HF 2019 (LSB 5128YH (2) 89)

HOUSE FILE 2019

BY  WILLS

A BILL FOR

An Act relating to the establishment of an advanced opportunities program for certain students enrolled in public schools to take overload and dual credit courses, postsecondary credit-bearing and career and technical education certificate examinations, and career and technical education workforce training courses, and the award of a scholarship for early graduation.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  NEW SECTION.  261E.14  Advanced opportunities program.
   1.  Definitions.  For purposes of this section, unless the context otherwise requires:
   a.  “Credit” means middle or secondary school credit.
   b.  “Dual credit” means the secondary and public postsecondary credit a student receives for the completion of a postsecondary-level education course in accordance with this section.
   c.  “Full credit load” means at least twelve school credits per school year for grades seven through twelve.
   d.  “Overload course” means a course taken that is in excess of a full credit load and outside of the regular school day, including summer courses and online courses.
   e.  “Parent” means a parent, guardian, or legal custodian of a minor.
   f.  “Public postsecondary educational institution” means a community college established under chapter 260C or an institution of higher learning under the control of the state board of regents.
   2.  Program established.  Subject to an appropriation of funds by the general assembly for this purpose, an advanced opportunities program is established within the department of education to provide public school students in Iowa with funding to support implementation of individualized career and academic plans developed pursuant to section 279.61.
   3.  Funds eligible for student use.
   a.  Each student enrolled in and attending a public school in Iowa shall be eligible for four thousand one hundred twenty-five dollars to use toward overload courses, dual credits, postsecondary credit-bearing examinations, career and technical education certificate examinations, and career and technical education workforce training courses.
   b.  A student may access funds authorized to the student in accordance with paragraph “a” in grades seven through twelve for any of the following:
   (1)  Overload courses, the distribution of which shall not exceed two hundred twenty-five dollars per overload course. A student must take and successfully complete a full credit load within a given school year to be eligible for funding of an overload course. To be eligible for funding, an overload course must be taken for secondary school credit and the course must at minimum meet all of the following requirements:
   (a)  Be offered by a school district.
   (b)  Be taught by a teacher appropriately licensed under chapter 272 to teach in the subject area and the grade level.
   (2)  Eligible dual credits, the distribution of which shall not exceed seventy-five dollars per one dual credit hour. The dual credit course must be offered by a public postsecondary educational institution. To qualify as an eligible dual credit course, the course must be a credit-bearing one-hundred-level course or higher.
   (3)  Eligible postsecondary credit-bearing or career technical certificate examinations. The department shall maintain a list of eligible exams and costs. Eligible examinations include but are not limited to any of the following:
   (a)  Advanced placement.
   (b)  International baccalaureate.
   (c)  College-level examination program.
   (d)  Career and technical education examinations that lead to an industry-recognized certificate, license, or degree.
   (4)  Career and technical education workforce training courses, such as federally registered apprenticeships, the distribution of which shall not exceed five hundred dollars per course or one thousand dollars per year. The department shall maintain a list of eligible training courses and costs. Eligible training courses must at a minimum meet all of the following requirements:
   (a)  Be provided by a community college established under chapter 260C.
   (b)  Lead to an industry-recognized certificate, license, or degree.
   (c)  Be required training for an occupation deemed, pursuant to section 84A.1B, subsection 14, a high-demand job in the community college region.
   (d)  Be otherwise unavailable at the student’s secondary school.
   (e)  Allow secondary school-aged students to participate.
   4.  Counseling requirement.  A student who has earned fifteen postsecondary credits prior to secondary school graduation using the advanced opportunities program and who wishes to earn additional postsecondary credits must first identify postsecondary goals under the individualized career and academic plan developed pursuant to section 279.61. A school counselor shall advise any student who wishes to take dual credit courses that the student should ascertain whether the particular eligible public postsecondary educational institution that the student desires to attend will accept the transfer of coursework credits under this section.
   5.  Use of funds.  Moneys allocated for student use under this program may be used to pay an amount not to exceed the price to the student of such courses and examinations pursuant to the limitations stated in this section. Such moneys shall not supplant existing program funds. Payments made under this section shall be made from the moneys appropriated to the department by the general assembly for purposes of this program. 
