Senate File 398 - Introduced
SENATE FILE
BY COMMITTEE ON GOVERNMENT
OVERSIGHT
(SUCCESSOR TO SSB 1298)
Passed Senate, Date Passed House, Date
Vote: Ayes Nays Vote: Ayes Nays
Approved
A BILL FOR
1 An Act encouraging community investment in before and after
2 school programs by allowing school districts to request
3 additional allowable growth and providing for related matters.
4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
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PAG LIN
1 1 Section 1. NEW SECTION. 257.51 BEFORE AND AFTER SCHOOL
1 2 PROGRAMS == ADDITIONAL ALLOWABLE GROWTH.
1 3 1. The general assembly finds and declares that quality
1 4 before and after school programs provide safe, engaging
1 5 environments that complement the school day by promoting
1 6 learning to improve student outcomes. While there is no one
1 7 single formula for success in before and after school
1 8 programs, the general assembly encourages communities to
1 9 invest local resources in before and after school programs.
1 10 The general assembly finds that effective programs combine
1 11 academic, enrichment, cultural, and recreational activities to
1 12 guide learning and engage children and youth in year=round
1 13 age=appropriate activities. The best programs develop
1 14 activities to meet the particular needs and interests of the
1 15 children and youth they serve, whether they are provided by a
1 16 year=round school=based program or by a school program linked
1 17 to community=based, faith=based, or nonprofit organizations.
1 18 The types of activities supported by the best before and after
1 19 school programs include, but are not limited to, the
1 20 following:
1 21 a. Tutoring and supplementing instruction in basic skills,
1 22 such as reading, math, and science.
1 23 b. Drug and violence prevention curricula and counseling.
1 24 c. Youth leadership activities.
1 25 d. Volunteer and service learning opportunities.
1 26 e. Career and vocational awareness and preparation.
1 27 f. Courses and enrichment in arts and culture.
1 28 g. Computer instruction.
1 29 h. Character development and civic participation.
1 30 i. Language instruction, including English as a second
1 31 language.
1 32 j. Mentoring.
1 33 k. Positive interaction with law enforcement.
1 34 l. Supervised recreation programs.
1 35 m. Health and nutrition programs.
2 1 2. Boards of directors of school districts, individually
2 2 or jointly with other boards of directors of school districts,
2 3 requesting to use additional allowable growth for before and
2 4 after school programs shall annually submit an application for
2 5 additional allowable growth that includes a program budget to
2 6 the department of education as provided in this chapter. The
2 7 school district shall incorporate a program plan for its
2 8 before and after school program into its comprehensive school
2 9 improvement plan required under section 256.7, subsection 21.
2 10 3. The school district's comprehensive school improvement
2 11 plan shall identify the parts of the program that will be
2 12 implemented first upon approval of the application. A
2 13 district may charge a fee for participation in the before and
2 14 after school program, but shall make every reasonable effort
2 15 to remove financial barriers that prevent families from
2 16 utilizing the before and after school program. The program
2 17 plans may provide for a school=based program or school=linked
2 18 program to community=based, faith=based, and nonprofit
2 19 organizations in the community.
2 20 4. The state board of education shall adopt rules under
2 21 chapter 17A relating to the administration of this section.
2 22 The rules shall prescribe the components of the program plans
2 23 to be addressed in the school district's comprehensive school
2 24 improvement plan under this section.
2 25 5. For purposes of this section, "before and after school
2 26 program" means a school=based or school=linked program that is
2 27 offered before and after school, before school, after school,
2 28 during the summer, or at other times school is not in session.
2 29 6. The board of directors of a school district requesting
2 30 to use additional allowable growth for before and after school
2 31 programs shall submit applications for approval of the
2 32 programs to the department of education not later than
2 33 November 1 preceding the budget year during which the programs
2 34 will be offered. The department of education shall review the
2 35 application and shall, prior to January 15, either grant
3 1 approval for the programs or return the request for approval
3 2 with comments of the department of education included. An
3 3 unapproved application may be resubmitted with modifications
3 4 to the department of education no later than February 1. No
3 5 later than February 15, the department of education shall
3 6 notify the department of management and the school budget
3 7 review committee of the names of the school districts for
3 8 which programs using additional allowable growth for funding
3 9 have been approved and the approved budget of each program
3 10 listed separately for each school district having an approved
3 11 program.
3 12 7. The budget of an approved before and after school
3 13 program for a school district shall be funded annually on a
3 14 basis of at least one=fourth or more from user fees, grants,
3 15 subsidies, and other locally generated sources and up to
3 16 three=fourths by an increase in allowable growth as defined in
3 17 section 257.8. Annually, the department of management shall
3 18 establish a modified allowable growth for each district equal
3 19 to the difference between the approved budget for the before
3 20 and after school programs for that district and the portion of
3 21 the budget funded from user fees, grants, subsidies, and other
3 22 locally generated sources for that purpose. The maximum
3 23 dollar amount of allowable growth for a program shall not
3 24 exceed five percent times the budget enrollment times the
3 25 district cost per pupil less the amount available from user
3 26 fees, grants, subsidies, and other locally generated sources
3 27 for the program.
3 28 8. If any portion of the before and after school program
3 29 budget remains unexpended at the end of the budget year, the
3 30 remainder shall be carried over to the subsequent budget year
3 31 and added to the before and after school program budget as a
3 32 locally generated source of funding for that year.
3 33 EXPLANATION
3 34 This bill allows a school district, individually or with
3 35 other school districts, to apply to the school budget review
4 1 committee for additional allowable growth for before and after
4 2 school programs. Such school districts must annually submit
4 3 their program plans with their comprehensive program plans to
4 4 the department of education, along with a program budget. The
4 5 bill includes legislative findings, encourages community
4 6 investment, and lists some of the activities the best programs
4 7 support.
4 8 A district may charge a fee for participation in the before
4 9 and after school program, but must make every reasonable
4 10 effort to remove financial barriers to participation in the
4 11 program.
4 12 The budget of an approved before and after school program
4 13 shall be funded annually on a basis of at least one=fourth or
4 14 more from fees, grants, subsidies, and other locally generated
4 15 sources, and up to three=fourths by an increase in allowable
4 16 growth as defined in Code section 257.8. Annually, the
4 17 department of management must establish a modified allowable
4 18 growth for each such district equal to the difference between
4 19 the approved budget for the program for that district and the
4 20 portion of the budget funded from fees, grants, subsidies, and
4 21 other locally generated sources.
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