Senate File 370 - Introduced SENATE FILE 370 BY COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION (SUCCESSOR TO SSB 1065) A BILL FOR An Act relating to electronic devices in schools, including 1 student access during instructional hours, school safety 2 plans, and instruction related to the effects of social 3 media in grades six through eight, and including effective 4 date provisions. 5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 6 TLSB 1123SV (2) 91 jda/jh

S.F. 370 Section 1. Section 256.9, Code 2025, is amended by adding 1 the following new subsections: 2 NEW SUBSECTION . 69. On or before May 1, 2025, develop and 3 distribute to school districts, accredited nonpublic schools, 4 charter schools, and innovation zone schools model policies 5 that, if adopted, would satisfy the school district’s, charter 6 school’s, or innovation zone school’s responsibilities under 7 section 279.87 relating to policies governing student use of 8 personal electronic devices. 9 NEW SUBSECTION . 70. Consult with the department of health 10 and human services regarding the effects of social media on 11 students enrolled in grades six through eight and provide 12 professional development support to teachers employed by school 13 districts, charter schools, and innovation zone schools to 14 assist such teachers in providing the instruction related 15 to the effects of social media described in section 256.11, 16 subsections 3 and 4. 17 Sec. 2. Section 256.11, subsections 3 and 4, Code 2025, are 18 amended to read as follows: 19 3. a. The All of the following areas shall be taught in 20 grades one through six: 21 (1) English-language arts , social . 22 (2) Social studies , mathematics, science, health, physical . 23 (3) Mathematics. 24 (4) Science. 25 (5) Health. The health curriculum shall include all of the 26 following: 27 (a) The characteristics of communicable diseases. 28 (b) In grade six, instruction related to the effects of 29 social media. 30 (6) Physical education , traffic . 31 (7) Traffic safety , music, visual . 32 (8) Music. 33 (9) Visual art , and, subject . 34 (10) Subject to section 279.80 , age-appropriate and 35 -1- LSB 1123SV (2) 91 jda/jh 1/ 8

S.F. 370 research-based human growth and development. 1 b. Computer science instruction incorporating the standards 2 established under section 256.7, subsection 26 , paragraph 3 “a” , subparagraph (4), shall be offered in at least one grade 4 level commencing with the school year beginning July 1, 2023. 5 The health curriculum shall include the characteristics of 6 communicable diseases. 7 c. The state board as part of accreditation standards shall 8 adopt curriculum definitions for implementing the elementary 9 program. 10 4. a. The All of the following shall be taught in grades 11 seven and eight: 12 (1) English-language arts ; social . 13 (2) Social studies, including instruction related to 14 civics ; mathematics; science; health; age-appropriate . 15 (3) Mathematics. 16 (4) Science. 17 (5) Health. The health curriculum shall include all of the 18 following: 19 (a) Age-appropriate and research-based information 20 regarding the characteristics of sexually transmitted diseases. 21 (b) Instruction related to the effects of social media. 22 (6) Age-appropriate and research-based human growth and 23 development ; career . 24 (7) Career exploration and development ; physical . 25 (8) Physical education ; music; and visual . 26 (9) Music. 27 (10) Visual art. 28 b. Computer science instruction incorporating the standards 29 established under section 256.7, subsection 26 , paragraph “a” , 30 subparagraph (4), shall be offered in at least one grade level 31 commencing with the school year beginning July 1, 2023. Career 32 exploration and development shall be designed so that students 33 are appropriately prepared to create an individual career 34 and academic plan pursuant to section 279.61 , incorporate 35 -2- LSB 1123SV (2) 91 jda/jh 2/ 8

