House File 13 - Introduced HOUSE FILE 13 BY JORGENSEN , STANERSON , KOESTER , SHEETS , R. TAYLOR , WINCKLER , STECKMAN , OURTH , HALL , LANDON , FORRISTALL , RUFF , and HIGHFILL A BILL FOR An Act eliminating the school start date limitation and related 1 waiver and penalty provisions. 2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 3 TLSB 1542YH (2) 86 kh/rj
H.F. 13 Section 1. Section 279.10, subsection 1, Code 2015, is 1 amended to read as follows: 2 1. The school year for each school district and accredited 3 nonpublic school shall begin on July 1 and each regularly 4 established elementary and secondary school shall begin no 5 sooner than a day during the calendar week in which the first 6 day of September falls but no later than the first Monday in 7 December . However, if the first day of September falls on a 8 Sunday, school may begin on a day during the calendar week 9 which immediately precedes the first day of September. The 10 school calendar shall include not less than one hundred eighty 11 days, except as provided in subsection 3 , or one thousand 12 eighty hours of instruction during the calendar year. The 13 board of directors of a school district and the authorities in 14 charge of an accredited nonpublic school shall determine the 15 school start date for the school calendar and shall set the 16 number of days or hours of required attendance for the school 17 year as provided in section 299.1, subsection 2 , but the board 18 of directors of a school district shall hold a public hearing 19 on any proposed school calendar prior to adopting the school 20 calendar. If the board of directors of a district or the 21 authorities in charge of an accredited nonpublic school extends 22 the school calendar because inclement weather caused the school 23 district or accredited nonpublic school to temporarily close 24 during the regular school calendar, the school district or 25 accredited nonpublic school may excuse a graduating senior 26 who has met district or school requirements for graduation 27 from attendance during the extended school calendar. A school 28 corporation may begin employment of personnel for in-service 29 training and development purposes before the date to begin 30 elementary and secondary school. 31 Sec. 2. Section 279.10, subsection 4, Code 2015, is amended 32 by striking the subsection. 33 Sec. 3. REPEAL. Section 257.17, Code 2015, is repealed. 34 EXPLANATION 35 -1- LSB 1542YH (2) 86 kh/rj 1/ 2
H.F. 13 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 1 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 2 This bill eliminates language prohibiting an early school 3 start date for a school calendar, and instead authorizes 4 school districts and accredited nonpublic schools to determine 5 the school start dates for their school calendars. The bill 6 also eliminates a provision that authorizes the department 7 of education to grant waivers to allow school districts and 8 accredited nonpublic schools to commence classes prior to 9 the earliest starting date, and repeals a provision that 10 establishes an aid reduction penalty for early school starts by 11 school districts. 12 -2- LSB 1542YH (2) 86 kh/rj 2/ 2