SENATE FILE 453

BY  COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

(SUCCESSOR TO SF 36)

A BILL FOR

An Act relating to high school graduation requirements.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

   Section 1.  Section 256.7, subsection 26, paragraph a, Code 2011, is amended to read as follows:
   a.  Adopt rules that establish a core curriculum and requiring, beginning with the students in the 2010-2011 school year graduating class, high school graduation requirements for all students in school districts and accredited nonpublic schools that include at a minimum satisfactory completion of four years of English and language arts, three years of mathematics, three years of science, and three years of social studies.
   (1)  The rules establishing high school graduation requirements shall authorize a school district or accredited nonpublic school to consider that an eighth grade student who satisfactorily completes a high school-level unit of English or language arts, mathematics, science, or social studies has satisfactorily completed one year of the high school graduation requirements for that area as specified in this lettered paragraph, and to authorize the school district or accredited nonpublic school to issue high school credit for the unit to the student.
   (2)  The rules establishing a core curriculum adopted shall address the core content standards in subsection 28 and the skills and knowledge students need to be successful in the twenty-first century. The core curriculum shall include social studies and twenty-first century learning skills which include but are not limited to civic literacy, health literacy, technology literacy, financial literacy, and employability skills; and shall address the curricular needs of students in kindergarten through grade twelve in those areas. The department shall further define the twenty-first century learning skills components by rule.
EXPLANATION
   This bill directs the state board of education to modify its rules relating to high school graduation requirements for all students of four years of English and language arts, three years of mathematics, three years of science, and three years of social studies, to allow a school district or an accredited nonpublic school to consider that an eighth grade student who satisfactorily completes a high school-level unit in one of those areas to have satisfactorily completed one year of the high school graduation requirements for that area and to be issued high school credit for the unit.