House File 307 - Introduced HOUSE FILE 307 BY COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION (SUCCESSOR TO HF 13) A BILL FOR An Act modifying the school start date limitation and 1 eliminating the related waiver. 2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 3 TLSB 1542HV (3) 86 kh/rj

H.F. 307 Section 1. Section 257.17, Code 2015, is amended to read as 1 follows: 2 257.17 Aid reduction for early school starts. 3 State aid payments made pursuant to section 257.16 for a 4 fiscal year shall be reduced by one one-hundred-eightieth for 5 each day of that fiscal year for which the school district 6 begins school before the earliest starting date specified in 7 section 279.10, subsection 1 . However, this section does not 8 apply to a school district that has received approval from the 9 director of the department of education under section 279.10, 10 subsection 4 , to commence classes for regularly established 11 elementary and secondary schools in advance of the starting 12 date established in section 279.10, subsection 1 . 13 Sec. 2. Section 279.10, subsection 1, Code 2015, is amended 14 to read as follows: 15 1. The school year for each school district and accredited 16 nonpublic school shall begin on July 1 and each regularly 17 established elementary and secondary school the school calendar 18 shall begin no sooner than a day during the calendar week in 19 which the first day of September falls but August 23 and no 20 later than the first Monday in December. However, if the first 21 day of September falls on a Sunday, school may begin on a day 22 during the calendar week which immediately precedes the first 23 day of September. The school calendar shall include not less 24 than one hundred eighty days, except as provided in subsection 25 3 , or one thousand eighty hours of instruction during the 26 calendar year. The board of directors of a school district and 27 the authorities in charge of an accredited nonpublic school 28 shall determine the school start date for the school calendar 29 in accordance with this subsection and shall set the number 30 of days or hours of required attendance for the school year 31 as provided in section 299.1, subsection 2 , but the board of 32 directors of a school district shall hold a public hearing 33 on any proposed school calendar prior to adopting the school 34 calendar. If the board of directors of a district or the 35 -1- LSB 1542HV (3) 86 kh/rj 1/ 2

H.F. 307 authorities in charge of an accredited nonpublic school extends 1 the school calendar because inclement weather caused the school 2 district or accredited nonpublic school to temporarily close 3 during the regular school calendar, the school district or 4 accredited nonpublic school may excuse a graduating senior 5 who has met district or school requirements for graduation 6 from attendance during the extended school calendar. A school 7 corporation may begin employment of personnel for in-service 8 training and development purposes before the date to begin 9 elementary and secondary school. 10 Sec. 3. Section 279.10, subsection 4, Code 2015, is amended 11 by striking the subsection. 12 EXPLANATION 13 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 14 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 15 This bill modifies language prohibiting an early school 16 start date for a school calendar by providing that school 17 districts and accredited nonpublic schools cannot begin their 18 school calendar any sooner than August 23. The bill eliminates 19 a provision that authorizes the department of education 20 to grant waivers to allow school districts and accredited 21 nonpublic schools to commence classes prior to the earliest 22 start date, and makes a corresponding change in a provision 23 that establishes an aid reduction penalty for early school 24 starts by school districts. 25 Current law prohibits school districts and accredited 26 nonpublic schools from beginning the school calendar prior to 27 a day during the calendar week in which September 1 falls or, 28 if September 1 falls on a Sunday, prior to a day during the 29 calendar week which immediately precedes September 1. 30 -2- LSB 1542HV (3) 86 kh/rj 2/ 2