House File 739 - Introduced
HOUSE FILE
BY COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION
(SUCCESSOR TO HF 409)
Passed House, Date Passed Senate, Date
Vote: Ayes Nays Vote: Ayes Nays
Approved
A BILL FOR
1 An Act relating to education technology, including the creation
2 of an Iowa learning technology commission and pilot program,
3 and the establishment of a research triangle and
4 clearinghouse.
5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
6 TLSB 1874HV 81
7 kh/pj/5
PAG LIN
1 1 Section 1. Section 262.9, Code 2005, is amended by adding
1 2 the following new subsection:
1 3 NEW SUBSECTION. 31. Establish a research triangle,
1 4 defined by the three institutions of higher learning under the
1 5 board's control, and clearinghouse for purposes of sharing the
1 6 projects and results of kindergarten through grade twelve
1 7 education technology initiatives occurring in Iowa's school
1 8 districts, area education agencies, community colleges, and
1 9 other higher education institutions, with the education
1 10 community within and outside of the state. Dissemination of
1 11 and access to information regarding planning, financing,
1 12 curriculum, professional development, preservice training,
1 13 project implementation strategies, and results shall be
1 14 centralized to allow school districts from across the state to
1 15 gain ideas from each other regarding the integration of
1 16 technology in the classroom.
1 17 Sec. 2. Section 280A.1, Code 2005, is amended by adding
1 18 the following new unnumbered paragraph:
1 19 NEW UNNUMBERED PARAGRAPH. Public and private partners
1 20 shall participate in the development of the planning,
1 21 implementation, and outcomes for the initiative.
1 22 Sec. 3. NEW SECTION. 280A.2 IOWA LEARNING TECHNOLOGY
1 23 COMMISSION == MEMBERS.
1 24 1. COMMISSION CREATED. An Iowa learning technology
1 25 commission is created to administer the Iowa learning
1 26 technology initiative, including creation of a pilot program
1 27 pursuant to section 280A.4, to be implemented through local
1 28 and public=private partnerships, that shall include but shall
1 29 not be limited to, use of one=to=one student learning
1 30 technology.
1 31 2. MEMBERS. The commission shall initially be appointed
1 32 no later than July 1, 2005, and shall consist of nineteen
1 33 members appointed as follows:
1 34 a. Nine voting members who shall be members of the general
1 35 public and shall be appointed as follows:
2 1 (1) Two members shall be appointed by the governor.
2 2 (2) Two members shall be appointed by the president of the
2 3 senate.
2 4 (3) One member shall be appointed by the minority leader
2 5 of the senate.
2 6 (4) Two members shall be appointed by the speaker of the
2 7 house of representatives.
2 8 (5) One member shall be appointed by the minority leader
2 9 of the house of representatives.
2 10 (6) One member who is a member of the state board of
2 11 education shall be appointed by the chairperson of the state
2 12 board.
2 13 b. Ten ex officio, nonvoting members who shall be
2 14 appointed as follows:
2 15 (1) One member representing public postsecondary education
2 16 institutions who is employed by a public postsecondary
2 17 education institution shall be appointed by the governor.
2 18 (2) Four members representing four different school
2 19 districts shall be appointed by the governor as follows:
2 20 (a) One member shall be a teacher employed by a school
2 21 district or area education agency who is appointed from a list
2 22 of three names submitted by a certified employee organization
2 23 representing teachers licensed under chapter 272.
2 24 (b) One member shall be an administrator employed by a
2 25 school district who is appointed from a list of three names
2 26 submitted by a statewide organization representing
2 27 administrators licensed under chapter 272.
2 28 (c) One member shall be a member of a board of directors
2 29 of a school district who is appointed by a statewide
2 30 organization representing school boards.
2 31 (d) One member shall be a media specialist employed by a
2 32 school district or area education agency who is appointed from
2 33 a list of three names submitted by a certified employee
2 34 organization representing teachers licensed under chapter 272.
2 35 (3) One member representing area education agencies shall
3 1 be appointed by the governor from a list of three names
3 2 submitted by area education agency administrators.
3 3 (4) One member who is a member of the senate shall be
3 4 appointed by the president of the senate.
3 5 (5) One member who is a member of the senate shall be
3 6 appointed by the minority leader of the senate.
3 7 (6) One member who is a member of the house of
3 8 representatives shall be appointed by the speaker of the house
3 9 of representatives.
3 10 (7) One member who is a member of the house of
3 11 representatives shall be appointed by the minority leader of
3 12 the house of representatives.
