House File 293 - Introduced HOUSE FILE 293 BY WILLS A BILL FOR An Act relating to programs offered by community colleges that 1 duplicate existing programs provided by private educational 2 institutions or vocational institutions offering a career 3 and technical education program. 4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 5 TLSB 2174YH (1) 90 jda/jh
H.F. 293 Section 1. Section 260C.14, subsection 1, Code 2023, is 1 amended to read as follows: 2 1. Determine the curriculum to be offered in such school or 3 college subject to approval of the director and ensure that all 4 career and technical education offerings are competency-based, 5 provide any minimum competencies required by the department of 6 education, comply with any applicable requirements in chapter 7 258 , and are articulated with local school district career 8 and technical education programs. If an existing private 9 educational institution or an existing vocational institution 10 offering a career and technical education program within the 11 merged area has facilities and curriculum of adequate size and 12 quality which would duplicate the functions of the area school, 13 the board of directors shall discuss with the institution the 14 possibility of entering into contracts to have the existing 15 institution offer facilities and curriculum to students of the 16 merged area not duplicate an existing program provided by the 17 private educational institution or the vocational institution . 18 The board of directors shall consider any proposals submitted 19 by the private institution for providing such facilities 20 and curriculum. The board of directors may enter into such 21 contracts. In approving curriculum, the director shall 22 ascertain that all courses and programs submitted for approval 23 are needed and that the curriculum being offered by an area 24 school does not duplicate programs provided by existing 25 public or private facilities in the area. In determining 26 whether duplication would actually exist, the director shall 27 consider the needs of the area and consider whether the 28 proposed programs are competitive as to size, quality, tuition, 29 purposes, and area coverage with existing public and private 30 educational or vocational institutions within the merged 31 area. If the board of directors of the merged area chooses 32 not to enter into contracts with private institutions under 33 this subsection , the board shall submit a list of reasons why 34 contracts to avoid duplication were not entered into and an 35 -1- LSB 2174YH (1) 90 jda/jh 1/ 2
H.F. 293 economic impact statement relating to the board’s decision. 1 EXPLANATION 2 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 3 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 4 This bill relates to programs offered by community 5 colleges that duplicate existing programs provided by private 6 educational institutions or vocational institutions offering a 7 career and technical education program. 8 Current law provides that if an existing private educational 9 institution or an existing vocational institution offering 10 a career and technical education program within a community 11 college’s area has facilities and curriculum of adequate size 12 and quality that would duplicate the functions of the community 13 college, the board of directors of the community college is 14 required to discuss with the institution the possibility of 15 entering into contracts to have the existing institution offer 16 facilities and curriculum to students of the community college. 17 Current law also provides that if the board elects not to 18 enter into such contracts, the board is required to submit a 19 list of reasons why contracts to avoid duplication were not 20 entered into and an economic impact statement. Current law 21 establishes standards the members of the board are required to 22 consider when determining whether such duplication exists. The 23 bill strikes these provisions. The bill provides that if an 24 institution has facilities and curriculum of adequate size and 25 quality that would duplicate the functions of the community 26 college, the board shall not duplicate an existing program 27 provided by the institution. 28 -2- LSB 2174YH (1) 90 jda/jh 2/ 2