S.F. 370 foundational career and technical education concepts aligned 1 with the six career and technical education service areas as 2 defined in subsection 5 , paragraph “h” , incorporate relevant 3 twenty-first century skills to facilitate career readiness, 4 and introduce students to career opportunities within the 5 local community and across this state. The health curriculum 6 shall include age-appropriate and research-based information 7 regarding the characteristics of sexually transmitted diseases. 8 c. The state board as part of accreditation standards shall 9 adopt curriculum definitions for implementing the program in 10 grades seven and eight. However, this 11 d. This subsection shall not apply to the teaching of career 12 exploration and development in nonpublic schools. 13 Sec. 3. Section 256E.7, subsection 2, paragraph g, Code 14 2025, is amended by adding the following new subparagraph: 15 NEW SUBPARAGRAPH . (3) The educational standards 16 established in section 256.11, subsections 3 and 4, related to 17 the inclusion of instruction related to the effects of social 18 media in the health curriculum. 19 Sec. 4. Section 256E.7, subsection 2, Code 2025, is amended 20 by adding the following new paragraph: 21 NEW PARAGRAPH . 0t. Be subject to and comply with the 22 requirements of section 279.87 relating to policies governing 23 student use of personal electronic devices in the same manner 24 as a school district. 25 Sec. 5. Section 256F.4, subsection 2, Code 2025, is amended 26 by adding the following new paragraphs: 27 NEW PARAGRAPH . r. Be subject to and comply with the 28 requirements of section 256.11, subsections 3 and 4, relating 29 to the inclusion of instruction related to the effects of 30 social media in the health curriculum. 31 NEW PARAGRAPH . s. Be subject to and comply with the 32 requirements of section 279.87 relating to policies governing 33 student use of personal electronic devices in the same manner 34 as a school district. 35 -3- LSB 1123SV (2) 91 jda/jh 3/ 8

S.F. 370 Sec. 6. NEW SECTION . 279.87 Limitation on the use of 1 personal electronic devices. 2 1. Commencing with the school year beginning July 1, 2025, 3 the board of directors of each school district shall adopt 4 policies regarding student use of personal electronic devices 5 during school hours that restrict student use of such devices 6 during classroom instructional time. The policies must meet 7 all of the following requirements: 8 a. Identify policies and information related to various 9 educational devices and technologies that will be made 10 available to students for instructional purposes. 11 b. Identify the methods that a parent or guardian of 12 a student may use to communicate with the student during 13 school hours or while the student is participating in a 14 school-sponsored activity. 15 c. Identify the methods that a parent or guardian of a 16 student may use to communicate with the student during an 17 emergency situation. 18 d. Include protocols that the school district will use to 19 securely store a student’s personal electronic device when such 20 device is in the possession of the school district. 21 e. Specify the discipline associated with a student’s 22 violation of the policies, including the discipline associated 23 with a student’s use of a personal electronic device during 24 classroom instruction or during the administration of an 25 assessment. 26 f. Establish a process through which a student’s parent 27 or guardian may petition the school district to allow the 28 student to maintain access to the student’s personal electronic 29 device during the portion of the school day in which classroom 30 instructional time is delivered if the student’s parent or 31 guardian can establish that there is a legitimate reason 32 related to the student’s physical or mental health for the 33 student to maintain access to the device during such time. 34 g. Allow a student who has an individualized education 35 -4- LSB 1123SV (2) 91 jda/jh 4/ 8

S.F. 370 program, or a plan under section 504 of the federal 1 Rehabilitation Act, 29 U.S.C. §794, to maintain access to the 2 student’s personal electronic device during the portion of the 3 school day in which classroom instructional time is delivered 4 if the student’s individualized education program, or plan 5 under section 504 of the federal Rehabilitation Act, 29 U.S.C. 6 §794, requires the student to maintain such access. 7 2. The board of directors of a school district may adopt 8 policies that limit student use of personal electronic devices 9 during school hours, including the use of such devices during 10 classroom instructional time, that are more stringent than the 11 model policies developed and distributed by the director of the 12 department of education pursuant to section 256.9, subsection 13 69. 14 3. For purposes of this section, “personal electronic 15 device” includes but is not limited to electronic communication 16 equipment, mobile phones, smart phones, video game devices, and 17 portable media players. 18 4. The state board of education may adopt rules pursuant to 19 chapter 17A to administer this section. 20 Sec. 7. REVISION OF HIGH-QUALITY EMERGENCY OPERATIONS 21 PLANS. 22 1. The department of education and the department of public 23 safety shall do all of the following: 24 a. Consult regarding revisions that school districts need 25 to make to high-quality emergency operations plans developed 26 pursuant to section 280.30 to take into account the provisions 27 of section 279.87, as enacted by this Act, and revisions 28 that accredited nonpublic schools may make to such plans to 29 take into account policies regarding student use of personal 30 electronic devices during school hours. 31 b. Provide support and guidance to school districts 32 regarding how to revise high-quality emergency operations 33 plans developed pursuant to section 280.30 so that such plans 34 are consistent with the provisions of section 279.87, as 35 -5- LSB 1123SV (2) 91 jda/jh 5/ 8

