of education that the department waive one or more
2 7 of the requirement for requirements established in section
2 8 256.11, subsection 9, that an accredited nonpublic school or
2 9 school district have a media center and a qualified school
2 10 media services specialist and that an accredited nonpublic
2 11 school or school district operating a kindergarten through
2 12 grade twelve program provide an articulated sequential
2 13 elementary=secondary guidance program. The procedures
2 14 specified in subsection 3 apply to the request. Not later
2 15 than August 1, 1996 2006, for the school year beginning July
2 16 1, 1996 2006, the board of directors of a school district or
2 17 the authorities in charge of a nonpublic school may request a
2 18 one=year extension of the waiver.
2 19 Sec. 4. Section 256.11A, subsection 2, Code 2005, is
2 20 amended by striking the subsection.
2 21 Sec. 5. STATE MANDATE FUNDING SPECIFIED. In accordance
2 22 with section 25B.2, subsection 3, the state cost of requiring
2 23 compliance with any state mandate included in this Act shall
2 24 be paid by a school district from state school foundation aid
2 25 received by the school district under section 257.16. This
2 26 specification of the payment of the state cost shall be deemed
2 27 to meet all the state funding=related requirements of section
2 28 25B.2, subsection 3, and no additional state funding shall be
2 29 necessary for the full implementation of this Act by and
2 30 enforcement of this Act against all affected school districts.
2 31 EXPLANATION
2 32 This bill reestablishes a statutory requirement that each
2 33 accredited nonpublic school or school district have, unless a
2 34 waiver has been obtained, a media center in each attendance
2 35 center accessible to students throughout the school day, a
3 1 qualified school media services specialist responsible for
3 2 media center supervision, an articulated sequential
3 3 elementary=secondary guidance program for grades kindergarten
3 4 through 12, and a licensed guidance counselor. The bill
3 5 authorizes waivers to be requested for school year 2005=2006
3 6 and 2006=2007 if filed by August 1 of the respective year.
3 7 The bill may include a state mandate as defined in Code
3 8 section 25B.3. The bill requires that the state cost of any
3 9 state mandate included in the bill be paid by a school
3 10 district from state school foundation aid received by the
3 11 school district under Code section 257.16. The specification
3 12 is deemed to constitute state compliance with any state
3 13 mandate funding=related requirements of Code section 25B.2.
3 14 The inclusion of this specification is intended to reinstate
3 15 the requirement of political subdivisions to comply with any
3 16 state mandates included in the bill.
3 17 LSB 2582HH 81
3 18 kh:rj/cf/24