HF 615 (LSB 2521YH (4) 88)

HOUSE FILE 615

BY  DONAHUE, MASCHER, KACENA, GAINES, and ABDUL-SAMAD

A BILL FOR

An Act eliminating the option to calculate by hours the instructional time school districts and accredited nonpublic schools must include in the school calendar.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  Section 256.7, subsection 19, unnumbered paragraph 1, Code 2019, is amended to read as follows:
   For a school or school district with a school calendar measuring instructional time in days pursuant to section 279.10, subsection 1, define Define the minimum school day as a day consisting of six hours of instructional time for grades one through twelve. The minimum hours shall be exclusive of the lunch period, but may include passing time between classes. Time spent on parent-teacher conferences shall be considered instructional time. A school or school district may record a day of school with less than the minimum instructional hours as a minimum school day if any of the following apply:
    Sec. 2.  Section 256F.4, subsection 5, Code 2019, is amended to read as follows:
   5.  A charter school or innovation zone school shall provide instruction for at least the number of days or hours required by section 279.10, subsection 1.
    Sec. 3.  Section 279.10, subsection 1, Code 2019, is amended to read as follows:
   1.  The school year for each school district and accredited nonpublic school shall begin on July 1 and the school calendar shall begin no sooner than August 23 and no later than the first Monday in December. The school calendar shall include not less than one hundred eighty days or one thousand eighty hours of instruction during the calendar year. The board of directors of a school district and the authorities in charge of an accredited nonpublic school shall determine the school start date for the school calendar in accordance with this subsection and shall set the number of days or hours of required attendance for the school year as provided in section 299.1, subsection 2, but the board of directors of a school district shall hold a public hearing on any proposed school calendar prior to adopting the school calendar. If the board of directors of a district or the authorities in charge of an accredited nonpublic school extends the school calendar because inclement weather caused the school district or accredited nonpublic school to temporarily close during the regular school calendar, the school district or accredited nonpublic school may excuse a graduating senior who has met district or school requirements for graduation from attendance during the extended school calendar. A school corporation may begin employment of personnel for in-service training and development purposes before the date to begin elementary and secondary school.
    Sec. 4.  Section 279.10, subsection 2, paragraph c, Code 2019, is amended to read as follows:
   c.  An attendance center or school authorized to maintain a year-round school calendar under this subsection shall provide at least ten days of instruction or the hourly equivalent during eleven of the twelve months of the school year. The period of time between instructional days shall not exceed six weeks.
    Sec. 5.  Section 299.1, subsection 2, Code 2019, is amended to read as follows:
   2.  The board of directors of a public school district or the governing body of an accredited nonpublic school shall set the number of days or hours of required attendance for the schools under its control. The board of directors of a public school district or the governing body of an accredited nonpublic school may, by resolution, require attendance for the entire time when the schools are in session in any school year and adopt a policy or rules relating to the reasons considered to be valid or acceptable excuses for absence from school.
EXPLANATION
The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
   This bill eliminates an option for school districts and accredited nonpublic schools to count instructional time required for in the school calendar in hours. 
   Currently the school calendar consists of a minimum of either 180 instructional days or 1,080 instructional hours. Subject to the minimum requirement, school districts and accredited nonpublic schools set the number of days or hours of required attendance for the school year. 
   The bill makes conforming changes.