Senate File 353 - Introduced SENATE FILE 353 BY SCHNEIDER A BILL FOR An Act requesting the establishment of an interim committee 1 to study the feasibility of allowing a day of virtual 2 instruction to count as a minimum school day when inclement 3 weather causes schools to close. 4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 5 TLSB 2376XS (3) 88 kh/jh
S.F. 353 Section 1. INTERIM STUDY COMMITTEE —— VIRTUAL INSTRUCTIONAL 1 DAYS. 2 1. The legislative council is requested to establish an 3 interim study committee to study and make recommendations 4 relating to the feasibility of allowing school districts 5 and accredited nonpublic schools to count a day of virtual 6 instruction as a minimum school day when inclement weather 7 causes schools to close and instructional staff and students 8 engage in curriculum-aligned instructional and learning 9 opportunities from home. 10 2. The study committee shall review and provide an analysis 11 of the following: 12 a. School districts or accredited nonpublic schools in Iowa 13 currently offering virtual instructional days. 14 b. Authorization of virtual instructional days by other 15 states. 16 c. Potential barriers to allowing school districts and 17 accredited schools to count virtual instructional days as 18 minimum school days to avoid extending the school calendar. 19 d. Opportunities to overcome the barriers identified under 20 paragraph “c” without need for new state funding. 21 e. Best practices for utilizing virtual instructional days 22 as minimum school days. 23 3. The study committee shall submit a report with its 24 analysis, findings, and recommendations to the general assembly 25 by December 20, 2019. 26 EXPLANATION 27 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 28 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 29 This bill requests the legislative council to establish 30 an interim study committee to study and make recommendations 31 relating to the feasibility of allowing school districts 32 and accredited nonpublic schools to count a day of virtual 33 instruction as a minimum school day when inclement weather 34 causes schools to close and instructional staff and students 35 -1- LSB 2376XS (3) 88 kh/jh 1/ 2
S.F. 353 engage in curriculum-aligned instructional and learning 1 opportunities from home. 2 The study committee shall review and provide an analysis 3 of school districts or accredited nonpublic schools in Iowa 4 currently offering virtual instructional days, authorization of 5 virtual instructional days by other states, potential barriers 6 to allowing virtual instructional days to be counted as minimum 7 school days, opportunities to overcome such barriers without 8 need for new state funding, and best practices for utilizing 9 virtual instructional days as minimum school days. 10 The study committee shall submit a report with its analysis, 11 findings, and recommendations to the general assembly by 12 December 20, 2019. 13 -2- LSB 2376XS (3) 88 kh/jh 2/ 2