House File 2031 - Introduced
HOUSE FILE
BY RANTS
Passed House, Date Passed Senate, Date
Vote: Ayes Nays Vote: Ayes Nays
Approved
A BILL FOR
1 An Act relating to teacher training and practitioner preparation
2 related to autism spectrum disorders and providing an
3 appropriation.
4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
5 TLSB 5150YH 82
6 kh/rj/5
PAG LIN
1 1 Section 1. Section 256.16, subsection 1, paragraph c, Code
1 2 2007, is amended to read as follows:
1 3 c. Include in the professional education program,
1 4 preparation that contributes and require successful completion
1 5 prior to graduation from the program, the following:
1 6 (1) Preparation in recognizing the characteristics and
1 7 special cognitive needs relating to students with
1 8 disabilities, students with autism spectrum disorders, and
1 9 students who are gifted and talented, and in instructional
1 10 strategies which contribute to the education of such students
1 11 with disabilities and students who are gifted and talented,
1 12 and preparation.
1 13 (2) Preparation in classroom management addressing
1 14 high=risk behaviors including, but not limited to, behaviors
1 15 related to substance abuse. Preparation required under this
1 16 paragraph must be successfully completed before graduation
1 17 from the practitioner preparation program.
1 18 Sec. 2. NEW SECTION. 256B.16 AUTISM ADVISORY COUNCIL.
1 19 1. An autism advisory council is established to advise the
1 20 state board of education and the board of educational
1 21 examiners concerning best practices which school districts and
1 22 accredited nonpublic schools can utilize to better educate and
1 23 assist students with autism spectrum disorders. The advisory
1 24 council shall meet at least quarterly to make recommendations
1 25 to make state programs and policies more effective in serving
1 26 children with autism and their families. The advisory council
1 27 shall do the following:
1 28 a. Develop, and revise as necessary, a policy on the most
1 29 effective manner of informing schools about the status of
1 30 education=related research and outreach services available to
1 31 children with autism and their families. It is the intent of
1 32 the general assembly that schools utilize the information to
1 33 develop education=related programs and services for children
1 34 with autism.
1 35 b. Create a statewide clearinghouse for information on the
2 1 findings of education=related, research=based, recommended
2 2 practices to support children with autism that can be
2 3 disseminated to schools, parents, and other interested
2 4 persons. These education=related practices shall include but
2 5 are not limited to the early detection of, and development of
2 6 coordinated services to, children with autism and the
2 7 professional development of pertinent individuals providing
2 8 such services.
2 9 c. Study the feasibility of and need for establishing a
2 10 program that would provide technical assistance to schools on
2 11 all of the following subjects:
2 12 (1) The identification and diagnosis of autism spectrum
2 13 disorders.
2 14 (2) The development of research=based programs that best
2 15 serve children with autism in order for them to succeed
2 16 academically.
2 17 (3) The development of research=based professional
2 18 development program standards for training teachers and
2 19 administrators on the best practices for providing instruction
2 20 to children with autism.
2 21 2. The advisory council shall consist of fifteen voting
2 22 members appointed by the governor and confirmed by the senate.
2 23 The membership shall include parents of children with autism,
2 24 school district administrators, teachers, representatives of
2 25 area education agencies, representatives of accredited
2 26 nonpublic schools, autism research specialists, physicians who
2 27 possess a background or expertise in a pertinent medical field
2 28 such as psychiatry or behavioral science, and individuals with
2 29 a recognized expertise in the best practices for providing
2 30 instruction to children with autism. Voting members shall be
2 31 appointed to three=year staggered terms, beginning and ending
2 32 as provided in section 69.19. A member shall continue to
2 33 serve until a successor is appointed and a vacancy shall be
2 34 filled for the remainder of the unexpired term. In addition,
2 35 four members shall be legislators, all serving as ex officio,
3 1 nonvoting members, with one each appointed by the speaker of
3 2 the house of representatives, the minority leader of the house
3 3 of representatives, the majority leader of the senate, and the
3 4 minority leader of the senate. The director of the department
3 5 of education and the executive director of the board of
3 6 educational examiners, or their designees, shall also be ex
3 7 officio, nonvoting members, and shall serve as resource
3 8 persons to the advisory council.
