Senate File 2064 - Introduced SENATE FILE 2064 BY DANDEKAR A BILL FOR An Act relating to the development and adoption of a student 1 acceleration policy for advanced learners. 2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 3 TLSB 5329XS (3) 83 kh/nh
S.F. 2064 Section 1. Section 257.42, Code 2009, is amended to read as 1 follows: 2 257.42 Gifted and talented children —— programs —— policy . 3 1. a. Boards of school districts, individually or jointly 4 with the boards of other school districts, shall annually 5 submit program plans for gifted and talented children programs 6 and budget costs to the department of education and to the 7 applicable gifted and talented children advisory council, if 8 an advisory council has been established, as provided in this 9 chapter. 10 b. The board of directors of each school district shall 11 adopt a student acceleration policy for advanced learners 12 that at a minimum includes the key components specified in 13 subsection 3, paragraph “d” . 14 2. The parent or guardian of a pupil may request that a 15 gifted and talented children program be established for pupils 16 who qualify as gifted and talented children under section 17 257.44, including demonstrated achievement or potential ability 18 in a single subject area. 19 3. The department shall employ do the following: 20 a. Employ a consultant for gifted and talented children 21 programs. 22 The department of education shall adopt 23 b. Adopt rules under chapter 17A relating to the 24 administration of this section and sections 257.42 257.43 25 through 257.49. The rules shall prescribe the format of 26 program plans submitted under section 257.43 and shall require 27 that programs fulfill specified objectives. The department 28 shall encourage 29 c. Encourage and assist school districts to provide programs 30 for gifted and talented children. 31 d. Develop and provide to school districts a model student 32 acceleration policy for advanced learners that includes but is 33 not limited to the following key components: 34 (1) Early admission to school. 35 -1- LSB 5329XS (3) 83 kh/nh 1/ 2
S.F. 2064 (2) Whole-grade acceleration. 1 (3) Continuous progress and self-paced instruction. 2 (4) Telescoping curriculum. 3 (5) Combined classes. 4 (6) Early entrance into middle school, high school, or 5 college. 6 (7) Early graduation. 7 4. The department may request that the staff of the auditor 8 of state conduct an independent program audit to verify that 9 the gifted and talented programs established pursuant to 10 this section and sections 257.43 through 257.49 conform to a 11 district’s program plans. 12 EXPLANATION 13 This bill requires the department of education to develop 14 and provide to school districts a model student acceleration 15 policy for advanced learners, the components of which include 16 early admission to school, whole-grade acceleration, continuous 17 progress and self-paced instruction, telescoping curriculum, 18 combined classes, early entrance into middle school, high 19 school, or college, and early graduation. The bill also 20 requires school districts to adopt a student acceleration 21 policy for advanced learners that, at a minimum, includes all 22 of those key components. 23 -2- LSB 5329XS (3) 83 kh/nh 2/ 2