Senate File 350 - Introduced SENATE FILE 350 BY COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION (SUCCESSOR TO SSB 1057) (COMPANION TO LSB 1288HV BY COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION) A BILL FOR An Act relating to high school equivalency programs and 1 assessments and including effective date provisions. 2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 3 TLSB 1288SV (2) 87 kh/jh/rj

S.F. 350 Section 1. Section 259A.1, Code 2017, is amended to read as 1 follows: 2 259A.1 Tests Assessment of competency . 3 The department of education shall cause to be made available 4 for qualified individuals a high school equivalency diploma. 5 The diploma shall be issued on the basis of satisfactory 6 demonstrated competence as shown by tests covering in all of 7 the following core areas : reading, language arts, literacy, 8 mathematics, science, and social studies. 9 Sec. 2. Section 259A.2, Code 2017, is amended to read as 10 follows: 11 259A.2 Age Application requirements . 12 1. Every applicant must shall have attained the age of 13 eighteen years, be a nonhigh have not graduated from high 14 school graduate , and not be currently enrolled in a secondary 15 school. However, an 16 2. An applicant is not eligible for the a high school 17 equivalency diploma until after the class in which the 18 applicant was enrolled has graduated from high school . 19 3. Application shall be made to a high school equivalency 20 program or testing center approved by the department of 21 education, accompanied by an application fee in an amount 22 prescribed by the department. 23 4. The test Test scores shall be forwarded by the scorer of 24 the test to the department of education . 25 5. Evidence that an applicant demonstrates competence as 26 required under section 259A.1 shall be made available to the 27 department of education by the high school equivalency program 28 for verification purposes. 29 Sec. 3. Section 259A.3, Code 2017, is amended to read as 30 follows: 31 259A.3 Notice and fee. 32 Any applicant who has achieved demonstrated competence in 33 the minimum passing core areas under standards as established 34 by the department, and approved adopted by the state board of 35 -1- LSB 1288SV (2) 87 kh/jh/rj 1/ 3

S.F. 350 education pursuant to section 259A.5 , shall be issued a high 1 school equivalency diploma by the department of education upon 2 payment of an additional amount determined in rules adopted by 3 the state board of education to cover the actual costs of the 4 production and distribution of the diploma. The state board of 5 education may also by rule establish a fee for the issuance or 6 verification of a transcript which shall be based on the actual 7 costs of the production or verification of a transcript. 8 Sec. 4. Section 259A.5, Code 2017, is amended to read as 9 follows: 10 259A.5 Rules —— duties . 11 1. The director of the department of education shall adopt 12 tests prescribe assessments , definitions of terms, and forms 13 and resources as necessary for the administration of this 14 chapter . 15 2. The state board of education shall adopt rules 16 under chapter 17A to carry out this chapter , including but 17 not limited to rules establishing standards for content 18 and measures by which competence in core areas is to be 19 demonstrated and assessed. Such measures shall include but 20 not be limited to a test battery, credit-based measures, and 21 attainment of other academic credentials of equivalent or 22 greater rigor . 23 Sec. 5. EFFECTIVE UPON ENACTMENT. This Act, being deemed of 24 immediate importance, takes effect upon enactment. 25 EXPLANATION 26 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 27 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 28 This bill modifies Code chapter 259A, which provides for 29 high school equivalency programs and assessments, and for the 30 issuance of high school equivalency diplomas by the department 31 of education. 32 Under the bill, issuance of a high school equivalency 33 diploma is to be based on an applicant’s demonstrated 34 competence in core areas. Currently, the diploma is issued 35 -2- LSB 1288SV (2) 87 kh/jh/rj 2/ 3

S.F. 350 based on satisfactory competence, which an applicant meets 1 by achieving the minimum passing standards in the same areas 2 that under the bill are described as “core areas”: reading, 3 language arts, literacy, mathematics, science, and social 4 studies. 5 Currently, an applicant must submit an application to a 6 testing center, but, under the bill, application may be made 7 either to a high school equivalency program or to a testing 8 center. The bill directs high school equivalency programs to 9 make available to the department evidence of an applicant’s 10 demonstrated competence. 11 The bill requires the director of the department of 12 education to prescribe assessments and resources, and strikes 13 a requirement that the director adopt tests. Currently, the 14 state board of education has the authority to adopt rules to 15 carry out the Code chapter. The bill maintains this broad 16 authority, while specifying that the rules must include but 17 not be limited to rules establishing standards for content 18 and measures by which competence in core areas is to be 19 demonstrated and assessed. Such measures shall include but 20 not be limited to a test battery, credit-based measures, and 21 attainment of other academic credentials of equivalent or 22 greater rigor. 23 -3- LSB 1288SV (2) 87 kh/jh/rj 3/ 3