HOUSE FILE 325

BY  J. TAYLOR, WILLEMS, HANSON, STECKMAN, PAUSTIAN, WINDSCHITL, KAUFMANN, BYRNES, KLEIN, CHAMBERS, SHAW, LUKAN, DE BOEF, and FRY

A BILL FOR

An Act relating to administrators of school districts and area education agencies and providing a penalty.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

   Section 1.  Section 256.9, subsection 51, Code 2011, is amended to read as follows:
   51.
  a.  Develop Iowa standards for school district and area education agency administrators, including knowledge and skill criteria, and develop, based on the Iowa standards for administrators, mentoring and induction, evaluation processes, and professional development plans pursuant to chapter 284A. The criteria shall further define the characteristics of quality administrators as established by the Iowa standards for school administrators.
   b.  Define the qualifications, duties, and responsibilities of school district and area education agency administrators, other than superintendents and chief administrators, which a school district or area education agency shall use in determining administrator salaries in accordance with section 273.3A, subsection 2, or section 279.25A, subsection 2, as appropriate.
   Sec. 2.  Section 273.3, subsection 11, Code 2011, is amended to read as follows:
   11.
  Employ personnel to carry out the functions of the area education agency which shall include the employment of an administrator who shall possess a license issued under chapter 272. The administrator shall be employed pursuant to section 279.20 and sections 279.23, 279.24, and 279.25. The salary for an area education agency administrator shall be established by the board based upon the previous experience and education of the administrator.  However, the salary limitations and the penalty established pursuant to section 273.3A shall apply. Section 279.13 applies to the area education agency board and to all teachers employed by the area education agency. Sections 279.23, 279.24, and 279.25 apply to the area education board and to all administrators employed by the area education agency.
   Sec. 3.  NEW SECTION.  273.3A  Administrative salary limits —— state aid penalty.
   1.  If a chief administrator is employed by an area education agency pursuant to section 273.3, the maximum annual base salary paid by the board of directors of the area education agency to the chief administrator, if the chief administrator is not employed jointly with another area education agency, shall not exceed an amount equivalent to two and one-half times the highest maximum annual base teacher salary paid by a school district located within the boundaries of the area education agency, exclusive of extra duty pay.
   2.  If an administrator as defined pursuant to section 256.9, subsection 51, paragraph “b”, is employed by an area education agency pursuant to section 273.3, the maximum annual base salary paid by the board of directors of the area education agency to a principal or assistant administrator, if the administrator is not employed jointly with another area education agency, shall not exceed an amount equivalent to one and three-fourths times the highest maximum annual base teacher salary paid by a school district located within the boundaries of the area education agency, exclusive of extra duty pay.
   3.  An administrator who meets the requirements of subsection 1 or 2 is ineligible for extra duty pay from an area education agency.
   4.  If the department of education determines that an area education agency is not in compliance with this section, the department shall instruct the director of the department of management to withhold state aid to the area education agency in an amount equivalent to the amount by which the area education agency exceeded the limits established pursuant to this section.
   Sec. 4.  NEW SECTION.  279.25A  Administrator salary limits —— state aid penalty.
   1.  The maximum annual base salary paid by the board of directors of a school district to the superintendent of the school district, if the superintendent is not employed jointly with another school district under section 280.15, shall not exceed an amount equivalent to two and one-half times the highest maximum annual base teacher salary, exclusive of extra duty pay, paid by the school district.
   2.  The maximum annual base salary paid by the board of directors of a school district to an administrator as defined pursuant to section 256.9, subsection 51, paragraph “b”, if the administrator is not employed jointly with another school district under section 280.15, shall not exceed an amount equivalent to one and three-fourths times the highest maximum annual base teacher salary, exclusive of extra duty pay, paid by the school district.
   3.  An administrator who meets the requirements of subsection 1 or 2 is ineligible for extra duty pay from a school district.
   4.  If the department of education determines that a school district is not in compliance with this section, the department shall instruct the director of the department of management to withhold state aid to the school district in an amount equivalent to the amount by which the school district exceeded the limits established pursuant to this section.
EXPLANATION
   This bill limits the maximum annual base salary paid by the board of directors of school districts and area education agencies (AEAs) to administrators, and directs the director of the department of education to define the qualifications, duties, and responsibilities of school district and AEA administrators, which the school districts and AEAs must use in determining administrator salaries.
   The bill limits the maximum annual base salary paid to a superintendent of the school district or chief administrator of an AEA, if the superintendent or chief administrator is not employed jointly with another school district or AEA, respectively, to not more than an amount equivalent to 2.5 times the highest maximum annual base teacher salary, exclusive of extra duty pay, paid by the school district or, in the case of the chief administrator of an AEA, paid by a school district within the boundaries of the AEA.
   For administrators as defined by the director, the amount is limited to an amount equivalent to 1.75 times the highest maximum annual base teacher salary, exclusive of extra duty pay.
   The bill provides that administrators under these salary restrictions are ineligible for extra duty pay.
   If the department of education determines that a school district or AEA is noncompliant, the department shall instruct the director of the department of management to withhold state aid to the school district or AEA in an amount equivalent to the amount by which the school district or AEA exceeded the compensation limits.