S.F. 370 enacted by this Act, and provide similar support and guidance 1 to accredited nonpublic schools that elect to adopt policies 2 regarding student use of personal electronic devices during 3 school hours. 4 2. On or before July 1, 2025, each school district shall 5 revise the school district’s high-quality emergency operations 6 plans developed pursuant to section 280.30 so that such plans 7 are consistent with the provisions of section 279.87, as 8 enacted by this Act. 9 Sec. 8. STATE MANDATE FUNDING SPECIFIED. In accordance 10 with section 25B.2, subsection 3, the state cost of requiring 11 compliance with any state mandate included in this Act shall 12 be paid by a school district from state school foundation aid 13 received by the school district under section 257.16. This 14 specification of the payment of the state cost shall be deemed 15 to meet all of the state funding-related requirements of 16 section 25B.2, subsection 3, and no additional state funding 17 shall be necessary for the full implementation of this Act 18 by and enforcement of this Act against all affected school 19 districts. 20 Sec. 9. EFFECTIVE DATE. The following, being deemed of 21 immediate importance, take effect upon enactment: 22 1. The portion of the section of this Act enacting section 23 256.9, subsection 69. 24 2. The section of this Act enacting section 279.87. 25 3. The section of this Act relating to the revision of 26 high-quality emergency operations plans. 27 4. The section of this Act relating to the specification of 28 state mandate funding. 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 electronic devices in schools, 33 including student access during instructional hours, school 34 safety plans, and instruction related to the effects of social 35 -6- LSB 1123SV (2) 91 jda/jh 6/ 8

S.F. 370 media in grades six through eight. 1 The bill requires that instruction related to the effects 2 of social media be incorporated into the health curriculum 3 provided to students enrolled in grades six through eight 4 in school districts, accredited nonpublic schools, charter 5 schools, and innovation zone schools. The bill requires the 6 director of the department of education (DE) to consult with 7 the department of health and human services regarding the 8 effects of social media and provide professional development 9 support to teachers to assist such teachers in providing such 10 instruction to students. 11 Commencing with the school year beginning July 1, 2025, 12 the bill requires school districts, charter schools, and 13 innovation zone schools to adopt policies regarding student 14 use of personal electronic devices during school hours. The 15 bill establishes what the policies are to include. The bill 16 requires the director of DE to, on or before May 1, 2025, 17 develop and distribute to schools model policies that, if 18 adopted, would satisfy the school’s responsibilities under 19 these provisions. However, schools may adopt policies that 20 are more stringent than these model policies. The bill 21 defines “personal electronic device” to include electronic 22 communication equipment, mobile phones, smart phones, video 23 game devices, and portable media players. These provisions 24 take effect upon enactment. The bill requires DE and the 25 department of public safety to consult regarding revisions that 26 schools may need to make to high-quality emergency operations 27 plans developed pursuant to Code section 280.30 to take into 28 account the policies adopted pursuant to the bill’s provisions 29 and to provide support and guidance to schools regarding how 30 to revise high-quality emergency operations plans so that such 31 plans are consistent with the bill’s provisions. The bill also 32 requires school districts to revise the high-quality emergency 33 operations plans on or before July 1, 2025, so that such plans 34 are consistent with the bill’s provisions. These provisions 35 -7- LSB 1123SV (2) 91 jda/jh 7/ 8

S.F. 370 take effect upon enactment. 1 The bill may include a state mandate as defined in Code 2 section 25B.3. The bill requires that the state cost of 3 any state mandate included in the bill be paid by a school 4 district from state school foundation aid received by the 5 school district under Code section 257.16. The specification 6 is deemed to constitute state compliance with any state mandate 7 funding-related requirements of Code section 25B.2. The 8 inclusion of this specification is intended to reinstate the 9 requirement of political subdivisions to comply with any state 10 mandates included in the bill. This provision takes effect 11 upon enactment. 12 -8- LSB 1123SV (2) 91 jda/jh 8/ 8