House Study Bill 718 - Introduced HOUSE FILE _____ BY (PROPOSED COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION BILL BY CHAIRPERSON WHEELER) A BILL FOR An Act relating to practitioner preparation programs, including 1 by modifying the preparation required to be included in 2 practitioner preparation programs and the duties of the 3 state board of education and the director of the department 4 of education, and including applicability provisions. 5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 6 TLSB 6575YC (2) 91 jda/jh

H.F. _____ Section 1. Section 256.7, subsection 3, Code 2026, is 1 amended by adding the following new paragraph: 2 NEW PARAGRAPH . 0d. (1) By July 1, 2027, the board shall 3 adopt rules under chapter 17A that require the director to, 4 as part of the practitioner preparation program approval and 5 reevaluation process, determine whether the practitioner 6 preparation program is in compliance with the requirements 7 established under section 256.16, subsection 1, paragraphs “p” , 8 “q” , and “r” , and to notify the board and the institution of 9 higher education providing the practitioner preparation program 10 of the department’s determination. 11 (2) The rules adopted pursuant to subparagraph (1) must 12 require that if the director notifies the board and the 13 institution of higher education providing the practitioner 14 preparation program that the director has determined the 15 practitioner preparation program is not in compliance with the 16 requirements established under section 256.16, subsection 1, 17 paragraphs “p” , “q” , and “r” , then the board must allow the 18 institution of higher education providing the practitioner 19 preparation program twelve months to bring the practitioner 20 preparation program into compliance. 21 (3) The rules adopted pursuant to subparagraph (1) 22 must require the board to not approve, or to rescind the 23 approval of, a practitioner preparation program if, after the 24 expiration of the time allotted to the institution of higher 25 education providing the practitioner preparation program under 26 subparagraph (2) to bring the practitioner preparation program 27 into compliance with section 256.16, subsection 1, paragraphs 28 “p” , “q” , and “r” , the director determines the practitioner 29 preparation program is still not in compliance. 30 Sec. 2. Section 256.16, subsection 1, Code 2026, is amended 31 by adding the following new paragraphs: 32 NEW PARAGRAPH . p. (1) Beginning July 1, 2027, discontinue 33 and remove from required preparation, coursework, practicums, 34 seminars, or assessments any instruction, training, or 35 -1- LSB 6575YC (2) 91 jda/jh 1/ 5

H.F. _____ pedagogical framework that includes or is derived from any of 1 the following concepts: 2 (a) Diversity, equity, and inclusion theories or practices. 3 (b) Multiculturalism as a behavioral or classroom 4 management framework. 5 (c) Social and emotional learning or social-emotional 6 behavior conditioning models. 7 (2) Beginning July 1, 2027, a higher education institution 8 providing a practitioner preparation program shall not require, 9 promote, or assess the competencies of students admitted to 10 the practitioner preparation program using any of the concepts 11 described in subparagraph (1). 12 (3) For purposes of this paragraph: 13 (a) “Diversity, equity, and inclusion” means any framework 14 that categorizes or treats individuals differently based 15 on race, ethnicity, gender identity, or other demographic 16 characteristics for the purpose of altering classroom 17 behavioral expectations or management strategies. 18 (b) “Multiculturalism” means instructional content that 19 frames classroom behavioral expectations through cultural, 20 ethnic, or identity-based norms rather than uniform standards 21 applicable to all students. 22 (c) “Social and emotional learning” means any program, 23 curriculum, or framework that prioritizes emotional regulation, 24 self-awareness, or interpersonal skills as a primary method of 25 classroom behavioral control. 26 NEW PARAGRAPH . q. Include explicit, skills-based 27 preparation in firm, consistent, and authority-centered 28 classroom management practices, including but not limited to 29 all of the following: 30 (1) Establishing clear rules, expectations, and 31 consequences associated with violation of such rules or 32 expectations. 33 (2) Maintaining teacher authority and leadership in the 34 classroom. 35 -2- LSB 6575YC (2) 91 jda/jh 2/ 5