   6.  Course challenge —— funding.  The board of directors of each school district may set forth criteria by which a student may challenge a course for credit, including by taking an exam. If a student successfully meets the criteria set forth by the school board, the student shall be counted as having completed all required coursework for that course. The school district shall be funded for such students based upon either actual hours of attendance or the course that the student has successfully passed, whichever is more advantageous to the school district, up to the weighting assigned to one pupil.
   7.  Early graduation incentives.  Any student enrolled in a school district who successfully completes the educational program for grades one through twelve, established pursuant to section 256.11, and graduates at least one year early shall be eligible for an advanced opportunities scholarship under this subsection. The scholarship may be used for tuition and fees at any public postsecondary educational institution located in this state. The amount of the scholarship shall equal thirty-five percent of the regular program state cost per pupil for each year of grades one through twelve curriculum avoided by the student’s early graduation. Subject to an appropriation by the general assembly for such purpose, each school district shall receive an amount equal to each such awarded scholarship for each student that graduates early from that school district. Students must apply for the scholarship within two years of graduating from a public secondary school. For school funding purposes, actual enrollment shall be counted as normal for students participating in dual credit courses pursuant to this section.
   8.  Reimbursements —— data —— student performance.
   a.  The department shall reimburse a school district or public postsecondary educational institution, as applicable, for such costs, up to the stated limits, within one hundred twenty-five days of receiving the necessary data upon which reimbursements shall be paid. The submission method and timelines of reimbursement data shall be determined by the department. Payments will be made only for activity occurring and reported within each fiscal year.
   b.  If a student fails to earn credit or successfully complete a course for which the department has paid a reimbursement, the student must pay for and successfully earn credit or complete a comparable course before the department shall pay any further reimbursements for the student. If a student performs inadequately on an examination for which the department has paid a reimbursement, the school district shall determine whether the student must pay for and successfully pass such examination to continue receiving state funding under the program.
   9.  Ineligible courses.  Repeated and remedial courses or examinations are not eligible for advanced opportunities program funding.
   10.  Participation timelines.  Each school district shall establish timelines and requirements for participation in the program, including implementing procedures for the appropriate transcription of credits, reporting of program participation, and financial transaction requirements. Each school district shall make reasonable efforts to ensure that any student who considers participating in the program also considers the challenges and time necessary to succeed in the program, and shall make reasonable efforts to include guidance on how the student’s participation in the program contributes to prospective college and career pathways. Such efforts by the district shall be performed prior to a student participating in the program and throughout the student’s involvement in the program.
   11.  Policies and procedures.  The department and the board of directors of each school district shall establish policies and procedures for participating in the program. Each school district shall ensure that students have an opportunity to participate in the program and meet district-established timelines and requirements for financial transactions, transcribing credits, and department reporting requirements. Participation in the program requires parent, if the student is a minor, and student agreement to program requirements and completion of any forms prescribed by the department.
   12.  School district assistance —— parent.  School district personnel shall assist parents in the process of enrolling students in such courses. The parent of a participating student may enroll such parent’s child in any eligible course, with or without the permission of the school district in which the student is enrolled. Each participating student’s secondary school transcript at the school district of enrollment shall include the credits earned and grades received by the student for any overload or dual credit courses taken pursuant to this section. For an eligible course to be transcribed as meeting the requirements of a core subject as identified in rule, the course must meet the approved content standards for the applicable subject and grade level.
   13.  District and institution participation.  Participating school districts shall collaborate with public postsecondary educational institutions to assist students who seek to participate in dual credit courses or graduate from secondary school early by enrolling in postsecondary courses. Participating school districts and public postsecondary educational institutions shall report to the state board any difficulties or obstacles the school districts and institutions experience in providing assistance to participating students.
   14.  Rules.  The state board may promulgate rules under chapter 17A to implement the provisions of this section.
   15.  Report.  Not later than January 15 annually, the department shall submit a report to the general assembly detailing, at a minimum, the number of students benefiting from assistance with the cost of overload courses, dual credit courses, examinations, and workforce training courses, and the number of credits awarded and amounts paid pursuant to this section during the previous school year.
EXPLANATION
The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
   This bill provides for the establishment within the department of education, subject to an appropriation of funds by the general assembly, of an advanced opportunities program and scholarship, to provide public school students with funding to support implementation of individualized career and academic plans and to provide scholarships as incentives for students to graduate from secondary school at least one year early. The scholarships may be used at public postsecondary educational institutions located in this state.
