SF 2222 (LSB 5498SV (2) 91)

SENATE FILE 2222

BY  COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

(SUCCESSOR TO SSB 3048)

(COMPANION TO HF 2230 BY COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION)

A BILL FOR

An Act relating to teacher education and licensing, including by modifying provisions related to practitioner preparation programs and licenses issued by the board of educational examiners.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  Section 256.16, subsection 1, Code 2026, is amended by adding the following new paragraphs:
   NEW PARAGRAPH.  p.  (1)  Beginning July 1, 2027, include clinical experiences and preparation to prepare students admitted to an approved practitioner preparation program to serve students with disabilities and English learners that incorporates knowledge, skills, and dispositions for each student admitted to an approved practitioner preparation program.
   (2)  The rules adopted by the state board pursuant to this paragraph must prescribe practicum and clinical experience standards for all higher education institutions providing practitioner preparation related to serving students with disabilities and English learners, differentiated by standards that are applicable to all students admitted to an approved practitioner preparation program in addition to standards that are applicable to students who are seeking an endorsement in special education or English learner instruction.
   (a)  Clinical experiences for all students admitted to an approved practitioner preparation program must include a minimum of fifteen practicum hours focused on differentiation of instruction and support for special populations, including supporting English learners, special education experiences, and instructional implementation and progress monitoring applicable to individualized education programs.
   (b)  Clinical experiences for students admitted to an approved practitioner preparation program who are seeking an endorsement in English learner instruction must include a minimum of forty practicum hours, inclusive of methods of teaching English to English learners in both elementary and secondary school settings.
   (3)  The department shall establish a process to routinely review and provide ongoing support for the adoption and implementation of standards for preparation of teacher and administrator candidates in serving students with disabilities and English learners.
   NEW PARAGRAPH.  q.  (1)  Beginning July 1, 2027, administer prior to a student’s completion of the practitioner preparation program, and require that each student complete, a summative end-of-program assessment that is designed to measure the student’s preparation in content areas that are required for the endorsement area in which the student will be teaching, and that was distributed to the higher education institution providing practitioner preparation by the department pursuant to subparagraph (2). A higher education institution providing practitioner preparation shall identify appropriate student remediation opportunities in endorsement areas by analyzing student performance on the summative end-of-program assessment described in this subparagraph compared to the score set by the department pursuant to subparagraph (2).
   (2)  (a)  On or before July 1, 2027, the department shall identify and distribute to all higher education institutions providing practitioner preparation a unified, valid, and reliable summative end-of-program assessment required for each endorsement area. The department shall set the minimum score for each summative end-of-program assessment identified and distributed pursuant to this subparagraph subdivision that will be used to determine mastery of content by a student enrolled in the practitioner preparation program.
   (b)  If, subsequent to July 1, 2027, the department creates a new endorsement area, then the department shall identify and distribute to all higher education institutions providing practitioner preparation a unified, valid, and reliable summative end-of-program assessment required for the new endorsement area as soon as is reasonably possible after the creation of the new endorsement area. The department shall set the minimum score for each summative end-of-program assessment identified and distributed pursuant to this subparagraph subdivision that will be used to determine mastery of content by a student enrolled in the practitioner preparation program.
   (3)  (a)  Report to the department, in the form and manner prescribed by the department, information related to the scores attained by students on the summative end-of-program assessment administered pursuant to subparagraph (1).
   (b)  Beginning August 1, 2028, the department shall publish on the department’s internet site all of the following:
   (i)  Program-level data related to the passage rates attained by students on the summative end-of-program assessment administered pursuant to subparagraph (1).
   (ii)  Efforts the department has made to support the higher education institutions providing practitioner preparation in the implementation of curriculum improvements, remediation techniques, and program evaluation.
   (iii)  Examples of program remediation and assessment plans that higher education institutions providing practitioner preparation have provided to students who scored below the minimum score set by the department pursuant to subparagraph (2) prior to the student’s completion of the practitioner preparation program.
    Sec. 2.  Section 256.16, Code 2026, is amended by adding the following new subsection:
   NEW SUBSECTION.  3.  For purposes of this section, “English learner” means the same as defined in section 280.4.
    Sec. 3.  Section 256.146, Code 2026, is amended by adding the following new subsection:
   NEW SUBSECTION.  28.  Adopt rules pursuant to chapter 17A that require an individual who has applied to a school to teach in a special education setting to complete a self-paced course created by the department of education as a condition of awarding the individual a class B license or a conditional license. The self-paced course must include content related to basic special education laws, assessment procedures, and other essential competencies.
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 teacher education and licensing, including by modifying provisions related to practitioner preparation programs and licenses issued by the board of educational examiners (BOEE).
   Beginning July 1, 2027, the bill requires higher education institutions providing practitioner preparation to include clinical experiences and preparation to prepare students admitted to a practitioner preparation program to serve students with disabilities and English learners. The rules adopted by the state board pursuant to this provision must prescribe practicum and clinical experience standards for practitioner preparation programs related to serving students with disabilities and English learners. Clinical experiences for all students are required to include a minimum of 15 practicum hours focused on differentiation of instruction and support for special populations. Meanwhile, clinical experiences for students who are seeking an endorsement in English learner instruction must include a minimum of 40 practicum hours, inclusive of methods of teaching English to English learners in both elementary and secondary school settings. The bill requires the department of education (DE) to establish a process to review and provide ongoing support for the adoption and implementation of standards for preparation of teacher and administrator candidates in serving students with disabilities and English learners.
   Beginning July 1, 2027, the bill requires higher education institutions providing practitioner preparation to administer prior to a student’s completion of the practitioner preparation program a summative end-of-program assessment that is designed to measure the student’s preparation in content areas that are required for the endorsement area in which the student will be teaching, and that was distributed to the higher education institution by DE pursuant to the bill’s provisions. 
   The bill requires DE to, on or before July 1, 2027, identify and distribute to all higher education institutions providing practitioner preparation a summative end-of-program assessment required for each endorsement area. If DE creates a new endorsement area after July 1, 2027, the bill requires DE to identify and distribute to all higher education institutions providing practitioner preparation a summative end-of-program assessment required for the new endorsement area. DE is required to set the minimum score for each summative end-of-program assessment that will be used to determine mastery of content by a student enrolled in a practitioner preparation program.
   Higher education institutions are required to report to DE information related to the scores attained by students on the summative end-of-program assessment. Beginning August 1, 2028, the bill requires DE to publish on the DE’s internet site passage rates attained by students on the summative end-of-program assessment, information related to efforts DE has made to support the higher education institutions in certain specified areas, and examples of program remediation and assessment plans that higher education institutions have provided to students who scored below the minimum score set by DE.
   BOEE is required to adopt rules requiring an individual who has applied to a school to teach in a special education setting to complete a self-paced course created by DE as a condition of awarding the individual a class B license or a conditional license.