H.F. _____ (3) Direct and explicit instruction techniques. 1 (4) Structured routines and predictable classroom 2 procedures. 3 (5) Assertive discipline models. 4 (6) Techniques for the immediate correction of disruptive 5 behavior. 6 (7) Strategies for preventing escalation through clarity, 7 consistency, and firm boundaries. 8 NEW PARAGRAPH . r. (1) Include preparation related to 9 historical or traditional classroom management approaches that 10 emphasize all of the following: 11 (a) Teacher-directed instruction. 12 (b) Order, discipline, and respect for authority. 13 (c) Structured learning environments with minimal 14 behavioral ambiguity. 15 (2) The preparation described in subparagraph (1) may 16 include analysis of classroom management models that were 17 utilized before 1990 if such classroom management models comply 18 with current federal and state law. 19 Sec. 3. APPLICABILITY. The following applies to students 20 admitted to an approved practitioner preparation program on or 21 after July 1, 2027: 22 The section of this Act amending section 256.16. 23 EXPLANATION 24 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 25 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 26 This bill relates to practitioner preparation programs, 27 including by modifying the preparation required to be included 28 in practitioner preparation programs and the duties of the 29 state board of education (state board) and director of the 30 department of education (DE). 31 Current Code section 256.16 (specific criteria for teacher 32 preparation and certain educators) requires the state board 33 to adopt rules related to the duties of higher education 34 institutions providing practitioner preparation programs. The 35 -3- LSB 6575YC (2) 91 jda/jh 3/ 5

H.F. _____ bill modifies current Code section 256.16 to require such 1 higher education institutions to, beginning July 1, 2027, 2 discontinue and remove from required preparation, coursework, 3 practicums, seminars, or assessments any instruction, training, 4 or pedagogical framework that includes or is derived from any 5 of the following concepts: diversity, equity, and inclusion 6 theories or practices; multiculturalism as a behavioral 7 or classroom management framework; or social and emotional 8 learning or social-emotional behavior conditioning models. 9 In addition, beginning July 1, 2027, the bill prohibits 10 higher education institutions providing a practitioner 11 preparation program from requiring, promoting, or assessing the 12 competencies of students using any of these concepts. The bill 13 defines “diversity, equity, and inclusion”, “multiculturalism”, 14 and “social and emotional learning”. 15 The bill modifies current Code section 256.16 to require 16 the higher education institutions providing practitioner 17 preparation programs to include explicit, skills-based 18 preparation in firm, consistent, and authority-centered 19 classroom management practices that include classroom 20 management practices established in the bill. 21 The bill modifies current Code section 256.16 to require 22 the higher education institutions providing practitioner 23 preparation programs to include preparation related to 24 historical or traditional classroom management approaches that 25 emphasize teacher-directed instruction; order, discipline, and 26 respect for authority; and structured learning environments 27 with minimal behavioral ambiguity. Such preparation may 28 include analysis of classroom management models that were 29 utilized before 1990 if such classroom management models comply 30 with current federal and state law. 31 The bill’s modifications to current Code section 256.16 32 apply to students admitted to an approved practitioner 33 preparation program on or after July 1, 2027. 34 The bill requires the state board to, by July 1, 2027, 35 -4- LSB 6575YC (2) 91 jda/jh 4/ 5

H.F. _____ adopt rules that require the director of DE to, as part of the 1 practitioner preparation program approval and reevaluation 2 process, determine whether the program is in compliance with 3 the requirements established in the bill, and to notify the 4 state board and the institution of higher education providing 5 the practitioner preparation program of the director’s 6 determination. The rules must require that if the director 7 notifies the state board and the institution of higher 8 education that the director has determined the practitioner 9 preparation program is not in compliance with the bill’s 10 provisions, then the state board must allow the institution 11 of higher education 12 months to bring the practitioner 12 preparation program into compliance. The rules must also 13 require the state board to not approve, or to rescind the 14 approval of, a practitioner preparation program if, after the 15 expiration of the time allotted to the institution of higher 16 education providing the practitioner preparation program to 17 bring the program into compliance with the bill’s provisions, 18 the director determines the practitioner preparation program is 19 still not in compliance. 20 -5- LSB 6575YC (2) 91 jda/jh 5/ 5