House File 739 - Introduced HOUSE FILE BY BERRY and ABDUL=SAMAD Passed House, Date Passed Senate, Date Vote: Ayes Nays Vote: Ayes Nays Approved A BILL FOR 1 An Act relating to the incorporation of historical contributions 2 by minorities and women into high school curricula. 3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 4 TLSB 2522HH 82 5 ak/es/88 PAG LIN 1 1 Section 1. Section 256.11, subsection 5, paragraph b, 1 2 unnumbered paragraph 1, Code 2007, is amended to read as 1 3 follows: 1 4 Five units of the social studies including instruction in 1 5 voting statutes and procedures, voter registration 1 6 requirements, the use of paper ballots and voting machines in 1 7 the election process, and the method of acquiring and casting 1 8 an absentee ballot. All students shall complete a minimum of 1 9 one=half unit of United States government, one=half unit of 1 10 African=American history, and one unit of United States 1 11 history. The one=half unit of United States government shall 1 12 include the voting procedure as described in this lettered 1 13 paragraph and section 280.9A. The government instruction 1 14 shall also include a study of the Constitution of the United 1 15 States and the Bill of Rights contained in the Constitution 1 16 and an assessment of a student's knowledge of the Constitution 1 17 and the Bill of Rights. 1 18 Sec. 2. Section 280.9A, subsection 1, Code 2007, is 1 19 amended to read as follows: 1 20 1. The board of directors of each local public school 1 21 district and the authorities in charge of each nonpublic 1 22 school shall require that all students in grades nine through 1 23 twelve complete, as a condition of graduation, instruction in 1 24 American history, African=American history, and the 1 25 governments of Iowa and the United States, including 1 26 instruction in voting statutes and procedures, voter 1 27 registration requirements, the use of paper ballots and voting 1 28 machines in the election process, and the method of acquiring 1 29 and casting an absentee ballot. 1 30 Sec. 3. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TEXTBOOK STUDY. The 1 31 department of education shall appoint a committee of at least 1 32 three staff members with expertise in history or textbooks to 1 33 examine available and soon=to=be available high school history 1 34 textbooks from various publishers that include 1 35 African=Americans, women, Hispanics, and other minorities who 2 1 were an integral part of the history of the United States. 2 2 The department's recommendations for new textbooks shall be 2 3 reported to the general assembly by January 1, 2008. 2 4 Sec. 4. STATE MANDATE FUNDING SPECIFIED. In accordance 2 5 with section 25B.2, subsection 3, the state cost of requiring 2 6 compliance with any state mandate included in this Act shall 2 7 be paid by a school district from state school foundation aid 2 8 received by the school district under section 257.16. This 2 9 specification of the payment of the state cost shall be deemed 2 10 to meet all the state funding=related requirements of section 2 11 25B.2, subsection 3, and no additional state funding shall be 2 12 necessary for the full implementation of this Act by and 2 13 enforcement of this Act against all affected school districts. 2 14 EXPLANATION 2 15 This bill requires that African=American history become a 2 16 required course in high school curriculum. 2 17 The bill requires that a one=half unit of African=American 2 18 history be required as part of the five units of social 2 19 studies credits that high schools offer in order for public 2 20 and nonpublic schools to be accredited by the department of 2 21 education. 2 22 The bill also requires that school districts and 2 23 authorities in charge of accredited nonpublic schools ensure 2 24 that in order to graduate students complete a course in 2 25 African=American history. The bill also requires the 2 26 department of education to select at least three staff members 2 27 with expertise in either history or textbooks to examine 2 28 current or soon=to=be available history textbooks for content 2 29 that includes the contributions of women and minorities. The 2 30 department shall report its recommendations of new textbooks 2 31 to the general assemble by January 1, 2008. 2 32 The bill may include a state mandate as defined in Code 2 33 section 25B.3. The bill requires that the state cost of any 2 34 state mandate included in the bill be paid by a school 2 35 district from state school foundation aid received by the 3 1 school district under Code section 257.16. The specification 3 2 is deemed to constitute state compliance with any state 3 3 mandate funding=related requirements of Code section 25B.2. 3 4 The inclusion of this specification is intended to reinstate 3 5 the requirement of political subdivisions to comply with any 3 6 state mandates included in the bill. 3 7 LSB 2522HH 82 3 8 ak:nh/es/88