House File 2081 - Introduced HOUSE FILE 2081 BY COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION (SUCCESSOR TO HSB 520) A BILL FOR An Act relating to teachers, including the assessments 1 administered to practitioner preparation program admission 2 candidates and to practitioner preparation program students 3 prior to students’ completion of a practitioner preparation 4 program, and certain specified licenses for teachers created 5 by the board of educational examiners, and including notice 6 and applicability provisions. 7 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 8 TLSB 5121HV (2) 89 jda/jh

H.F. 2081 Section 1. Section 256.7, subsection 3, paragraph b, Code 1 2022, is amended to read as follows: 2 b. Procedures provided for approval of programs shall 3 include procedures for enforcement of the prescribed standards 4 and , except as provided in section 256.16, subsection 3 , shall 5 not include a procedure for the waiving of any of the standards 6 prescribed. 7 Sec. 2. Section 256.16, subsection 1, paragraph a, Code 8 2022, is amended by striking the paragraph. 9 Sec. 3. Section 256.16, subsection 2, Code 2022, is amended 10 to read as follows: 11 2. A person initially applying for a license shall 12 successfully complete a practitioner preparation program 13 approved under section 256.7, subsection 3 , and containing the 14 subject matter specified in this section , before the initial 15 action by the board of educational examiners under chapter 16 272 takes place. However, this subsection shall not apply to 17 a person who meets the requirements for an initial one-year 18 license in accordance with subsection 3 . 19 Sec. 4. Section 256.16, subsection 3, Code 2022, is amended 20 by striking the subsection. 21 Sec. 5. Section 272.2, subsection 14, paragraph b, 22 subparagraph (5), Code 2022, is amended to read as follows: 23 (5) The applicant fails to meet board standards for 24 application for an initial or renewed license. However, this 25 subparagraph shall not apply to a person who applies for an 26 initial one-year license and submits to the board a waiver 27 issued by the director of the department of education in 28 accordance with section 256.16, subsection 3 . 29 Sec. 6. Section 272.2, subsection 22, Code 2022, is amended 30 by striking the subsection. 31 Sec. 7. HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS —— NOTICE TO FORMER 32 STUDENTS. All higher education institutions providing 33 practitioner preparation shall notify students who failed 34 to achieve the minimum passing scores set by the department 35 -1- LSB 5121HV (2) 89 jda/jh 1/ 3

H.F. 2081 of education on the assessments administered under section 1 256.16, subsection 1, paragraph “a”, subparagraph (2), Code 2 2022, before the effective date of this Act, of the changes 3 related to the completion of a practitioner preparation program 4 provided by this Act, including the student’s ability to 5 apply for an initial license from the board of educational 6 examiners if the student completed all other requirements of a 7 practitioner preparation program approved under section 256.7, 8 subsection 3. 9 Sec. 8. APPLICABILITY. This Act applies to students who 10 attended or are attending practitioner preparation programs 11 before, on, or after the effective date of this Act. 12 EXPLANATION 13 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 14 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 15 This bill relates to the assessments administered to 16 practitioner preparation program admission candidates and to 17 practitioner preparation program students prior to students’ 18 completion of a practitioner preparation program. 19 Current law provides that the state board of education 20 shall adopt rules requiring all higher education institutions 21 providing practitioner preparation to, prior to a student’s 22 completion of the practitioner preparation program, administer 23 either subject assessments designed by a nationally recognized 24 testing service or a valid and reliable subject-area-specific, 25 performance-based assessment centered on student learning. 26 Current law also provides that an institution may administer a 27 preprofessional skills test offered by a nationally recognized 28 testing service to candidates for admission to the practitioner 29 preparation program. An institution that does so must report 30 to the department of education the percentage of students 31 whose scores on the assessments were above, at, and below the 32 minimum passing score set by the institution, and shall report 33 any services or opportunities to retake the assessment that 34 the institution may make available to a student who fails 35 -2- LSB 5121HV (2) 89 jda/jh 2/ 3

H.F. 2081 an assessment. Additionally, current law provides that the 1 department shall compile the reports and publish the compiled 2 information on its internet site. 3 The bill strikes the ability of an institution to administer 4 a preprofessional skills test to admission candidates and the 5 corresponding reporting requirements related to that test. 6 The bill also strikes the requirement that an institution 7 administer subject assessments designed by a nationally 8 recognized testing service that measure pedagogy and knowledge 9 prior to a student’s completion of the practitioner preparation 10 program or a valid and reliable subject-area-specific, 11 performance-based assessment for preservice teacher candidates. 12 The bill requires all institutions providing practitioner 13 preparation to notify students who, before the effective date 14 of the bill, failed to achieve the minimum passing scores set 15 by the department on the assessments administered prior to a 16 student’s completion of the practitioner preparation program of 17 the changes the bill makes to the requirements related to the 18 completion of a practitioner preparation program. 19 The bill applies to students who attended or are attending 20 practitioner preparation programs before, on, or after the 21 effective date of the bill. 22 The bill makes conforming changes. 23 -3- LSB 5121HV (2) 89 jda/jh 3/ 3