HF 2462 (LSB 6111HV (2) 84)

HOUSE FILE 2462

BY  COMMITTEE ON WAYS AND MEANS

(SUCCESSOR TO HSB 671)

A BILL FOR

An Act relating to early school start date provisions, establishing a waiver application fee, making an appropriation, and including effective date and applicability provisions.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  Section 257.17, Code 2011, is amended to read as follows:
   257.17  Aid reduction for early school starts.
   State aid payments made pursuant to section 257.16 for a fiscal year shall be reduced by one one-hundred-eightieth for each day of that fiscal year for which the school district begins school before the earliest starting date specified in section 279.10, subsection 1. However, this section does not apply to a school district that has received approval from the director of the department of education under
 
for a pilot program for an innovative school year in accordance with section 279.10, subsection 4
 
3,
 
or to commence classes for regularly established elementary and secondary schools in advance of the starting
 
earliest start date established in
 
accordance with section 279.10, subsection 1
 
4.
    Sec. 2.  Section 279.10, subsections 1, 2, and 4, Code 2011, are amended to read as follows:
   1.  The school year shall begin on the first day of July and each regularly established elementary and secondary school shall begin no sooner than a day during the calendar week in which the first day of September falls
 
1, but no later than the first Monday in December. However, if the first day of September falls on a Sunday, school may begin on a day during the calendar week which immediately precedes the first day of September, unless the school district has received approval from the department of education for a pilot program for an innovative school year in accordance with subsection 3 or for an early start date pursuant to subsection 4. The earliest start date specified in this section shall not apply to a school district that maintains a year around three-semester school year.School shall continue for at least one hundred eighty days, except as provided in subsection 3, and may be maintained during the entire calendar year. However, if the board of directors of a district extends the school calendar because inclement weather caused the district to temporarily close school during the regular school calendar, the district may excuse a graduating senior who has met district or school requirements for graduation from attendance during the extended school calendar. A school corporation may begin employment of personnel for in-service training and development purposes before the date to begin elementary and secondary school.
   2.  The board of directors shall hold a public hearing on any proposal
 
for a pilot program for an innovative school year prior to submitting it
 
such a request to the department of education for approval
 
pursuant to subsection 3.
   4.  The director of the department of education may grant a request made by a board of directors of a school district stating its desire
 
to waive the start day restriction in subsection 1, and to commence classes for regularly established elementary and secondary schools prior to the earliest starting
 
start date specified in subsection 1, but the earliest start date granted shall be no earlier than the fourth Monday of August. A request shall be based upon the determination that a starting date on or after the earliest starting date specified in subsection 1 would have a significant negative educational impact.

The department shall charge one hundred dollars as a waiver application fee. The fees collected by the department shall be retained by and are appropriated to the department for the purposes related to the department’s duties.
    Sec. 3.  EFFECTIVE DATE.  This Act takes effect July 1, 2013.
    Sec. 4.  APPLICABILITY.  This Act is applicable to school years beginning on or after July 1, 2013.
EXPLANATION
   This bill changes the earliest school start date to September 1 and limits the authority of the department of education to grant a school district’s request to commence classes prior to the earliest start date allowed to a date no earlier than the fourth Monday of August. The bill requires the department to charge a waiver application fee of $100, which is retained and appropriated to the department.
   Currently the earliest start date is a day during the calendar week in which the first day of September falls or, if the first day of September falls on a Sunday, a day during the prior week, and the earliest start date the department is authorized to grant is unspecified. School districts that maintain a year around three-semester school year or an innovative school year pilot program are exempt from the earliest start date requirements.
   The bill makes conforming changes to modify a provision that provides for a reduction in school foundation aid when school districts implement early school starts. The bill also includes a technical correction.
   The bill takes effect July 1, 2013, for school years beginning on or after July 1, 2013.