HF 2329 (LSB 5266YH (6) 90)

HOUSE FILE 2329

BY  GRASSLEY, WHEELER, HOLT, COLLINS, JOHNSON, BODEN, GEHLBACH, WILLS, FISHER, STONE, BRADLEY, GUSTOFF, JENEARY, and GERHOLD

A BILL FOR

An Act requiring the director of the department of education to conduct a comprehensive review of the state’s high school graduation requirements, core curriculum, core content standards, and educational standards and to recommend policy changes, and including effective date provisions.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION —— COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW OF IOWA EDUCATIONAL STANDARDS —— RECOMMENDED REVISIONS.
   1.  The director of the department of education shall conduct a comprehensive review of the high school graduation requirements and core curriculum established pursuant to section 256.7, subsection 26, the core content standards established pursuant to section 256.7, subsection 28, and the educational standards established in section 256.11. The comprehensive review shall be designed to generate recommendations for policy changes to be included in the report required under subsection 3. The recommendations for policy changes shall include all of the following:
   a.  A plan to eliminate the use of the core content standards and return to the basics of reading, writing, arithmetic, and United States history and civics.
   b.  A plan to make Iowa’s educational standards the best in the nation.
   c.  Input from relevant stakeholders, including parents and teachers.
   d.  A plan to increase the quality of the instructional curriculum.
   e.  Innovative ways to streamline testing.
   f.  Identification of opportunities to equip high school graduates with sufficient knowledge of civics and United States history, including the principles reflected in the Constitution of the United States, so that high school graduates are capable of discharging the responsibilities associated with United States citizenship.
   g.  A plan to make Iowa the most literate state in the United States using systematic and sequential approaches to teaching phonetic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency, and text comprehension.
   h.  A plan to eliminate the teaching of critical race theory and social and emotional learning.
   2.  The comprehensive review described in subsection 1 shall include all of the following:
   a.  Publishing a link on the department of education’s internet site that allows the public and interested stakeholders to provide comments related to the comprehensive review, including comments related to each graduation requirement, core content standard, and educational requirement by grade level.
   b.  Collecting and considering the comments provided pursuant to paragraph “a”.
   c.  (1)  Convening committees to assist in the comprehensive review and provide recommendations related to the subject areas in the educational standards established in section 256.11.
   (2)  The director of the department of education shall determine the membership of each committee; provided, however, that each committee shall include four members of the general assembly with one member designated by each of the following: the president of the senate, the minority leader of the senate, the speaker of the house of representatives, and the minority leader of the house of representatives. A legislative member serves in an ex officio, nonvoting capacity.
   3.  The director of the department of education shall submit a report, including findings and recommendations for policy changes, to the governor and the general assembly on or before December 31, 2024.
    Sec. 2.  EFFECTIVE DATE.  This Act, being deemed of immediate importance, takes effect upon enactment.
EXPLANATION
The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
   This bill requires the director of the department of education to conduct a comprehensive review of the state’s high school graduation requirements, core curriculum, core content standards, and educational standards and recommend policy changes.
   The bill requires that the recommendations for policy changes be included in a report to the governor and the general assembly that is to be submitted on or before December 31, 2024. The bill establishes what the recommendations for policy changes are to include.
   The bill requires that the comprehensive review include publishing a link on the department of education’s internet site that allows the public and interested stakeholders to provide comments related to the comprehensive review, collecting and considering the comments, and convening committees to assist in the comprehensive review and provide recommendations.
   The bill takes effect upon enactment.