HF 402 (LSB 2183HH (5) 85)

HOUSE FILE 402

BY  MURPHY

A BILL FOR

An Act establishing a school improvement technology program and making appropriations.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  NEW SECTION.  295.1  Legislative findings and intent.
   The general assembly finds that it is in the public interest to develop and equitably fund instructional technology within the public schools of this state to ensure that students, teachers, and administrators are equipped and prepared to excel. Toward that goal, it is the intent of this chapter to establish and fund a school improvement technology program.
    Sec. 2.  NEW SECTION.  295.2  School improvement technology appropriation.
   1.
  a.  There is appropriated from the general fund of the state to the department of education for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2013, and ending June 30, 2014, the sum of twenty-five million dollars for the school improvement technology program.
   b.  There is appropriated from the general fund of the state to the department of education for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2014, and ending June 30, 2015, the sum of twenty-five million dollars for the school improvement technology program.
   2.
  a.  For each fiscal year in which moneys are appropriated for purposes of the program, and after the allocations of moneys pursuant to paragraph “c” and subsection 3, the moneys remaining shall be allocated to school districts and the schools and institutions specified in paragraph “b” in the proportion that the basic enrollment of a district, school, or institution bears to the sum of the basic enrollments of all school districts in the state for the budget year. However, except as provided in paragraph “c”, a district, school, or institution shall not receive less than fifteen thousand dollars in a fiscal year.
   b.  The Iowa braille and sight saving school and the state school for the deaf governed by the state board of regents, and the Glenwood and Woodward state resource centers, the mental health institutes at Cherokee and Independence, the state training school, and the Iowa juvenile home under the control of the department of human services as provided in section 218.1, subsections 1 through 3, 5, 7, and 8, shall receive moneys under paragraph “a” in the same manner and, except as provided in paragraph “c”, to the same extent as if they were school districts. The superintendent of each school or institution specified in this paragraph “b” shall certify the basic enrollments of the school or institution administered by the superintendent to the department of education by October 1.
   c.  Notwithstanding paragraph “b”, the amount of moneys allocated to state resource centers and mental health institutes specified in paragraph “b”, shall be a total of not more than forty-five thousand dollars for each fiscal year. The department of education shall distribute the amount allocated proportionately between the four institutions.
   3.  From the moneys appropriated in subsection 1, the sum of four hundred fifty thousand dollars shall be divided among the area education agencies based upon each area education agency's percentage of the total full-time equivalent elementary and secondary teachers employed in the school districts in this state.
   4.  For each year in which an appropriation is made under subsection 1 for purposes of the school improvement technology program, the department of education shall notify the department of revenue and finance of the amount to be paid to each school district, area education agency, and schools and institutions specified in subsection 1, paragraph “b”, based upon the distribution plan set forth for the appropriation made pursuant to this section. The allocation under this section to each school district, area education agency, school, and institution shall be made in one payment on or about October 15 of the fiscal year in which the appropriation is made, taking into consideration the relative budget and cash position of the state resources.
   5.
  a.  Moneys received by a school district or area education agency under this section shall not be commingled with state aid payments made under sections 257.16 and 257.35 and shall be accounted for by the local school district or area education agency separately from state aid payments.
   b.  Payments made to school districts and area education agencies under this section are miscellaneous income for purposes of chapter 257 or are considered encumbered.
   6.  The schools and institutions specified in subsection 1, paragraph “b”, and each school district and area education agency shall maintain a separate listing within their budgets for payments received and expenditures made pursuant to this section.
   7.  Moneys received under this section shall not be used for payment of any collective bargaining agreement or arbitrator's decision negotiated or awarded under chapter 20.
    Sec. 3.  NEW SECTION.  295.3  School improvement technology planning.
   1.  Prior to receiving funds under this chapter, the board of directors of a school district shall adopt a technology plan that supports school improvement technology efforts and includes an evaluation component. The plan shall be developed by licensed professional staff of the district, including both teachers and administrators. The plan shall, at a minimum, focus on the attainment of student achievement goals, recommended pursuant to section 280.12 and set forth in the school district’s comprehensive school improvement plan submitted to the department of education in compliance with section 256.7, subsection 21, and shall demonstrate how the board will utilize technology to improve student achievement. A district needs to develop only one plan while this chapter is effective. The technology plan shall be kept on file in the district and a copy of the plan, and any subsequent amendments to the plan, shall be sent to the appropriate area education agency. Progress made under the plan shall be included as part of the comprehensive school improvement plan.
   2.  Prior to receiving funds under this chapter, each area education agency shall provide to the department of education adequate assurance that the agency has developed or is developing a plan to assist school districts in the development of a technology planning process to meet the purposes of this chapter. The plan shall describe how the area education agency intends to support school districts with instructional technology staff development and training. An area education agency needs to develop only one plan while this chapter is effective. An annual progress report shall be submitted to the department of education.
