House File 589 - Introduced
HOUSE FILE
BY COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION
(SUCCESSOR TO HF 351)
Passed House, Date Passed Senate, Date
Vote: Ayes Nays Vote: Ayes Nays
Approved
A BILL FOR
1 An Act relating to the school calendar and school start dates and
2 providing effective and applicability dates.
3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
4 TLSB 1885HV 83
5 kh/rj/8
PAG LIN
1 1 Section 1. Section 257.17, Code 2009, is amended to read
1 2 as follows:
1 3 257.17 AID REDUCTION FOR EARLY SCHOOL STARTS.
1 4 State aid payments made pursuant to section 257.16 for a
1 5 fiscal year shall be reduced by one one=hundred=eightieth for
1 6 each day of that fiscal year for which the school district
1 7 begins school before the earliest starting date specified in
1 8 section 279.10, subsection 1. However, this section does not
1 9 apply to a school district that has received approval from the
1 10 director of the department of education under section 279.10,
1 11 subsection 4, to commence classes for regularly established
1 12 elementary and secondary schools in advance of the starting
1 13 date established in for a pilot program for an innovative
1 14 school year in accordance with section 279.10, subsection 1 3.
1 15 Sec. 2. Section 279.10, subsections 1 and 2, Code 2009,
1 16 are amended to read as follows:
1 17 1. The school year shall begin on the first day of July
1 18 and each regularly established elementary and secondary school
1 19 shall begin no sooner than a day during the calendar week in
1 20 which the first day of September falls the fourth Monday in
1 21 August but no later than the first Monday in December.
1 22 However, if the first day of September falls on a Sunday,
1 23 school may begin on a day during the calendar week which
1 24 immediately precedes the first day of September unless the
1 25 school district has received approval from the department of
1 26 education for a pilot program for an innovative school year in
1 27 accordance with subsection 3. School shall continue for at
1 28 least one hundred eighty days, except as provided in
1 29 subsection 3, and may be maintained during the entire calendar
1 30 year. However, if the board of directors of a district
1 31 extends the school calendar because inclement weather caused
1 32 the district to temporarily close school during the regular
1 33 school calendar, the district may excuse a graduating senior
1 34 who has met district or school requirements for graduation
1 35 from attendance during the extended school calendar. A school
2 1 corporation may begin employment of personnel for in=service
2 2 training and development purposes before the date to begin
2 3 elementary and secondary school. The earliest starting date
2 4 specified in this subsection shall not apply to a school
2 5 district which maintains a year around three semester school
2 6 year.
2 7 2. The board of directors shall hold a public hearing on
2 8 any proposal request made pursuant to subsection 3 prior to
2 9 submitting it to the department of education for approval.
2 10 Sec. 3. Section 279.10, subsection 4, Code 2009, is
2 11 amended by striking the subsection.
2 12 Sec. 4. Section 280.3, subsection 1, Code 2009, is amended
2 13 to read as follows:
2 14 1. The board of directors of each public school district
2 15 and the authorities in charge of each nonpublic school shall
2 16 prescribe the minimum educational program and an attendance
2 17 policy which shall require each child to attend school for at
2 18 least one hundred forty=eight days, to be met by attendance
2 19 for at least thirty=seven days each school quarter, for the
2 20 schools under their jurisdictions. Each public school and
2 21 nonpublic school shall comply with the start date and school
2 22 calendar requirements specified in section 279.10, subsection
2 23 1.
2 24 Sec. 5. EFFECTIVE DATES. This Act takes effect July 1,
2 25 2010, and is applicable for school years beginning on or after
2 26 that date.
2 27 EXPLANATION
2 28 This bill eliminates the authority of the department of
2 29 education to grant a request made by a board of directors of a
2 30 school district to commence classes prior to the earliest
2 31 starting date allowed, which currently is no sooner than a day
2 32 during the calendar week in which the first day of September
2 33 falls or, if the first day of September falls on a Sunday, a
2 34 day during the prior week.
2 35 The bill establishes the earliest starting date as the
3 1 fourth Monday in August and requires public and nonpublic
3 2 schools to comply with the start date and school calendar
3 3 provisions.
3 4 The bill takes effect July 1, 2010, for the school year
3 5 beginning July 1, 2010.
3 6 LSB 1885HV 83
3 7 kh/rj/8