Senate File 400 - Introduced SENATE FILE 400 BY JOCHUM A BILL FOR An Act relating to competent private instruction, independent 1 private instruction, and private instruction requirements. 2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 3 TLSB 2653XS (3) 89 kh/jh
S.F. 400 Section 1. Section 299.4, subsection 1, Code 2021, is 1 amended to read as follows: 2 1. a. The parent, guardian, or legal custodian of a child 3 who is of compulsory attendance age, who places the child 4 under competent private instruction under section 299A.2 , or 5 independent private instruction or private instruction under 6 chapter 299A, not in an accredited school or a home school 7 assistance program operated by a school district or accredited 8 nonpublic school, shall furnish a report in duplicate on forms 9 a format provided by the public school district and approved 10 by the department of education , to the district by September 1 11 of the school year in which the child will be under competent 12 private instruction under section 299A.2, or independent 13 private instruction or private instruction under chapter 299A . 14 b. The secretary of the school district receiving a report 15 furnished for a child under competent private instruction 16 under section 299A.2 shall retain and file one copy of the 17 report submitted for a child placed under competent private 18 instruction and forward the other a copy of the report to the 19 district’s area education agency. 20 c. The report furnished pursuant to paragraph “a” shall 21 state the name and age of the child , and the period of time 22 during which the child has been or will be under competent 23 private instruction , independent private instruction, or 24 private instruction for the year , . 25 d. (1) The report shall include an outline of the course of 26 study, texts used, and the name and address of the instructor 27 providing competent private instruction, the name and address 28 of the authority responsible for the independent private 29 instruction, or the name of the individual providing private 30 instruction, as applicable . 31 (2) A report furnished for a child under private instruction 32 must include the qualifications of the individual providing the 33 private instruction. 34 e. The parent, guardian, or legal custodian of a child, who 35 -1- LSB 2653XS (3) 89 kh/jh 1/ 4
S.F. 400 is placing the child under competent private instruction under 1 section 299A.2, for the first time, shall also provide the 2 district with evidence that the child has had the immunizations 3 required under section 139A.8 , and, if the child is elementary 4 school age, a blood lead test in accordance with section 5 135.105D . 6 f. The term “outline of course of study” shall include 7 subjects covered, lesson plans, and time spent on the areas of 8 study. 9 Sec. 2. Section 299A.3, Code 2021, is amended to read as 10 follows: 11 299A.3 Private Independent private instruction and private 12 instruction by a nonlicensed person. 13 1. A parent, guardian, or legal custodian of a child 14 of compulsory attendance age providing independent private 15 instruction or private instruction to the child may meet all of 16 the following requirements: shall 17 1. Complete complete and send, in a timely manner, the 18 report required under section 299.4 to the school district of 19 residence of the child . 20 2. Ensure and shall ensure that the child under the 21 parent’s, guardian’s, or legal custodian’s instruction is 22 evaluated annually to determine whether the child is making 23 adequate progress , as defined in section 299A.6 . 24 3. 2. Ensure that The parent, guardian, or legal custodian 25 of a child of compulsory attendance age providing independent 26 private instruction or private instruction to the child 27 may report the results of the child’s annual evaluation are 28 reported to the school district of residence of the child and 29 to the department of education by a date not later than June 30 30 of each year in which the child is under independent private 31 instruction or private instruction. 32 3. The nonlicensed person providing private instruction 33 to a child of compulsory attendance age shall possess a high 34 school diploma or a high school equivalency diploma. 35 -2- LSB 2653XS (3) 89 kh/jh 2/ 4
S.F. 400 EXPLANATION 1 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 2 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 3 This bill relates to competent private instruction, 4 independent private instruction, and private instruction 5 reporting and assessment requirements, and requires the 6 nonlicensed person providing private instruction to possess a 7 high school diploma or a high school equivalency diploma. 8 The bill requires the parent, guardian, or legal custodian 9 of a child who is of compulsory attendance age, who places 10 the child under competent private instruction under Code 11 section 299A.2, or independent private instruction or private 12 instruction under Code chapter 299A, not in an accredited 13 school or a home school assistance program operated by a school 14 district or accredited nonpublic school, to furnish a report 15 to the school district by September 1 of the school year. The 16 report must state the name and age of the child and the period 17 of time during which the child has been or will be under such 18 instruction for the year. Currently, only persons providing 19 competent private instruction must furnish this information. 20 The report must also include an outline of the course of 21 study, texts used, and the name and address of the instructor 22 providing competent private instruction, the name and address 23 of the authority responsible for the independent private 24 instruction, or the name of the individual providing private 25 instruction, as applicable. 26 A report furnished for a child under private instruction 27 must include the qualifications of the individual providing the 28 private instruction. 29 Currently, a parent, guardian, or legal custodian of a child 30 of compulsory attendance age providing private instruction 31 to the child may meet the reporting and annual assessment 32 requirements. The bill requires parents, guardians, and 33 custodians of such children, who are providing private or 34 independent private instruction, to file the reports with the 35 -3- LSB 2653XS (3) 89 kh/jh 3/ 4
S.F. 400 school district and to ensure that the child is evaluated 1 annually to determine whether the child is making adequate 2 progress. 3 The bill requires a nonlicensed person providing private 4 instruction to a child of compulsory attendance age to possess 5 a high school diploma or a high school equivalency diploma. 6 -4- LSB 2653XS (3) 89 kh/jh 4/ 4