House File 439 - Introduced



                                       HOUSE FILE       
                                       BY  MAY


    Passed House,  Date               Passed Senate, Date             
    Vote:  Ayes        Nays           Vote:  Ayes        Nays         
                 Approved                            

                                      A BILL FOR

  1 An Act directing the state board of regents to convene a task
  2    force to develop and coordinate a five=year strategic plan to
  3    address alignment of the kindergarten through postsecondary
  4    education systems.
  5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
  6 TLSB 1927YH 82
  7 kh/je/5

PAG LIN



  1  1    Section 1.  FIVE=YEAR STRATEGIC EDUCATION PLAN.
  1  2    1.  The state board of regents, in consultation with the
  1  3 department of education and the Iowa association of community
  1  4 college presidents, shall convene a task force to develop and
  1  5 coordinate a five=year strategic plan to systematically
  1  6 address educational alignment in programs and policies from
  1  7 kindergarten through postsecondary education to provide
  1  8 greater coherence and a stronger sense of connectedness
  1  9 between the K=12, community college, and university systems.
  1 10 The task force shall consist of teachers, administrators,
  1 11 school board members, and representatives of the area
  1 12 education agencies, the department of education, the board of
  1 13 educational examiners, community colleges, practitioner
  1 14 preparation programs, and the state university system.
  1 15    2.  The task force shall at a minimum do the following:
  1 16    a.  Identify barriers to collaboration between educational
  1 17 professionals at all levels, and identify methods for
  1 18 strengthening relationships between families and schools,
  1 19 closing achievement gaps at every level, clarifying
  1 20 expectations for what students across all income and ethnic
  1 21 groups need to know and be able to do in preparation for the
  1 22 next higher level of learning, creating a wider range of
  1 23 learning experiences and opportunities for students in the
  1 24 final two years of high school, facilitating student movement
  1 25 between levels, and sharing academic performance data across
  1 26 levels.
  1 27    b.  Address preparation and professional development
  1 28 efforts that result in excellent teachers and leaders for all
  1 29 students, particularly in the areas of literacy, mathematics,
  1 30 and science to prepare students for superior achievement in
  1 31 postsecondary education and workforce training beyond high
  1 32 school.
  1 33    c.  Review measures to maximize efficiencies and
  1 34 affordability to increase postsecondary enrollment and
  1 35 completion rates.
  2  1    3.  The task force shall select a chairperson from among
  2  2 its members.  The state board of regents shall provide staff
  2  3 support.  The state board of regents shall convene the initial
  2  4 meeting no later than July 30, 2007.  Subsequent meetings
  2  5 shall be held at least quarterly and at the request of the
  2  6 chairperson.  The task force shall submit the five=year
  2  7 strategic plan to the governor and the general assembly by
  2  8 January 15, 2009.
  2  9                           EXPLANATION
  2 10    This bill directs the state board of regents, in
  2 11 consultation with the department of education and the Iowa
  2 12 association of community college presidents, to convene a task
  2 13 force to develop and coordinate a five=year strategic plan to
  2 14 systematically address educational alignment in programs and
  2 15 policies from kindergarten through postsecondary education to
  2 16 provide greater coherence and a stronger sense of
  2 17 connectedness between the K=12, community college, and
  2 18 university systems.  The state board of regents must provide
  2 19 staff support and convene the initial meeting no later than
  2 20 July 30, 2007.  Subsequent meetings shall be held at least
  2 21 quarterly and at the request of the chairperson.  The task
  2 22 force shall submit the five=year strategic plan to the
  2 23 governor and the general assembly by January 15, 2009.
  2 24 LSB 1927YH 82
  2 25 kh:nh/je/5