HSB 106 (LSB 1123XL (10) 91)

SENATE/HOUSE FILE _____

BY  (PROPOSED GOVERNOR BILL)

A BILL FOR

An Act relating to electronic devices in schools, including student access during instructional hours, school safety plans, and instruction related to the effects of social media in grades six through eight, and including effective date provisions.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  Section 256.9, Code 2025, is amended by adding the following new subsections:
   NEW SUBSECTION.  69.  Develop and distribute to school districts, accredited nonpublic schools, charter schools, and innovation zone schools model policies that, if adopted, would satisfy the school district’s, charter school’s, or innovation zone school’s responsibilities under section 279.87 relating to policies governing student use of personal electronic devices.
   NEW SUBSECTION.  70.  Consult with the department of health and human services regarding the effects of social media on students enrolled in grades six through eight and provide professional development support to teachers employed by school districts, charter schools, and innovation zone schools to assist such teachers in providing the instruction related to the effects of social media described in section 256.11, subsections 3 and 4.
    Sec. 2.  Section 256.11, subsections 3 and 4, Code 2025, are amended to read as follows:
   3.  a.  The All of the following areas shall be taught in grades one through six:
   (1)  English-language arts, social. 
   (2)  Social studies, mathematics, science, health, physical. 
   (3)  Mathematics.
   (4)  Science.
   (5)  Health. The health curriculum shall include all of the following:
   (a)  The characteristics of communicable diseases.
   (b)  In grade six, instruction related to the effects of social media.
   (6)  Physical education, traffic.
   (7)  Traffic safety, music, visual.
   (8)  Music.
   (9)  Visual art, and, subject.
   (10)  Subject to section 279.80, age-appropriate and research-based human growth and development.
   b.  Computer science instruction incorporating the standards established under section 256.7, subsection 26, paragraph “a”, subparagraph (4), shall be offered in at least one grade level commencing with the school year beginning July 1, 2023. The health curriculum shall include the characteristics of communicable diseases. 
   c.  The state board as part of accreditation standards shall adopt curriculum definitions for implementing the elementary program.
   4.  a.  The All of the  following shall be taught in grades seven and eight:
   (1)  English-language arts; social. 
   (2)  Social studies, including instruction related to civics; mathematics; science; health; age-appropriate. 
   (3)  Mathematics.
   (4)  Science.
   (5)  Health. The health curriculum shall include all of the following:
   (a)  Age-appropriate and research-based information regarding the characteristics of sexually transmitted diseases.
   (b)  Instruction related to the effects of social media.
   (6)  Age-appropriate and research-based human growth and development; career. 
   (7)  Career exploration and development; physical. 
   (8)  Physical education; music; and visual. 
   (9)  Music.
   (10)  Visual art.
   b.  Computer science instruction incorporating the standards established under section 256.7, subsection 26, paragraph “a”, subparagraph (4), shall be offered in at least one grade level commencing with the school year beginning July 1, 2023. Career exploration and development shall be designed so that students are appropriately prepared to create an individual career and academic plan pursuant to section 279.61, incorporate foundational career and technical education concepts aligned with the six career and technical education service areas as defined in  subsection 5, paragraph “h”, incorporate relevant twenty-first century skills to facilitate career readiness, and introduce students to career opportunities within the local community and across this state. The health curriculum shall include age-appropriate and research-based information regarding the characteristics of sexually transmitted diseases. 
   c.  The state board as part of accreditation standards shall adopt curriculum definitions for implementing the program in grades seven and eight. However, this 
   d.  This subsection shall not apply to the teaching of career exploration and development in nonpublic schools.
    Sec. 3.  Section 256E.7, subsection 2, paragraph g, Code 2025, is amended by adding the following new subparagraph:
   NEW SUBPARAGRAPH.  (3)  The educational standards established in section 256.11, subsections 3 and 4, related to the inclusion of instruction related to the effects of social media in the health curriculum.
    Sec. 4.  Section 256E.7, subsection 2, Code 2025, is amended by adding the following new paragraph:
   NEW PARAGRAPH.  0t.  Be subject to and comply with the requirements of section 279.87 relating to policies governing student use of personal electronic devices in the same manner as a school district.
    Sec. 5.  Section 256F.4, subsection 2, Code 2025, is amended by adding the following new paragraphs:
   NEW PARAGRAPH.  r.  Be subject to and comply with the requirements of section 256.11, subsections 3 and 4, relating to the inclusion of instruction related to the effects of social media in the health curriculum.
   NEW PARAGRAPH.  s.  Be subject to and comply with the requirements of section 279.87 relating to policies governing student use of personal electronic devices in the same manner as a school district.
    Sec. 6.  NEW SECTION.  279.87  Limitation on the use of personal electronic devices.
   1.  Commencing with the school year beginning July 1, 2025, the board of directors of each school district shall adopt policies regarding student use of personal electronic devices during school hours that restrict student use of such devices during classroom instructional time. The policies must meet all of the following requirements:
   a.  Identify policies and information related to various educational devices and technologies that will be made available to students for instructional purposes.
   b.  Identify the methods that a parent or guardian of a student may use to communicate with the student during school hours or while the student is participating in a school-sponsored activity.
   c.  Identify the methods that a parent or guardian of a student may use to communicate with the student during an emergency situation.
   d.  Include protocols that the school district will use to securely store a student’s personal electronic device when such device is in the possession of the school district.
   e.  Specify the discipline associated with a student’s violation of the policies, including the discipline associated with a student’s use of a personal electronic device during classroom instruction or during the administration of an assessment.
