HF 370 (LSB 2563YH (2) 87)

HOUSE FILE 370

BY  MASCHER

A BILL FOR

An Act relating to successful progression for early readers, including intensive summer reading programs and third grade retention of certain students.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  Section 279.68, subsection 1, paragraph c, Code 2017, is amended to read as follows:
   c.  Beginning May 1, 2018 2019, unless the school district is granted a waiver pursuant to subsection 2, paragraph “e”, if the student is persistently at risk in reading by at the end of grade three, the school district shall notify the student’s parent or guardian in writing that the parent or guardian may enroll the student in an intensive summer reading program offered in accordance with subsection 2, paragraph “e”. If the parent or guardian does not enroll the student in the intensive summer reading program and the student is ineligible for the good cause exemption under subsection 5, the student shall be retained in grade three pursuant to subsection 3. If the student is exempt from participating in an intensive summer reading program for good cause, pursuant to subsection 5, or completes the intensive summer reading program but is not reading proficiently upon completion of the program, the student may be promoted to grade four, but the school district shall continue to provide the student with intensive reading instruction until the student is reading proficiently as demonstrated by scoring on locally determined or statewide assessments administered under paragraph “a”.
    Sec. 2.  Section 279.68, subsection 1, Code 2017, is amended by adding the following new paragraph:
   NEW PARAGRAPH.  d.  If funds are appropriated by the general assembly for purposes of implementing this paragraph, unless the school district is granted a waiver pursuant to subsection 2, paragraph “e”, beginning May 1, 2019, the school district shall notify, in writing, the parent or guardian of a student enrolled in kindergarten through grade two who is persistently at risk in reading at the end of the school year, as demonstrated by scoring on a locally determined or statewide assessment as provided in section 256.7, subsection 31, that the parent or guardian may enroll the student in an intensive summer reading program offered in accordance with subsection 2, paragraph “e”.
    Sec. 3.  Section 279.68, subsection 2, paragraph e, Code 2017, is amended to read as follows:
   e.  Offer each summer, beginning in the summer of 2018 2019, unless the school district receives a waiver from this requirement from the department of education for the summer of 2018, an intensive summer reading program for students who are persistently at risk in reading. The program shall meet the criteria and follow the guidelines established pursuant to section 256.9, subsection 49, paragraph “c”, subparagraph (1), subparagraph division (g).
EXPLANATION
The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
   This bill modifies provisions that require school districts to retain in the third grade certain students, and adds a provision to require school districts to offer, under certain conditions, an intensive summer reading program for students in kindergarten through grade two whose reading is deficient.
   Currently, beginning in the summer of 2018, if a student is not reading proficiently and is persistently at risk in reading at the end of grade three, the school district, unless it has obtained a waiver from the department of education, must notify the student’s parent or guardian that the parent or guardian may enroll the student in an intensive summer reading program. The bill delays the requirement until the summer of 2019 and provides that notification must be in writing.
   The bill also delays to 2019 provisions relating to a requirement that school districts retain a student in grade three if the student is persistently at risk in reading, the student’s parent or guardian did not enroll the student in an intensive summer reading program, and the student does not qualify for a good cause exemption.
   The bill requires school districts to provide intensive summer reading programs, beginning in the summer of 2019, for students who are enrolled in kindergarten through grade two, but only if the general assembly appropriates funds for the programs. For any year in which the general assembly appropriates funds for such programs and the school district has not obtained a waiver from the department of education, the school district must notify the parent or guardian of a student enrolled in kindergarten through grade two who is persistently at risk in reading at the end of the school year that the parent or guardian may enroll the student in an intensive summer reading program.