Senate File 27 - Introduced
SENATE FILE
BY TINSMAN and BOETTGER
Passed Senate, Date Passed House, 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 at the university of northern Iowa, and
4 directing the department of education to evaluate and report
5 on the plan.
6 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
7 TLSB 1317XS 81
8 kh/cf/24
PAG LIN
1 1 Section 1. NEW SECTION. 268.6 IOWA STUDIES ==
1 2 LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS == 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. There is a
1 7 fundamental need for Iowa's students to be provided with
1 8 learning opportunities that assist the students in succeeding
1 9 in society and confer upon them the ability to make their own
1 10 valuable contributions to Iowa's history.
1 11 2. The university of northern Iowa, in cooperation with
1 12 the community colleges and area education agencies, shall
1 13 develop an Iowa studies professional development plan that
1 14 shall include professional development materials and training
1 15 measures to provide Iowa's teachers with effective ways to
1 16 infuse Iowa studies into their classrooms. The materials
1 17 developed shall include an active and innovative Iowa studies
1 18 learning curriculum that may be integrated into the social
1 19 studies requirements for Iowa's secondary school students at
1 20 the discretion of each board of directors of a school district
1 21 or the authorities in charge of each accredited nonpublic
1 22 school. The curriculum shall include lesson plans covering
1 23 Iowa history, civics, Iowa government, and Iowa heritage
1 24 studies. The curriculum developed shall be at least one=half
1 25 of a unit of credit.
1 26 3. a. The dean of the college of education at the
1 27 university of northern Iowa, in cooperation with the community
1 28 colleges and area education agencies, shall establish an Iowa
1 29 studies committee to do the following:
1 30 (1) Work to inform Iowa's accredited schools and area
1 31 education agencies of the Iowa studies professional
1 32 development plan, including how to effectively utilize the
1 33 curriculum developed pursuant to subsection 2.
1 34 (2) Develop partnerships with organizations such as
1 35 nonprofit history or humanities organizations, civic
2 1 organizations, libraries, and the business community to
2 2 support and promote Iowa studies statewide.
2 3 (3) Establish evaluation criteria for the Iowa studies
2 4 professional development plan, including but not limited to
2 5 teacher and student evaluation, student tracking, and
2 6 curriculum and plan effectiveness, which may include a survey
2 7 of student participation in civic activities and involvement
2 8 in the election process.
2 9 (4) Develop a strategy and plan to allow for the
2 10 implementation of the Iowa studies professional development
2 11 plan and curriculum in a limited number of schools and area
2 12 education agencies across the state. Participation by a
2 13 school or area education agency shall be voluntary. However,
2 14 a school or area education agency selected to participate in
2 15 the plan shall agree to participate in the evaluation
2 16 component conducted by the department of education pursuant to
2 17 subsection 4.
2 18 b. The committee membership shall be comprised of the
2 19 following:
2 20 (1) The dean of the college of education of the university
2 21 of northern Iowa or the dean's designee.
2 22 (2) The secretary of state or the secretary's designee.
2 23 (3) The director of the department of education or the
2 24 director's designee.
2 25 (4) The director of the department of cultural affairs or
2 26 the director's designee.
2 27 (5) The state librarian or the state librarian's designee.
2 28 (6) Persons appointed by the dean of the college of
2 29 education of the university of northern Iowa, as follows:
2 30 (a) The administrator of an area education agency or the
2 31 administrator's designee.
2 32 (b) An individual employed as an Iowa social studies
2 33 teacher at an accredited school.
2 34 (c) An individual employed by a community college.
2 35 (d) A member of the Iowa council of social studies.
3 1 4. The department of education, in cooperation with the
3 2 Iowa studies committee, shall do the following:
3 3 a. Conduct an evaluation of the Iowa studies professional
3 4 development plan using the evaluation criteria established by
3 5 the committee.
3 6 b. Submit, until June 30, 2008, an annual status report on
3 7 the utilization of the Iowa studies professional development
3 8 plan in Iowa's accredited schools to the chairpersons and
3 9 ranking members of the senate and house committees on
3 10 education by January 15. The annual report shall include the
3 11 number of schools utilizing the plan.
3 12 c. Submit its findings and recommendations in a final
3 13 report based upon the evaluation data compiled in accordance
3 14 with subsection 3 to the chairpersons and ranking members of
3 15 the senate and house committees on education by January 15,
3 16 2009.
3 17 5. This section is repealed effective July 1, 2009.
3 18 EXPLANATION
3 19 This bill establishes the general assembly's findings with
3 20 regard to the need for Iowa's students to have an appreciation
3 21 for the state through the study of its history, government,
3 22 and long and distinguished record of civic activities and
3 23 contributions. The bill requires the university of northern
3 24 Iowa to develop an Iowa studies professional development plan,
3 25 in cooperation with community colleges and area education
3 26 agencies (AEAs), that includes a professional development
3 27 curriculum and supporting materials and training measures to
3 28 provide Iowa's teachers with effective ways to infuse Iowa
3 29 studies into their secondary school classrooms.
3 30 The bill directs the dean of the college of education at
3 31 the university to establish, in cooperation with community
3 32 colleges and AEAs, an Iowa studies committee to work to inform
3 33 Iowa's accredited schools and area education agencies of the
3 34 Iowa studies professional development plan, develop
3 35 partnerships to support and promote Iowa studies statewide,
4 1 establish evaluation criteria for the Iowa studies
4 2 professional development plan, and develop a strategy and plan
4 3 to allow for the implementation of the professional
4 4 development plan and curriculum in a limited number of schools
4 5 and AEAs across the state.
4 6 The department of education is directed to conduct an
4 7 evaluation of the Iowa studies professional development plan.
4 8 The department must also submit an annual status report on the
4 9 utilization of the Iowa studies professional development plan
4 10 in Iowa's accredited schools and, by January 15, 2009, a final
4 11 report, to the chairpersons and ranking members of the senate
4 12 and house committees on education.
4 13 LSB 1317XS 81
4 14 kh/cf/24.1