Senate File 354 - Introduced SENATE FILE 354 BY COURNOYER A BILL FOR An Act requesting the establishment of an interim study 1 committee to consider school district and accredited 2 nonpublic school use of online learning technology as a 3 means to meet minimum school day or school hour requirements 4 when inclement weather causes schools to close. 5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 6 TLSB 2383XS (5) 88 kh/jh

S.F. 354 Section 1. INTERIM STUDY COMMITTEE —— ONLINE LEARNING 1 TECHNOLOGY —— INCLEMENT WEATHER SCHOOL CLOSURES. 2 1. The legislative council is requested to establish an 3 interim study committee to consider and make recommendations 4 relating to the feasibility of allowing school districts 5 and accredited nonpublic schools to utilize online learning 6 technology as a means to meet the minimum school day or 7 school hour requirements when inclement weather causes school 8 closures. 9 2. The study committee shall review and provide an analysis 10 of the following: 11 a. School districts or accredited nonpublic schools in 12 Iowa currently using online learning technology to provide 13 instruction on days when inclement weather causes school 14 closures. 15 b. Statewide policies and laws in other states relating 16 to the use of online learning technology as a means to meet 17 minimum school day or school hour requirements when inclement 18 weather causes school closures. 19 c. Potential barriers to allowing instructional staff and 20 students to engage in curriculum-aligned instructional and 21 learning opportunities from home utilizing online learning 22 technology and to allowing such use to meet the minimum 23 school day or school hour requirements so school districts and 24 accredited nonpublic schools can avoid extending the school 25 calendar. 26 d. Options for overcoming the barriers identified under 27 paragraph “c”. 28 e. Best practices for utilizing online instructional 29 technology to meet minimum school day or school hour 30 requirements when inclement weather causes school closures. 31 3. The study committee shall submit a report with its 32 analysis, findings, and recommendations to the general assembly 33 by December 20, 2019. 34 EXPLANATION 35 -1- LSB 2383XS (5) 88 kh/jh 1/ 2

S.F. 354 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 1 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 2 This bill requests the legislative council to establish an 3 interim study committee to consider and make recommendations 4 relating to the feasibility of allowing school districts 5 and accredited nonpublic schools to utilize online learning 6 technology as a means to meet the minimum school day or 7 school hour requirements when inclement weather causes school 8 closures. 9 The study committee shall review and provide an analysis of 10 how school districts or accredited nonpublic schools in Iowa 11 are currently using such technology to provide instruction on 12 days when inclement weather causes school closures; related 13 policies and laws in other states; potential barriers to such 14 use and the options for overcoming such barriers, and best 15 practices for utilizing online instructional technology to meet 16 minimum school day or school hour requirements when inclement 17 weather causes school closures. 18 The study committee shall submit a report with its analysis, 19 findings, and recommendations to the general assembly by 20 December 20, 2019. 21 -2- LSB 2383XS (5) 88 kh/jh 2/ 2