   f.  Establish a process through which a student’s parent or guardian may petition the school district to allow the student to maintain access to the student’s personal electronic device during the portion of the school day in which classroom instructional time is delivered if the student’s parent or guardian can establish that there is a legitimate reason related to the student’s physical or mental health for the student to maintain access to the device during such time.
   g.  Allow a student who has an individualized education program, or a plan under section 504 of the federal Rehabilitation Act, 29 U.S.C. §794, to maintain access to the student’s personal electronic device during the portion of the school day in which classroom instructional time is delivered if the student’s individualized education program, or plan under section 504 of the federal Rehabilitation Act, 29 U.S.C. §794, requires the student to maintain such access.
   2.  The board of directors of a school district may adopt policies that limit student use of personal electronic devices during school hours, including the use of such devices during classroom instructional time, that are more stringent than the model policies developed and distributed by the director of the department of education pursuant to section 256.9, subsection 69.
   3.  For purposes of this section, “personal electronic device” includes but is not limited to electronic communication equipment, mobile phones, smart phones, video game devices, and portable media players.
   4.  The state board of education may adopt rules pursuant to chapter 17A to administer this section.
    Sec. 7.  REVISION OF HIGH-QUALITY EMERGENCY OPERATIONS PLANS.
   1.  The department of education and the department of public safety shall do all of the following:
   a.  Consult regarding revisions that school districts need to make to high-quality emergency operations plans developed pursuant to section 280.30 to take into account the provisions of section 279.87, as enacted by this Act, and revisions that accredited nonpublic schools may make to such plans to take into account policies regarding student use of personal electronic devices during school hours.
   b.  Provide support and guidance to school districts regarding how to revise high-quality emergency operations plans developed pursuant to section 280.30 so that such plans are consistent with the provisions of section 279.87, as enacted by this Act, and provide similar support and guidance to accredited nonpublic schools that elect to adopt policies regarding student use of personal electronic devices during school hours.
   2.  On or before July 1, 2025, each school district shall revise the school district’s high-quality emergency operations plans developed pursuant to section 280.30 so that such plans are consistent with the provisions of section 279.87, as enacted by this Act.
    Sec. 8.  STATE MANDATE FUNDING SPECIFIED.  In accordance with section 25B.2, subsection 3, the state cost of requiring compliance with any state mandate included in this Act shall be paid by a school district from state school foundation aid received by the school district under section 257.16. This specification of the payment of the state cost shall be deemed to meet all of the state funding-related requirements of section 25B.2, subsection 3, and no additional state funding shall be necessary for the full implementation of this Act by and enforcement of this Act against all affected school districts.
    Sec. 9.  EFFECTIVE DATE.  The following, being deemed of immediate importance, take effect upon enactment:
   1.  The section of this Act enacting section 279.87.
   2.  The section of this Act relating to the revision of high-quality emergency operations plans.
   3.  The section of this Act relating to the specification of state mandate funding.
EXPLANATION
The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
   This bill relates to electronic devices in schools, including student access during instructional hours, school safety plans, and instruction related to the effects of social media in grades six through eight.
   The bill requires that instruction related to the effects of social media be incorporated into the health curriculum provided to students enrolled in grades six through eight in school districts, accredited nonpublic schools, charter schools, and innovation zone schools. The bill requires the director of the department of education (DE) to consult with the department of health and human services regarding the effects of social media and provide professional development support to teachers to assist such teachers in providing such instruction to students.
   Commencing with the school year beginning July 1, 2025, the bill requires school districts, charter schools, and innovation zone schools to adopt policies regarding student use of personal electronic devices during school hours. The bill establishes what the policies are to include. The bill requires the director of DE to develop and distribute to schools model policies that, if adopted, would satisfy the school’s responsibilities under these provisions. However, schools may adopt policies that are more stringent than these model policies. The bill defines “personal electronic device” to include electronic communication equipment, mobile phones, smart phones, video game devices, and portable media players. These provisions take effect upon enactment. The bill requires DE and the department of public safety to consult regarding revisions that schools may need to make to high-quality emergency operations plans developed pursuant to Code section 280.30 to take into account the policies adopted pursuant to the bill’s provisions and to provide support and guidance to schools regarding how to revise high-quality emergency operations plans so that such plans are consistent with the bill’s provisions. The bill also requires school districts to revise the high-quality emergency operations plans on or before July 1, 2025, so that such plans are consistent with the bill’s provisions. These provisions take effect upon enactment.
   The bill may include a state mandate as defined in Code section 25B.3. The bill requires that the state cost of any state mandate included in the bill be paid by a school district from state school foundation aid received by the school district under Code section 257.16. The specification is deemed to constitute state compliance with any state mandate funding-related requirements of Code section 25B.2. The inclusion of this specification is intended to reinstate the requirement of political subdivisions to comply with any state mandates included in the bill. This provision takes effect upon enactment.