House File 2198 - Introduced HOUSE FILE 2198 BY MOHR A BILL FOR An Act relating to the open enrollment of truant pupils. 1 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 2 TLSB 5964YH (1) 90 jda/jh

H.F. 2198 Section 1. Section 282.18, subsection 2, paragraph b, Code 1 2024, is amended to read as follows: 2 b. The board of the receiving district shall enroll 3 the pupil in a school in the receiving district unless the 4 receiving district has insufficient classroom space for the 5 pupil or unless the receiving district has prohibited the 6 pupil from enrolling pursuant to subsection 11A . The board of 7 directors of a receiving district may adopt a policy granting 8 the superintendent of the school district authority to approve 9 open enrollment applications. If the request is granted, 10 the board shall transmit a copy of the form to the parent 11 or guardian and the school district of residence within five 12 days after board action. The parent or guardian may withdraw 13 the request at any time prior to the board’s action on the 14 application. A denial of a request by the board of a receiving 15 district is not subject to appeal. 16 Sec. 2. Section 282.18, Code 2024, is amended by adding the 17 following new subsection: 18 NEW SUBSECTION . 11A. a. If a pupil participating in open 19 enrollment is truant as defined in section 299.8, the receiving 20 district may prohibit the pupil from remaining enrolled in the 21 receiving district and from enrolling in the receiving district 22 in the future. A receiving district shall send notification of 23 the receiving district’s decision to prohibit the pupil from 24 remaining enrolled in the receiving district pursuant to this 25 paragraph to the pupil’s parent or guardian and to the pupil’s 26 sending district. 27 b. The sending district shall enroll the pupil who is 28 prohibited from remaining enrolled in the receiving district 29 pursuant to paragraph “a” . 30 c. This subsection shall not be construed to prohibit the 31 pupil’s parent or guardian from filing a request to transfer 32 pursuant to subsection 2, paragraph “a” , subsequent to the 33 receiving district’s decision to prohibit the pupil from 34 remaining enrolled in the receiving district. 35 -1- LSB 5964YH (1) 90 jda/jh 1/ 2

H.F. 2198 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 the open enrollment of truant pupils. 4 The bill provides that, if a pupil participating in open 5 enrollment is truant, the receiving district may prohibit the 6 pupil from remaining enrolled in the receiving district and 7 from enrolling in the receiving district in the future. The 8 bill requires the receiving district to send notification of 9 the receiving district’s decision to prohibit the pupil from 10 remaining enrolled to the pupil’s parent or guardian and to 11 the pupil’s sending district. Additionally, the bill requires 12 the sending district to enroll the pupil. The bill does 13 not prohibit such a pupil’s parent or guardian from filing a 14 request to open enroll in the future. 15 The bill defines “truant” as any child of compulsory 16 attendance age who fails to attend school as provided in Code 17 chapter 299 (compulsory education), or as required by the 18 school board’s attendance policy, without reasonable excuse for 19 the absence. 20 -2- LSB 5964YH (1) 90 jda/jh 2/ 2