3 13 3. EXPERIENCE AND SPECIAL KNOWLEDGE. In appointing
3 14 members to the commission, proper consideration shall be given
3 15 to persons with experience or special knowledge in one or more
3 16 of the following areas: education, including curriculum and
3 17 content; business; economic development; technology; and
3 18 finance.
3 19 4. BALANCE. Commission members shall be appointed in
3 20 compliance with sections 69.16 and 69.16A. Appointments of
3 21 public members shall be made to provide broad representation
3 22 of the various geographical areas of the state insofar as
3 23 possible.
3 24 5. CHAIRPERSONS. The commission shall elect a chairperson
3 25 and a vice chairperson annually from among the voting members
3 26 of the commission. A member shall not serve as a chairperson
3 27 or vice chairperson for more than three consecutive years.
3 28 6. MEETINGS. The commission shall meet at least three
3 29 times each year.
3 30 7. QUORUM. A majority of the voting members constitutes a
3 31 quorum for the transaction of any official business.
3 32 8. TERMS OF MEMBERS. The members shall be appointed to
3 33 three=year staggered terms and the terms shall commence and
3 34 end as provided by section 69.19. If a vacancy occurs, a
3 35 successor shall be appointed to serve the unexpired term. A
4 1 successor shall be appointed in the same manner and subject to
4 2 the same qualifications as the original appointment to serve
4 3 the unexpired term.
4 4 9. EXPENSES. Members of the commission are entitled to
4 5 receive reimbursement for actual expenses incurred while
4 6 engaged in the performance of official duties from funds
4 7 appropriated to the department of education for that purpose,
4 8 except that legislators' expenses shall be paid from funds
4 9 appropriated by section 2.12.
4 10 Sec. 4. NEW SECTION. 280A.3 COMMISSION DUTIES.
4 11 The commission shall:
4 12 1. Develop and administer the Iowa learning technology
4 13 pilot program in accordance with section 280A.4. The
4 14 commission shall determine application and selection
4 15 processes, and the minimum requirements for selection of pilot
4 16 program participants.
4 17 2. Develop an accurate assessment, prior to implementing
4 18 the pilot program as provided in section 280A.4 and with the
4 19 collaboration of the department of education, of the current
4 20 status of technology in Iowa's public school classrooms
4 21 supported by reliable data. Data collected and assessed shall
4 22 include the number of computers and their appropriate
4 23 corresponding use; the costs for hardware, software, staff
4 24 development, instructional staff, and technology support
4 25 staff; sources of funds used for school district technology
4 26 budgets; and an inventory of technology=based kindergarten
4 27 through grade twelve curricula.
4 28 3. Identify and gather data, in collaboration with the
4 29 department of education, to determine the current public,
4 30 private, federal, state, community college, and local revenue
4 31 sources used for kindergarten through grade twelve educational
4 32 technology at the school district, area education agency, and
4 33 state levels. The commission shall utilize the information to
4 34 determine recommended appropriations for statewide
4 35 kindergarten through grade twelve education technology.
5 1 4. Submit the data assessed and the recommended
5 2 appropriations determined pursuant to subsections 2 and 3 in a
5 3 report to the house and senate standing education committees
5 4 and the joint subcommittee on education appropriations of the
5 5 general assembly by January 15, 2006.
5 6 Sec. 5. NEW SECTION. 280A.4 PILOT PROGRAM.
5 7 1. The Iowa learning technology commission created in
5 8 section 280A.2 shall develop and administer the Iowa learning
5 9 technology pilot program to encourage innovation, increase
5 10 student achievement, and ensure that technology is used on the
5 11 basis of best practices. The pilot program should be designed
5 12 to obtain valid and reliable evidence of the impact on student
5 13 engagement and achievement from the use of technology, which
5 14 shall include but not be limited to a "one=to=one" initiative;
5 15 further demonstrate successful district=to=vendor
5 16 relationships and possibilities; identify local district
5 17 educational and fiscal planning and implementation strategies;
5 18 and gain a better understanding of the current status of
5 19 technology in Iowa schools. The goal of the pilot program is
5 20 to provide results and additional information necessary for
5 21 the general assembly to commit state funds toward
5 22 implementation of a statewide technology initiative. The
5 23 commission shall make the final determination regarding pilot
5 24 program grant awards, and shall notify the department of
5 25 education of the amount of the grant amount to be awarded to a
5 26 school district. From moneys appropriated to the department
5 27 of education for purposes of the pilot program, the pilot
5 28 program shall consist of state=funded competitive grants to
5 29 Iowa school districts that are matched locally with public or
5 30 private, federal, state, or local financing as determined by
5 31 the applicant school district. Administrative support and
5 32 staffing shall be provided by the department of education.
