House File 391 - Introduced HOUSE FILE 391 BY GUSTOFF A BILL FOR An Act relating to private instruction, including the issuance 1 of diplomas or credentials to students who complete private 2 instruction and the authority of parents, guardians, and 3 legal custodians to execute documents to verify student 4 information. 5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 6 TLSB 1940YH (1) 90 jda/jh

H.F. 391 Section 1. NEW SECTION . 299A.13 Diplomas and credentials. 1 1. A diploma or credential issued by a person who 2 administers a program of secondary education under competent 3 private instruction or independent private instruction pursuant 4 to this chapter shall be deemed sufficient to demonstrate for 5 all purposes that the recipient has completed the program of 6 secondary education and has attained the equivalent of a high 7 school diploma. 8 2. The state, a political subdivision of the state, 9 institutions of higher education under the control of the state 10 board of regents, or an accredited private institution as 11 defined in section 261.9, shall not discriminate against any 12 individual based on the source of the individual’s diploma or 13 credential and shall treat a diploma or credential awarded for 14 completion of a program of secondary education under competent 15 private instruction or independent private instruction the 16 same as a high school diploma awarded by a school district or 17 accredited nonpublic school. 18 Sec. 2. NEW SECTION . 299A.14 Verification of enrollment. 19 The parent, guardian, or legal custodian of a child of 20 compulsory attendance age shall have the authority to execute 21 any document required by law to verify any of the following: 22 1. The placement of a child under competent private 23 instruction or independent private instruction. 24 2. The child’s full-time or part-time status in competent 25 private instruction or independent private instruction. 26 3. The grades the child has obtained in competent private 27 instruction or independent private instruction. 28 4. Any other required educational information. 29 EXPLANATION 30 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 31 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 32 This bill relates to private instruction, including the 33 issuance of diplomas or credentials to students who complete 34 private instruction and the authority of parents, guardians, 35 -1- LSB 1940YH (1) 90 jda/jh 1/ 2

H.F. 391 and legal custodians to execute documents to verify student 1 information. 2 The bill provides that a diploma or credential issued by 3 a person who administers a program of secondary education 4 under competent private instruction or independent private 5 instruction pursuant to Code chapter 299A (private instruction) 6 shall be deemed sufficient to demonstrate that the recipient 7 has completed the program of secondary education and has 8 attained the equivalent of a high school diploma. 9 The bill prohibits the state, a political subdivision of 10 the state, institutions of higher education under the control 11 of the state board of regents, or an accredited private 12 institution from discriminating against any individual based 13 on the source of the individual’s diploma or credential and 14 shall treat a diploma or credential awarded for completion 15 of a program of secondary education under competent private 16 instruction or independent private instruction the same as a 17 high school diploma awarded by a school district or accredited 18 nonpublic school. 19 The bill provides that the parent, guardian, or legal 20 custodian of a child of compulsory attendance age shall 21 have the authority to execute any document required by law 22 to verify the placement of a child under competent private 23 instruction or independent private instruction, the child’s 24 full-time or part-time status in competent private instruction 25 or independent private instruction, the grades the child has 26 obtained in competent private instruction or independent 27 private instruction, or any other required educational 28 information. 29 -2- LSB 1940YH (1) 90 jda/jh 2/ 2