House File 159 - Introduced
HOUSE FILE
BY FORD
Passed House, Date Passed Senate, Date
Vote: Ayes Nays Vote: Ayes Nays
Approved
A BILL FOR
1 An Act relating to the establishment of a statewide educational
2 standards and accountability task force.
3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
4 TLSB 2058HH 82
5 kh/es/88
PAG LIN
1 1 Section 1. STATEWIDE EDUCATIONAL STANDARDS AND
1 2 ACCOUNTABILITY TASK FORCE.
1 3 1. The department of education shall convene a task force
1 4 to study the establishment of statewide content and
1 5 performance standards.
1 6 a. The task force shall review the current educational
1 7 program standards school districts and accredited nonpublic
1 8 schools are required to provide pursuant to section 256.11.
1 9 b. The task force shall study strategies for establishing
1 10 academic standards for student knowledge in the core
1 11 curriculum areas of reading, language arts, mathematics,
1 12 social studies, and science for kindergarten through grade
1 13 twelve, and the effect such focus has on advancing or
1 14 inhibiting critical and creative thinking and in drawing
1 15 attention from other worthwhile subjects, aligning assessments
1 16 to those standards, implementing accountability measures, and
1 17 providing supports to improve student achievement.
1 18 c. The study shall include a review of the educational
1 19 content and performance standards in neighboring states, and
1 20 in states recognized as successfully narrowing achievement
1 21 gaps and increasing overall student achievement in
1 22 kindergarten through grade twelve.
1 23 d. The task force shall consider the use of innovative
1 24 delivery systems, including technology.
1 25 e. The task force shall consider a potential timeline and
1 26 implementation strategy for statewide standards, resources
1 27 needed, and the use of systematic and frequent data to inform
1 28 teachers and students about how well students are learning
1 29 material and about strategies students are expected to learn.
1 30 2. The task force shall consist of the director of the
1 31 department of education or the director's designee,
1 32 administrators and teachers representing large, medium, and
1 33 small school districts who have worked closely with the
1 34 development of local content standards, representatives from
1 35 area education agencies who have worked closely with the
2 1 development of local content standards, and parents or
2 2 guardians, and community leaders.
2 3 3. The department shall submit a progress report to the
2 4 general assembly by December 15, 2007.
2 5 4. The department shall submit a report summarizing the
2 6 results of the study and making recommendations to the general
2 7 assembly by December 15, 2008.
2 8 EXPLANATION
2 9 This bill directs the department of education to convene a
2 10 task force to study the establishment of statewide content and
2 11 performance standards.
2 12 The task force is directed to review the current
2 13 educational program school districts and accredited nonpublic
2 14 schools are required to provide pursuant to Code section
2 15 256.11; study strategies for establishing academic standards
2 16 in the core curriculum areas for kindergarten through grade 12
2 17 and the effect such focus has on advancing or inhibiting
2 18 critical and creative thinking and drawing attention from
2 19 other worthwhile subjects, aligning assessments to those
2 20 standards, implementing accountability measures, and providing
2 21 supports to improve student achievement; review the
2 22 educational content and performance standards in neighboring
2 23 states, and in states recognized as successfully narrowing
2 24 achievement gaps and generally increasing student achievement
2 25 in kindergarten through grade 12; study the use of innovative
2 26 delivery systems; and consider a potential timeline and
2 27 implementation strategy for state standards, resources, and
2 28 the use of systematic and frequent data to inform teachers and
2 29 students about how well students are learning material and
2 30 about strategies they are expected to learn.
2 31 The department must submit a progress report to the general
2 32 assembly by December 15, 2007, and a final report summarizing
2 33 the results of the study and making recommendations to the
2 34 general assembly by December 15, 2008.
2 35 LSB 2058HH 82
3 1 kh:nh/es/88