House File 2073 - Introduced HOUSE FILE 2073 BY FRY A BILL FOR An Act relating to the authorized expenditure of funds for 1 school programs serving at-risk students, alternative 2 schools, returning dropouts, and potential dropouts and 3 including applicability provisions. 4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 5 TLSB 5637YH (5) 87 md/jh
H.F. 2073 Section 1. Section 257.41, subsection 2, paragraphs a and b, 1 Code 2018, are amended to read as follows: 2 a. Salary and benefits for instructional staff, 3 instructional support staff, guidance counselors, psychologists 4 licensed under chapter 154B, licensed independent social 5 workers under chapter 154C, licensed mental health counselors 6 under chapter 154D, and school-based youth services staff who 7 are working with students who are participating in at-risk 8 or dropout prevention programs, alternative programs, and 9 alternative schools, in a traditional or alternative setting, 10 if the staff such person’s or counselor’s time is dedicated to 11 working with such students in order to provide services beyond 12 those which are provided by the school district to students 13 who are not participating in such programs or alternative 14 schools. However, if the staff such person or counselor works 15 part-time with students who are participating in a program 16 or alternative school and the staff person or counselor has 17 another unrelated staff assignment, only the portion of the 18 staff person’s or counselor’s time that is related to the 19 program or alternative school may be charged to the program 20 or school. For each such staff person or counselor who works 21 part time with students who are participating in a program 22 or alternative school, the school district shall have the 23 authority to designate the portion of the staff person’s or 24 counselor’s time and the corresponding amount of salary and 25 benefits that is related to the program or alternative school 26 and shall include such designation as part of the program plan 27 under section 257.38 , if applicable. For purposes of this 28 paragraph, if an alternative setting is necessary to provide 29 for a program which is offered at a location off school grounds 30 and which is intended to serve student needs by improving 31 relationships and connections to school, decreasing truancy and 32 tardiness, providing opportunities for course credit recovery, 33 or helping students identified as at risk to accelerate through 34 multiple grade levels of achievement within a shortened time 35 -1- LSB 5637YH (5) 87 md/jh 1/ 2
H.F. 2073 frame, the tuition costs for a student identified as at risk 1 shall be considered an appropriate use of the program funding 2 under this section . 3 b. Professional development for all teachers, counselors, 4 psychologists, social workers, and staff identified in 5 paragraph “a” who are working with at-risk students under a 6 program or an alternative school setting. 7 Sec. 2. APPLICABILITY. This Act applies to school budget 8 years beginning on or after July 1, 2019. 9 EXPLANATION 10 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 11 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 12 Under current Code section 257.41, appropriate uses of the 13 funding for an approved program for at-risk students, secondary 14 students who attend alternative programs and schools, and 15 returning dropouts and dropout prevention include the salary, 16 benefits, and professional development for instructional 17 staff, instructional support staff, guidance counselors, 18 and school-based youth services staff who are working with 19 students who are participating in such programs. This bill 20 adds the salary, benefits, and professional development of 21 licensed psychologists, licensed independent social workers, 22 and licensed mental health counselors to the category of 23 permissible expenditures for such funds. 24 The bill applies to school budget years beginning on or after 25 July 1, 2019. 26 -2- LSB 5637YH (5) 87 md/jh 2/ 2