SENATE FILE 420

BY  COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

(SUCCESSOR TO SF 310)

A BILL FOR

An Act relating to the planning, approval, supplementary weighting, and operation of regional academies and including effective date and applicability provisions.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

   Section 1.  Section 257.11, subsection 5, Code 2011, is amended by striking the subsection.
   Sec. 2.  Section 261E.9, subsections 1 through 3, Code 2011, are amended to read as follows:
   1.
  a.  A regional academy is a program established by a school district to which multiple school districts send students in grades nine seven through twelve, and which may include internet-based coursework and courses delivered via the Iowa communications network. A regional academy shall include in its curriculum advanced level courses and may include in its curriculum career and technical courses.  A school district establishing a regional academy may collaborate and partner with, enter into an agreement pursuant to chapter 28E with, or enter into a contract with, one or more school districts, community colleges, accredited public and private postsecondary institutions, accredited nonpublic schools, businesses, and private agencies located within or outside of the state.
   b.  The purpose of a regional academy established pursuant to this section shall be to build a culture of innovation for students and community, to diversify rural educational and economic opportunities by engaging in learning experiences that involve students in complex, real-world projects, and to develop regional or global innovation networks.
   c.  If a school district establishing a regional academy in accordance with this section submits a plan to the department for approval that demonstrates how the regional academy will increase and assess student achievement or increase and assess competency-based learning opportunities for students, the department may waive or modify any statutory or regulatory provision applicable to school districts in order to provide the regional academy additional flexibility if the department finds that the waiver or modification is likely to result in increased student achievement or increased competency-based learning opportunities for students.
   2.
  a.  A regional academycourse shall not qualify as a concurrent enrollment course include in its curriculum advanced level courses.
   b.  A regional academy may include in its curriculum virtual or internet-based coursework and courses delivered via the Iowa communications network, career and technical courses, core curriculum coursework, courses required pursuant to section 256.7, subsection 26, or section 256.11, subsections 4 and 5, and asynchronous learning networks.
   3.  School districts participating in regional academies are eligible for supplementary weighting as provided in section 257.11, subsection 2. The school districts participating in the regional academy shall enter into an agreement on how the supplementary weighting received shall be used and shall submit the agreement to the department for approval.
   Sec. 3.  EFFECTIVE DATE AND APPLICABILITY.  This Act takes effect July 1, 2012, and is applicable to school years beginning on or after July 1, 2012.
EXPLANATION
   This bill makes changes relating to regional academies.
   Currently, a regional academy is a program established by a school district to which multiple school districts send students in grades 9 through 12, and which may include internet-based coursework and courses delivered via the Iowa communications network. The bill lowers the grade level limit to grades 7 through 12, and adds that a school district establishing a regional academy may collaborate and partner with, enter into an agreement pursuant to Code chapter 28E with, or enter into a contract with, two or more school districts, community colleges, accredited public and private postsecondary institutions, accredited nonpublic schools, businesses, and private agencies located within or outside of the state.
   The bill provides that the purpose of a regional academy shall be to build a culture of innovation for students and community, to diversify rural educational and economic opportunities by engaging in learning experiences that involve students in complex, real-world projects, and to develop regional or global innovation networks.
   If a school district submits a plan to the department for approval that demonstrates how the regional academy will increase and assess student achievement or increase and assess competency-based learning opportunities for students, the department may waive or modify any statutory or regulatory provision applicable to school districts in order to provide the regional academy additional flexibility.
   The bill strikes language that prohibits a regional academy course from qualifying as a concurrent enrollment course.
   A regional academy may include in its curriculum virtual or internet-based coursework and courses delivered via the Iowa communications network, career and technical courses, core curriculum coursework, courses required for graduation or under the educational standards, and asynchronous learning networks.
   Currently, regional academies may receive supplementary weighting. The bill provides that the school districts participating in the regional academy must enter into an agreement on how the supplementary weighting received shall be used and must submit the agreement to the department for approval.
   The bill eliminates an outdated provision relating to supplementary weighting for regional academies.
   The bill takes effect July 1, 2012, and is applicable to school years beginning on or after that date.