Senate File 2187 - Introduced SENATE FILE 2187 BY DOTZLER , DEARDEN , KAPUCIAN , and WIECK A BILL FOR An Act relating to the school calendar and school start dates 1 and providing effective and applicability dates. 2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 3 TLSB 5889SS (4) 83 kh/rj

S.F. 2187 Section 1. Section 257.17, Code 2009, is amended to read as 1 follows: 2 257.17 Aid reduction for early school starts. 3 State aid payments made pursuant to section 257.16 for a 4 fiscal year shall be reduced by one one-hundred-eightieth for 5 each day of that fiscal year for which the school district 6 begins school before the earliest starting date specified in 7 section 279.10, subsection 1. However, this section does not 8 apply to a school district that has received approval from the 9 director of the department of education under section 279.10, 10 subsection 4 , to commence classes for regularly established 11 elementary and secondary schools in advance of the starting 12 date established in for a pilot program for an innovative 13 school year in accordance with section 279.10, subsection 1 3 . 14 Sec. 2. Section 279.10, subsections 1 and 2, Code 2009, are 15 amended to read as follows: 16 1. The school year shall begin on the first day of July 17 and each regularly established elementary and secondary school 18 shall begin no sooner than a day during the calendar week 19 in which the first day of September falls the fourth Monday 20 in August but no later than the first Monday in December . 21 However, if the first day of September falls on a Sunday, 22 school may begin on a day during the calendar week which 23 immediately precedes the first day of September unless the 24 school district has received approval from the department of 25 education for a pilot program for an innovative school year in 26 accordance with subsection 3 . School shall continue for at 27 least one hundred eighty days, except as provided in subsection 28 3, and may be maintained during the entire calendar year. 29 However, if the board of directors of a district extends the 30 school calendar because inclement weather caused the district 31 to temporarily close school during the regular school calendar, 32 the district may excuse a graduating senior who has met 33 district or school requirements for graduation from attendance 34 during the extended school calendar. A school corporation 35 -1- LSB 5889SS (4) 83 kh/rj 1/ 3

S.F. 2187 may begin employment of personnel for in-service training and 1 development purposes before the date to begin elementary and 2 secondary school. The earliest starting date specified in this 3 subsection shall not apply to a school district which maintains 4 a year around three semester school year. 5 2. The board of directors shall hold a public hearing on 6 any proposal request made pursuant to subsection 3 prior to 7 submitting it to the department of education for approval. 8 Sec. 3. Section 279.10, subsection 4, Code 2009, is amended 9 by striking the subsection. 10 Sec. 4. Section 280.3, subsection 1, Code 2009, is amended 11 to read as follows: 12 1. The board of directors of each public school district 13 and the authorities in charge of each nonpublic school shall 14 prescribe the minimum educational program and an attendance 15 policy which shall require each child to attend school for at 16 least one hundred forty-eight days, to be met by attendance for 17 at least thirty-seven days each school quarter, for the schools 18 under their jurisdictions. Each public school and nonpublic 19 school shall comply with the start date and school calendar 20 requirements specified in section 279.10, subsection 1. 21 Sec. 5. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act takes effect July 1, 2011, 22 and is applicable for school years beginning on or after that 23 date. 24 EXPLANATION 25 This bill eliminates the authority of the department of 26 education to grant a request made by a board of directors of 27 a school district to commence classes prior to the earliest 28 starting date allowed, which currently is no sooner than a day 29 during the calendar week in which the first day of September 30 falls or, if the first day of September falls on a Sunday, a day 31 during the prior week. 32 The bill establishes the earliest starting date as the 33 fourth Monday in August and requires public and nonpublic 34 schools to comply with the start date and school calendar 35 -2- LSB 5889SS (4) 83 kh/rj 2/ 3

S.F. 2187 provisions. 1 The bill takes effect July 1, 2011, for the school year 2 beginning July 1, 2011. 3 -3- LSB 5889SS (4) 83 kh/rj 3/ 3