Senate File 159 - Introduced SENATE FILE 159 BY COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION (SUCCESSOR TO SSB 1031) A BILL FOR An Act relating to assessment scores set by the department 1 of education for successful completion of a practitioner 2 preparation program and for initial teacher licensure and 3 providing for related matters. 4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 5 TLSB 1043SV (3) 88 kh/jh

S.F. 159 Section 1. Section 256.7, subsection 3, Code 2019, is 1 amended to read as follows: 2 3. Prescribe standards and procedures for the approval of 3 practitioner preparation programs and professional development 4 programs offered in this state by practitioner preparation 5 institutions located within or outside this state and by 6 area education agencies. Procedures provided for approval 7 of programs shall include procedures for enforcement of 8 the prescribed standards and , except as provided in section 9 256.16, subsection 3, shall not include a procedure for the 10 waiving of any of the standards prescribed. The board may 11 establish by rule and collect from practitioner preparation 12 institutions located outside this state an amount equivalent 13 to the department’s necessary travel and actual expenses 14 incurred while engaged in the program approval process for the 15 institution located outside this state. Amounts collected 16 under this subsection shall be deposited in the general fund 17 of the state. 18 Sec. 2. Section 256.16, subsection 1, paragraph a, 19 subparagraph (2), Code 2019, is amended to read as follows: 20 (2) Administer, prior to a student’s completion of the 21 practitioner preparation program and subject to the director’s 22 approval, subject assessments designed by a nationally 23 recognized testing service that measure pedagogy and knowledge 24 of at least one subject area; or, a valid and reliable 25 subject-area-specific, performance-based assessment for 26 preservice teacher candidates, centered on student learning. 27 A student shall not successfully complete the program unless 28 the scores achieved by the student achieves scores on the 29 assessments administered under this subparagraph are at or 30 above the twenty-fifth percentile nationally on the assessments 31 administered pursuant to this subparagraph minimum passing 32 scores set by the department . 33 (a) In setting the minimum passing scores for purposes of 34 this subparagraph, the department shall consider all of the 35 -1- LSB 1043SV (3) 88 kh/jh 1/ 4

S.F. 159 following: 1 (i) The recommended scores which are determined by the 2 assessment provider through a validated standard-setting 3 process. 4 (ii) Scores required of similar tests in neighboring 5 states. 6 (iii) The supply and demand imbalance of content areas or 7 teaching positions currently experienced in Iowa. 8 (b) A student who successfully completes the practitioner 9 preparation program as required under this subparagraph shall 10 be deemed to have attained a passing score on the assessments 11 administered under this subparagraph even if the department 12 subsequently sets different minimum passing scores. 13 Sec. 3. Section 256.16, subsection 2, Code 2019, is amended 14 to read as follows: 15 2. A person initially applying for a license shall 16 successfully complete a professional education a practitioner 17 preparation program approved under section 256.7, subsection 3, 18 and containing the subject matter specified in this section , 19 before the initial action by the board of educational examiners 20 under chapter 272 takes place. However, this subsection shall 21 not apply to a person who meets the requirements for an initial 22 one-year license in accordance with subsection 3. 23 Sec. 4. Section 256.16, Code 2019, is amended by adding the 24 following new subsection: 25 NEW SUBSECTION . 3. The state board shall adopt rules 26 under chapter 17A to provide that the director shall waive 27 the assessment requirements of subsection 1, paragraph “a” , 28 subparagraph (2), for not more than one year for a person 29 who has completed the course requirements for an approved 30 practitioner preparation program but attained an assessment 31 score below the minimum passing scores set by the department 32 for successful completion of the program under subsection 1, 33 paragraph “a” , subparagraph (2). 34 Sec. 5. Section 272.2, subsection 14, paragraph b, 35 -2- LSB 1043SV (3) 88 kh/jh 2/ 4

S.F. 159 subparagraph (5), Code 2019, is amended to read as follows: 1 (5) The applicant fails to meet board standards for 2 application for an initial or renewed license. However, this 3 subparagraph shall not apply to a person who applies for an 4 initial one-year license and submits to the board a waiver 5 issued by the director of the department of education in 6 accordance with section 256.16, subsection 3. 7 Sec. 6. Section 272.2, Code 2019, is amended by adding the 8 following new subsection: 9 NEW SUBSECTION . 21. Adopt rules pursuant to chapter 17A to 10 create a nonrenewable initial one-year license for an applicant 11 who obtains a waiver issued by the director of the department 12 of education in accordance with section 256.16, subsection 13 3, and presents the waiver within thirty days of issuance 14 to the board of educational examiners. Such an applicant 15 must also provide an affidavit from the administrator of a 16 school district or an accredited nonpublic school verifying 17 that an offer of a teaching contract has been made and the 18 school district or accredited nonpublic school has made every 19 reasonable and good-faith effort to employ a teacher licensed 20 under chapter 272 for the specified subject and is unable to 21 employ such a teacher. 22 EXPLANATION 23 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 24 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 25 This bill authorizes the department of education to set the 26 minimum passing scores necessary for a student to successfully 27 complete a practitioner preparation program in order to receive 28 an initial teaching license from the board of educational 29 examiners and establishes a waiver procedure for students who 30 do not attain the minimum assessment score. 31 Currently, students must achieve scores above the 25th 32 percentile nationally on certain subject and performance-based 33 assessments. In setting the minimum assessment scores, the 34 bill directs the department to consider the recommended scores 35 -3- LSB 1043SV (3) 88 kh/jh 3/ 4

S.F. 159 determined by the assessment provider through a validated 1 standard-setting process, scores required of similar tests 2 in neighboring states, and the supply and demand imbalance 3 of content areas or teaching positions currently experienced 4 in Iowa. Even if the department sets new passing scores in 5 subsequent years, a student who successfully completes the 6 practitioner preparation program shall be deemed to have 7 achieved minimum passing scores. 8 The state board must adopt rules requiring that the 9 director of the department of education waive the assessment 10 requirements for one year for a person who has completed 11 approved practitioner preparation program course requirements 12 but attained an assessment score below the minimum. 13 The board of educational examiners must adopt rules to 14 create a nonrenewable initial one-year license for applicants 15 who obtain a waiver and present it within 30 days of issuance 16 to the board. 17 A licensure applicant who applies for such an initial 18 one-year license must also provide an affidavit from the 19 administrator of a school district or an accredited nonpublic 20 school verifying that an offer of a teaching contract has been 21 made and that the school district or accredited nonpublic 22 school has made every reasonable effort but has failed to 23 employ an Iowa-licensed teacher for the specified subject. 24 Provisions of law that restrict initial licensure to those 25 who have successfully completed an approved practitioner 26 preparation program and to those who have met board standards 27 for initial licensure are made inapplicable to persons who meet 28 initial one-year licensure and waiver requirements. 29 -4- LSB 1043SV (3) 88 kh/jh 4/ 4