House File 370 - Introduced HOUSE FILE 370 BY MASCHER A BILL FOR An Act relating to successful progression for early readers, 1 including intensive summer reading programs and third grade 2 retention of certain students. 3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 4 TLSB 2563YH (2) 87 kh/jh

H.F. 370 Section 1. Section 279.68, subsection 1, paragraph c, Code 1 2017, is amended to read as follows: 2 c. Beginning May 1, 2018 2019 , unless the school district 3 is granted a waiver pursuant to subsection 2 , paragraph “e” , if 4 the student is persistently at risk in reading by at the end 5 of grade three, the school district shall notify the student’s 6 parent or guardian in writing that the parent or guardian may 7 enroll the student in an intensive summer reading program 8 offered in accordance with subsection 2 , paragraph “e” . If 9 the parent or guardian does not enroll the student in the 10 intensive summer reading program and the student is ineligible 11 for the good cause exemption under subsection 5 , the student 12 shall be retained in grade three pursuant to subsection 3 . 13 If the student is exempt from participating in an intensive 14 summer reading program for good cause, pursuant to subsection 15 5 , or completes the intensive summer reading program but is 16 not reading proficiently upon completion of the program, the 17 student may be promoted to grade four, but the school district 18 shall continue to provide the student with intensive reading 19 instruction until the student is reading proficiently as 20 demonstrated by scoring on locally determined or statewide 21 assessments administered under paragraph “a” . 22 Sec. 2. Section 279.68, subsection 1, Code 2017, is amended 23 by adding the following new paragraph: 24 NEW PARAGRAPH . d. If funds are appropriated by the 25 general assembly for purposes of implementing this paragraph, 26 unless the school district is granted a waiver pursuant to 27 subsection 2, paragraph “e” , beginning May 1, 2019, the school 28 district shall notify, in writing, the parent or guardian of 29 a student enrolled in kindergarten through grade two who is 30 persistently at risk in reading at the end of the school year, 31 as demonstrated by scoring on a locally determined or statewide 32 assessment as provided in section 256.7, subsection 31, that 33 the parent or guardian may enroll the student in an intensive 34 summer reading program offered in accordance with subsection 35 -1- LSB 2563YH (2) 87 kh/jh 1/ 3

H.F. 370 2, paragraph “e” . 1 Sec. 3. Section 279.68, subsection 2, paragraph e, Code 2 2017, is amended to read as follows: 3 e. Offer each summer, beginning in the summer of 2018 4 2019 , unless the school district receives a waiver from this 5 requirement from the department of education for the summer 6 of 2018 , an intensive summer reading program for students who 7 are persistently at risk in reading. The program shall meet 8 the criteria and follow the guidelines established pursuant to 9 section 256.9, subsection 49 , paragraph “c” , subparagraph (1), 10 subparagraph division (g). 11 EXPLANATION 12 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 13 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 14 This bill modifies provisions that require school districts 15 to retain in the third grade certain students, and adds a 16 provision to require school districts to offer, under certain 17 conditions, an intensive summer reading program for students in 18 kindergarten through grade two whose reading is deficient. 19 Currently, beginning in the summer of 2018, if a student is 20 not reading proficiently and is persistently at risk in reading 21 at the end of grade three, the school district, unless it has 22 obtained a waiver from the department of education, must notify 23 the student’s parent or guardian that the parent or guardian 24 may enroll the student in an intensive summer reading program. 25 The bill delays the requirement until the summer of 2019 and 26 provides that notification must be in writing. 27 The bill also delays to 2019 provisions relating to a 28 requirement that school districts retain a student in grade 29 three if the student is persistently at risk in reading, the 30 student’s parent or guardian did not enroll the student in an 31 intensive summer reading program, and the student does not 32 qualify for a good cause exemption. 33 The bill requires school districts to provide intensive 34 summer reading programs, beginning in the summer of 2019, 35 -2- LSB 2563YH (2) 87 kh/jh 2/ 3

H.F. 370 for students who are enrolled in kindergarten through grade 1 two, but only if the general assembly appropriates funds for 2 the programs. For any year in which the general assembly 3 appropriates funds for such programs and the school district 4 has not obtained a waiver from the department of education, the 5 school district must notify the parent or guardian of a student 6 enrolled in kindergarten through grade two who is persistently 7 at risk in reading at the end of the school year that the parent 8 or guardian may enroll the student in an intensive summer 9 reading program. 10 -3- LSB 2563YH (2) 87 kh/jh 3/ 3