5 33 2. The pilot program shall be consistent with the
5 34 following guiding principles:
5 35 a. FOCUS ON INCREASING STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT OPPORTUNITIES
6 1 THROUGH QUALITY TEACHING AND LEARNING. The focus on student
6 2 achievement should include identification, for purposes of the
6 3 pilot program as well as for statewide implementation, of the
6 4 age and developmentally appropriate use of educational
6 5 technology that will engage the learner and result in improved
6 6 student achievement opportunities.
6 7 b. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT. Quality, ongoing
6 8 professional development shall be provided, including best
6 9 practices in the effective use of technology in the classroom.
6 10 c. CURRICULUM AND ASSESSMENT. Students' technology skills
6 11 shall be integrated into the curriculum and assessed through
6 12 the demonstration of learning within content areas.
6 13 d. EQUITABLE ACCESS. Grant awards under the pilot program
6 14 shall be distributed to school districts that meet the
6 15 selection requirements established by the commission in a
6 16 manner that ensures that students throughout the state have
6 17 equitable access to education opportunities offered via the
6 18 use of technology and telecommunications.
6 19 e. EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY PLANNING. Due consideration
6 20 shall be given to future sustainability of learning technology
6 21 resources by adapting to future educational needs and
6 22 technology changes and by avoiding obsolescence of learning
6 23 technology resources.
6 24 f. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. Grant moneys should be
6 25 distributed in such a manner as to foster economic development
6 26 across all regions of the state and to prepare students for an
6 27 economy that embraces technology and innovation.
6 28 g. ACCOUNTABILITY. The pilot program shall include
6 29 methods of measuring progress in the areas of increased
6 30 student engagement; decreased disciplinary problems; increased
6 31 use of computers for writing, analysis, and research; movement
6 32 toward student=centered classrooms; increased parental
6 33 involvement; and increased standardized test scores.
6 34 EXPLANATION
6 35 This bill establishes an Iowa learning technology
7 1 commission to administer the Iowa learning technology
7 2 initiative, to be implemented through local and public=
7 3 private partnerships, develop and administer an Iowa learning
7 4 technology pilot program, collect and assess data relating to
7 5 the current status of technology in Iowa's public school
7 6 classrooms, and identify and coordinate current revenue
7 7 sources used for K=12 educational technology; and requires the
7 8 state board of regents to establish a research triangle
7 9 composed of the three regents universities and clearinghouse
7 10 for purposes of sharing K=12 education technology initiatives.
7 11 The initiative administered by the commission may include,
7 12 but is not limited to, establishment of a leadership group,
7 13 use of one=to=one student learning technology and the creation
7 14 of an Iowa learning technology pilot program to encourage
7 15 innovation, increase student achievement, ensure that
7 16 technology is used on the basis of best practices, further
7 17 demonstrate successful district=to=vendor relationships and
7 18 possibilities, and identify local district educational and
7 19 fiscal planning and implementation strategies. The pilot
7 20 program is to be designed to obtain valid and reliable
7 21 evidence of the impact on student achievement from the use of
7 22 technology. The goal of the pilot program is to provide
7 23 results and additional information necessary for the general
7 24 assembly to commit state funds toward implementation of a
7 25 statewide technology initiative. The bill lists the key
7 26 components of the pilot program.
7 27 From moneys appropriated to the department of education for
7 28 purposes of the pilot program, state=funded competitive grants
7 29 are to be made by the commission to Iowa school districts that
7 30 match the state funds locally with public or private, federal,
7 31 other state, or local financing as determined by the applicant
7 32 school district.
7 33 The commission is directed to use the information it
7 34 collects regarding current revenue sources to determine
7 35 recommended appropriations for statewide kindergarten through
8 1 grade 12 education technology. The data and the
8 2 appropriations recommendations must be submitted in a report
8 3 to the house and senate standing education committees and the
8 4 joint subcommittee on education appropriations of the general
8 5 assembly by January 15, 2006.
8 6 The commission consists of nine voting members who are
8 7 members of the general public and 10 ex officio, nonvoting
8 8 members who are education professionals or education
8 9 stakeholders.
8 10 The research triangle and clearinghouse to be established
8 11 by the state board of regents is directed to share the
8 12 projects and results of K=12 education technology initiatives
8 13 occurring in Iowa's school districts, area education agencies,
8 14 community colleges, and other higher education institutions,
8 15 with the education community within and outside of the state.
8 16 LSB 1874HV 81
8 17 kh:nh/pj/5