   3.  Prior to receiving funds under this chapter, the superintendents of the schools and institutions specified in section 295.2, subsection 2, paragraph “b”, shall each develop a technology plan that supports and improves student achievement, demonstrates how technology will be utilized to improve student achievement, and includes an evaluation component. Each school and institution needs to develop only one plan while this chapter is effective. The plan shall be sent to the state board of regents or the department of human services, as appropriate, and to the department of education. An annual progress report shall be submitted to the state board of regents or the department of human services, as appropriate, and to the department of education.
    Sec. 4.  NEW SECTION.  295.4  School improvement technology expenditures.
   1.  Funds received pursuant to section 295.2 shall be used for the acquisition, lease, lease-purchase, installation, and maintenance of instructional technology equipment, including computers, one-to-one laptop computer programs, long-distance learning, hardware and software, wiring, and materials and supplies related to instructional technology.
   2.  Funds received by an area education agency pursuant to section 295.2 shall be expended for the costs related to supporting school districts, schools, and institutions within the area served with technology planning and equipment, including computers, one-to-one laptop computer programs, long-distance learning, hardware and software, wiring, and materials and supplies related to instructional technology. An area education agency may contract with an appropriate accredited institution of higher education in Iowa to provide staff development and training to implement the purposes of this chapter.
   3.  Funds received pursuant to section 295.2 shall not be expended to add a full-time equivalent position or otherwise increase staffing.
    Sec. 5.  NEW SECTION.  295.5  Future repeal.
   This chapter is repealed July 1, 2018.
EXPLANATION
   This bill enacts new Code chapter 295, establishing a school improvement technology program, and appropriates $25 million from the general fund of the state to the department of education for FY 2013-2014 and FY 2014-2015 for purposes of disbursing funds to public schools, area education agencies (AEAs), and other public educational institutions for the acquisition, lease, lease-purchase, installation, and maintenance of instructional technology equipment, including computers, one-to-one laptop computer programs, long-distance learning, hardware and software, wiring, and materials and supplies related to instructional technology. Funds received shall not be used to increase staffing.
   The moneys allocated to the AEAs, $450,000, shall be distributed to the AEAs based upon each AEA’s percentage of the total full-time equivalent elementary and secondary teachers employed in the school districts in this state. An AEA may contract with an appropriate accredited institution of higher education in Iowa to provide staff development and training to assist school districts in implementing the Code chapter.
   Moneys remaining after the disbursement to the AEAs shall be allocated to school districts in the proportion that the basic enrollment of a district bears to the sum of the basic enrollments of all school districts in the state for the budget year. However, a district shall not receive less than $15,000 per year.
   The Iowa braille and sight saving school, the state school for the deaf, the Glenwood state resource center, Woodward state resource center, the mental health institute at Cherokee, the mental health institute at Independence, the state training school, and the Iowa juvenile home shall also receive moneys under the program in the same manner and to the same extent as if they were school districts, except that the Glenwood state resource center, Woodward state resource center, the mental health institute at Cherokee, and the mental health institute at Independence shall divide a total of $45,000 proportionately amongst the four institutions. The superintendents of those schools and institutions must certify the basic enrollments of their institutions to the department of education by October 1.
   Moneys received under new Code chapter 295 shall not be used for payment of any collective bargaining agreement or arbitrator’s decision negotiated or awarded under Code chapter 20.
   Prior to receiving funds, the board of directors of a school district shall adopt a technology plan. The plan shall be developed by licensed professional staff of the district, including both teachers and administrators. The plan shall, at a minimum, focus on the attainment of student achievement goals and shall demonstrate how the board will utilize technology to improve student achievement. Progress made under the plan shall be included as part of the comprehensive school improvement plan submitted to the department of education annually.
   Prior to receiving funds under new Code chapter 295, each AEA must provide to the department of education adequate assurance that they have developed or are developing a plan to assist school districts in the development of a technology planning process. The plan shall describe how the AEA intends to support school districts with instructional technology staff development and training. An annual progress report shall be submitted to the department.
   Prior to receiving funds under this Code chapter, the Iowa braille and sight saving school, the state school for the deaf, and the institutions receiving funds that are under the control of the department of human services must also develop and submit to the state board of regents or to the department of human services, as appropriate, and to the department of education, a technology plan that supports and improves student achievement, demonstrates the manner in which technology will be utilized to improve student achievement and includes an evaluation component. Each school and institution must also submit an annual progress report to the state board of regents or the department of human services, as appropriate, and to the department of education.
   Code chapter 295 is repealed July 1, 2018.