   Under the bill, each student enrolled and attending a public school in Iowa, beginning in grade seven, is eligible for $4,125 to use toward overload courses, dual credits, postsecondary credit-bearing examinations, career and technical education certificate examinations, and career and technical education workforce training courses.
   “Overload course” means a course taken that is in excess of a full credit load and outside of the regular school day, including summer courses and online courses. Moneys for overload courses shall not exceed $225 per overload course. Such courses must be offered by a school district and taught by an appropriately licensed teacher.
   “Dual credit” means the secondary and public postsecondary credit a student receives for the completion of a postsecondary-level education course under the program. Moneys for dual credits shall not exceed $75 per one dual credit hour and the course must be offered by a public postsecondary educational institution. 
   The department shall maintain a list of eligible postsecondary credit-bearing or career technical certificate examinations and costs for such examinations. Eligible examinations include but are not limited to advanced placement, international baccalaureate, college-level examination program, and career and technical education examinations that lead to an industry-recognized certificate, license, or degree.
   Career and technical education workforce training courses, such as federally registered apprenticeships for which moneys may be used, shall not exceed $500 per course or $1,000 per year. The department of education must maintain a list of eligible training courses and costs. Such courses must be provided by a community college; lead to an industry-recognized certificate, license, or degree; be required training for an occupation deemed a high-demand job in the community college region; be otherwise unavailable at the student’s secondary school; and allow secondary school-aged students to participate.
   A student who has earned 15 postsecondary credits prior to secondary school graduation using the program must first identify postsecondary goals under the student’s individualized career and academic plan before the student may continue to earn additional credits. The bill describes how school counselors must advise such students. 
   Moneys allocated for student use shall not supplant existing program funds. Payments shall be made from the moneys appropriated to the department of education for purposes of the program. 
   School boards may set forth criteria by which a student may challenge a course and be counted as having completed all required coursework for that course, including by examination. The school district shall be funded for such students based upon either actual hours of attendance or the course that the student has successfully passed, whichever is more advantageous to the school district, up to the weighting assigned to one pupil.
   Any student enrolled in a school district who successfully completes the educational program for grades 1-12 and graduates at least one year early shall be eligible for an advanced opportunities scholarship, which may be used for tuition and fees at any public postsecondary educational institution. The scholarship amount shall equal 35 percent of the regular program state cost pupil for each year of grades 1-12 curriculum avoided by the student’s early graduation. Subject to an appropriation by the general assembly for such purpose, each school district shall receive an amount equal to each such awarded scholarship for each student that graduates early from that school district. Students must apply for the scholarship within two years of graduating from a public secondary school. For public funding purposes, actual enrollment shall be counted as normal for students participating in dual credit courses pursuant to the program.
   The department shall reimburse a school district or public postsecondary educational institution within 125 days of receiving the necessary data. The submission method and timelines of reimbursement data shall be determined by the department. 
   If a student fails to earn credit or successfully complete a course for which the department has paid a reimbursement, the student must pay for and successfully earn credit or complete a comparable course before any further reimbursements are made to the student. If a student performs inadequately on an examination for which the department has paid a reimbursement, the school district shall determine whether the student must pay for and successfully pass such examination to continue receiving state funding under the program. 
   Repeated and remedial courses or examinations are not eligible for advanced opportunities program funding.
   Each school district must establish timelines and requirements for participation in the program, must make timely and reasonable efforts to provide guidance to students who are considering participating in the program, and must ensure that students have an opportunity to participate in the program and meet all program-related timelines and requirements. Participation in the program requires parent, if the student is a minor, and student agreement to program requirements.
   School district personnel must assist parents in the process of enrolling students in such courses. A parent may enroll the parent’s child in any eligible course, with or without the permission of the school district. Student transcripts must include the credits earned and grades received for overload and dual credit courses taken under the program. 
   Participating school districts shall collaborate with public postsecondary educational institutions to assist students who seek to participate in the program and must report to the state board of education any difficulties or obstacles the school districts and institutions experience in providing such assistance.
   The state board of education may promulgate rules to implement the program and scholarship.
   No later than January 15 annually, the department of education shall submit a report to the general assembly detailing the number of students benefiting from assistance with the cost of overload courses, dual credit courses, examinations, and workforce training courses, and the number of credits awarded and amounts paid during the previous school year.