House File 176 - Introduced HOUSE FILE 176 BY WESSEL-KROESCHELL A BILL FOR An Act providing for the establishment of a twice exceptional 1 student task force and making an appropriation. 2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 3 TLSB 2006YH (2) 86 je/nh
H.F. 176 Section 1. TWICE EXCEPTIONAL STUDENT TASK FORCE AND 1 REPORTS. 2 1. For purposes of this section, “twice exceptional 3 student” means a student who is a gifted and talented child, 4 as defined in section 257.44, and who also has a physical, 5 intellectual, learning, or other disability, including but 6 not limited to a behavioral, emotional, or autism spectrum 7 disorder. 8 2. The department of education shall establish a twice 9 exceptional student task force to identify best practices for 10 the education of twice exceptional middle and high school 11 students and to promote such practices in Iowa schools. The 12 department may employ consultants to carry out the duties of 13 the task force. 14 3. a. Members of the task force shall be appointed by 15 the director of the department of education and shall include 16 school administrators, school board members, middle and high 17 school teachers, area education agency personnel, parents 18 of twice exceptional middle and high school students, and a 19 representative from a teacher preparation program approved 20 by the state board of education pursuant to section 256.7, 21 subsection 3. 22 b. The task force shall also include two ex officio members 23 of each house of the general assembly. One member each shall 24 be selected by the majority leader of the senate and by the 25 minority leader of the senate, and one member each shall be 26 selected by the speaker of the house of representatives and by 27 the minority leader of the house of representatives. Members 28 of the general assembly shall be entitled to receive per diem 29 and necessary travel and actual expenses pursuant to section 30 2.10, subsection 5, while carrying out their official duties 31 as members of the task force. 32 4. The task force shall submit a report on its findings to 33 the general assembly by January 30, 2016. The task force shall 34 submit a report on recommended best practices for the education 35 -1- LSB 2006YH (2) 86 je/nh 1/ 3
H.F. 176 of twice exceptional middle and high school students to the 1 director of the department of education by March 1, 2016. The 2 director shall provide the report electronically to all middle 3 and high schools and area education agencies in this state and 4 shall post the report on the department’s internet site. 5 Sec. 2. APPROPRIATION. There is appropriated from the 6 general fund of the state to the department of education for 7 the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2015, and ending June 30, 8 2016, the following amount, or so much thereof as is necessary, 9 to be used for the purposes designated: 10 For the twice exceptional student task force to be 11 established pursuant to this Act: 12 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $ 200,000 13 EXPLANATION 14 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 15 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 16 This bill requires the department to establish a twice 17 exceptional student task force to identify best practices for 18 the education of twice exceptional middle and high school 19 students and to promote such practices in Iowa schools. 20 The bill defines “twice exceptional student” as a student 21 who is a gifted and talented child, as defined in Code section 22 257.44, and who also has a physical, intellectual, learning, or 23 other disability, including but not limited to a behavioral, 24 emotional, or autism spectrum disorder. 25 The bill provides for the membership of the task force, 26 which shall be appointed by the director of the department 27 of education. The task force shall also include ex officio 28 legislative members. 29 The task force must submit a report on its findings to the 30 general assembly by January 30, 2016. The task force must 31 submit a report on recommended best practices for the education 32 of twice exceptional middle and high school students to the 33 director of the department of education by March 1, 2016. The 34 director must provide the report to all Iowa middle and high 35 -2- LSB 2006YH (2) 86 je/nh 2/ 3
H.F. 176 schools and area education agencies and post the report on the 1 department’s internet site. 2 The bill appropriates $200,000 to the department in fiscal 3 year 2015-2016 for the task force. 4 -3- LSB 2006YH (2) 86 je/nh 3/ 3