3 9 3. A chairperson, vice chairperson, and other officers
3 10 deemed necessary by the advisory council shall be appointed by
3 11 the membership of the council. Administrative support and
3 12 staffing for the advisory council shall be provided by the
3 13 department of education.
3 14 4. The recommendations developed by the advisory council
3 15 shall not be construed or applied as state=imposed standards
3 16 or binding on any individualized education program team,
3 17 special education official, or child with autism. This
3 18 section shall not be construed to prescribe or define an
3 19 appropriate educational or habilitative program for a child
3 20 with autism.
3 21 5. By January 15, annually, the advisory council shall
3 22 prepare and submit to the governor, the general assembly, the
3 23 department of education, and the board of educational
3 24 examiners a report concerning the advisory council's
3 25 activities, findings, and recommendations.
3 26 Sec. 3. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION == AUTISM TRAINING FOR
3 27 TEACHERS. There is appropriated from the general fund of the
3 28 state to the department of education for the fiscal year
3 29 beginning July 1, 2008, and ending June 30, 2009, the
3 30 following amount, or so much thereof as is necessary, to be
3 31 used for the purposes designated:
3 32 For teacher training in recognizing the characteristics and
3 33 special cognitive needs relating to autism spectrum disorders
3 34 in order that teachers may modify instruction appropriately
3 35 for students with autism:
4 1 .................................................. $ 200,000
4 2 EXPLANATION
4 3 This bill requires practitioner preparation programs to
4 4 provide preparation to prospective teachers in recognizing the
4 5 characteristics and special cognitive needs of students with
4 6 autism, creates an autism advisory council to advise the
4 7 department of education and the board of educational examiners
4 8 regarding best practices school districts and accredited
4 9 nonpublic schools can utilize to better educate and assist
4 10 students with autism, and appropriates $200,000 for FY
4 11 2008=2009 to the department for teacher training in
4 12 recognizing the characteristics and special cognitive needs
4 13 relating to autism in order that teachers may modify
4 14 instruction appropriately for students with autism.
4 15 The bill requires the state board of education to adopt
4 16 rules requiring all higher education institutions providing
4 17 practitioner preparation to include the preparation related to
4 18 students with autism in their professional education programs
4 19 and requires that students successfully complete the
4 20 preparation prior to graduating from the programs.
4 21 The autism advisory council must meet at least quarterly to
4 22 make recommendations to make state programs and policies more
4 23 effective in serving children with autism and their families.
4 24 The advisory council is directed to develop a policy on the
4 25 most effective manner of informing schools about the status of
4 26 education=related research and outreach services available to
4 27 children with autism and their families, with the legislative
4 28 intent that schools utilize the information to develop
4 29 education=related programs and services for children with
4 30 autism; create a statewide clearinghouse for education=related
4 31 autism information; and study the feasibility and need for
4 32 establishing a program that would provide technical assistance
4 33 concerning autism, school instruction, and teacher training to
4 34 schools.
4 35 The advisory council consists of 15 voting members
5 1 appointed by the governor and confirmed by the senate, four
5 2 nonvoting, ex officio members who are members of the general
5 3 assembly, and the director of the department of education and
5 4 the executive director of the board of educational examiners,
5 5 or their designees, who also serve as ex officio, nonvoting
5 6 members. Administrative support and staffing for the council
5 7 will be provided by the department of education.
5 8 By January 15, annually, the advisory council must prepare
5 9 and submit to the governor, the general assembly, the
5 10 department of education, and the board of educational
5 11 examiners a report concerning its activities, findings, and
5 12 recommendations.
5 13 LSB 5150YH 82
5 14 kh/rj/5