HF 274 (LSB 2275YH (3) 86)

HOUSE FILE 274

BY  DOLECHECK

A BILL FOR

An Act relating to kindergarten programs offered by school districts.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  Section 256.7, subsection 19, unnumbered paragraph 1, Code 2015, is amended to read as follows:

   For a school or school district with a school calendar measuring instructional time in days pursuant to section 279.10, subsection 1, define the minimum school day as a day consisting of six hours of instructional time for grades one kindergarten through grade twelve. The minimum hours shall be exclusive of the lunch period, but may include passing time between classes. Time spent on parent-teacher conferences shall be considered instructional time. A school or school district may record a day of school with less than the minimum instructional hours as a minimum school day if any of the following apply:
    Sec. 2.  Section 256.7, subsection 19, paragraph b, Code 2015, is amended to read as follows:
   b.  If the total hours of instructional school time for grades one kindergarten through grade twelve for any five consecutive school days equal a minimum of thirty hours, even though any one day of school is less than the minimum instructional hours because of a staff development opportunity provided for the professional instructional staff or because parent-teacher conferences have been scheduled beyond the regular school day. Furthermore, if the total hours of instructional time for the first four consecutive days equal at least thirty hours because parent-teacher conferences have been scheduled beyond the regular school day, a school or school district may record zero hours of instructional time on the fifth consecutive school day as a minimum school day.
    Sec. 3.  Section 256.9, subsection 33, paragraph a, subparagraphs (2) and (3), Code 2015, are amended to read as follows:
   (2)  Assist school districts in the development of child care services and programs to complement half-day and all-day kindergarten programs.
   (3)  Assist school districts in the development of appropriate curricula for all-day, everyday kindergarten programs.
    Sec. 4.  Section 256D.2A, Code 2015, is amended to read as follows:
   256D.2A  Program funding.

   For the budget year beginning July 1, 2009, and each succeeding budget year, a school district shall expend funds received pursuant to section 257.10, subsection 11, at the kindergarten through grade three levels to reduce class sizes to the state goal of seventeen students for every one teacher and to achieve a higher level of student success in the basic skills, especially reading. In order to support these efforts, school districts may expend funds received pursuant to section 257.10, subsection 11, at the kindergarten through grade three level on programs, instructional support, and materials that include but are not limited to the following:  additional licensed instructional staff; additional support for students, such as before and after school programs, tutoring, and intensive summer programs; the acquisition and administration of diagnostic reading assessments; the implementation of research-based instructional intervention programs for students needing additional support; the implementation of all-day, everyday kindergarten programs; and the provision of classroom teachers with intensive training programs to improve reading instruction and professional development in best practices including but not limited to training programs related to instruction to increase students’ phonemic awareness, reading abilities, and comprehension skills.
    Sec. 5.  Section 279.51, subsection 2, paragraph a, subparagraph (2), subparagraph division (a), Code 2015, is amended to read as follows:
   (a)  To school districts to establish programs for three-year-old, four-year-old, and five-year-old at-risk children which are a combination of preschool and full-day kindergarten.
EXPLANATION
The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with

the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
   This bill makes kindergarten programs offered by school districts subject to the minimum school day and instructional requirements that currently apply to grades 1 through 12. The bill eliminates references to half-day, full-day, and everyday kindergarten programs.
   Currently, students enrolled in kindergarten, whether in full-day or half-day programs, are counted as one pupil for purposes of state school foundation aid received by a school district pursuant to Code chapter 257.