Senate File 81SENATE FILE BY WOOD, SCHOENJAHN, HANCOCK, DANIELSON, RIELLY, ZAUN, and MULDER Passed Senate, Date Passed House, Date Vote: Ayes Nays Vote: Ayes Nays Approved A BILL FOR 1 An Act requiring school districts to adopt a student advancement 2 policy and making an appropriation. 3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 4 TLSB 1981SS 82 5 kh/es/88 PAG LIN 1 1 Section 1. NEW SECTION. 279.65 STUDENT ADVANCEMENT 1 2 POLICY == FINDINGS == SUPPLEMENTAL STRATEGIES AND EDUCATIONAL 1 3 SERVICES GRANT PROGRAM. 1 4 1. The general assembly finds and declares that students 1 5 should be able to meet or exceed the expectations established 1 6 by the school district of enrollment in order to advance to 1 7 the next grade level. 1 8 2. The board of directors of each school district shall 1 9 adopt a student advancement policy which provides for the 1 10 following: 1 11 a. Supplemental strategies to be provided to all students 1 12 in kindergarten through grade five who do not meet the grade 1 13 level expectations established by the school district for 1 14 English=language arts, social studies, mathematics, and 1 15 science. 1 16 b. A requirement that students in grades six through eight 1 17 who fail one or more of the core courses make up deficiencies 1 18 before advancing to the next level in the subject area. "Core 1 19 course", for purposes of this section, means a course in the 1 20 following subject areas: English=language arts, social 1 21 studies, mathematics, and science. 1 22 c. Opportunities for students to meet the school 1 23 district's expectations as provided in paragraphs "a" and "b" 1 24 which shall include but not be limited to supplemental 1 25 educational services such as tutoring that may be offered 1 26 before and after school or during the summer and that may be 1 27 provided by private service providers. 1 28 3. If a student in kindergarten through grade eight does 1 29 not meet the grade level core course expectations established 1 30 by the school district as provided in this section, the school 1 31 district shall develop a plan for supplemental strategies or 1 32 supplemental educational services, and for measuring student 1 33 progress, in consultation with the student's parent or 1 34 guardian. 1 35 4. In deciding student placement and advancement, the 2 1 board of directors of a school district shall make every 2 2 effort to reach agreement with parents and guardians. 2 3 5. A supplemental strategies and educational services 2 4 grant program is established to be administered by the 2 5 department of education to award grants to school districts 2 6 for purposes of providing supplemental strategies and 2 7 educational services to students who do not meet the grade 2 8 level expectations established by the school district for 2 9 English=language arts, social studies, mathematics, and 2 10 science. The department shall develop the criteria and a 2 11 process for awarding supplemental strategies and educational 2 12 services grants to school districts when moneys are 2 13 appropriated for the grant program. 2 14 Sec. 2. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION == SUPPLEMENTAL STRATEGIES 2 15 AND EDUCATIONAL SERVICES GRANT PROGRAM. There is appropriated 2 16 from the general fund of the state to the department of 2 17 education for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2007, and 2 18 ending June 30, 2008, the following amount, or so much thereof 2 19 as may be necessary, to be used for the purposes designated: 2 20 For purposes of the supplemental strategies and educational 2 21 services grant program established pursuant to this Act: 2 22 .................................................. $ 5,050,000 2 23 From the funds appropriated in this section, the department 2 24 may retain up to $50,000 for administration of the 2 25 supplemental strategies and educational services grant 2 26 program. 2 27 EXPLANATION 2 28 This bill requires school boards to adopt a student 2 29 advancement policy and establishes legislative findings to 2 30 support the requirement. The bill also appropriates $5.05 2 31 million to the department of education for FY 2007=2008 from 2 32 the general fund for a supplemental strategies and educational 2 33 services grant program for distribution to school districts 2 34 for tutoring and other opportunities for students to meet the 2 35 expectations of the school district. 3 1 The policy adopted by a school district must provide that 3 2 supplemental strategies will be provided to all kindergarten 3 3 through grade five students who do not meet grade level 3 4 expectations; that students in grades six through eight must 3 5 make up deficiencies before advancing in English=language 3 6 arts, social studies, mathematics, or science; and that 3 7 supplemental education services such as tutoring must be 3 8 offered to students to help the students meet school district 3 9 expectations. 3 10 In deciding student placement and advancement, a school 3 11 district must make every effort to reach agreement with 3 12 parents and guardians. 3 13 The department is charged with developing criteria and a 3 14 process for awarding supplemental strategies and educational 3 15 services grants to school districts. 3 16 LSB 1981SS 82 3 17 kh:nh/es/88