SF 450 (LSB 1874SV (2) 91)

SENATE FILE 450

BY  COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

(SUCCESSOR TO SSB 1092)

A BILL FOR

An Act relating to education, including by modifying provisions related to mathematics instruction, practitioner preparation programs, and the duties of the director of the department of education, 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 family-centered resources to support student development of mathematics knowledge at home.
   NEW SUBSECTION.  70.  Provide teachers who are employed by schools most in need of support, as identified by the department, with evidence-based professional development services related to implementing high-quality mathematics instruction. When determining whether a school is in need of support under this subsection, the director shall consider the level of mathematics proficiency attained by students enrolled in the school and the amount of resources available to the department to provide the professional development services.
   NEW SUBSECTION.  71.  On or before July 1, 2025, develop and distribute to school districts, accredited nonpublic schools, charter schools, and innovation zone schools a comprehensive state mathematics plan that is designed to increase the level of mathematics proficiency attained by students using systematic and sequential approaches to teaching subitizing, cardinality, object counting, verbal counting, spatial relationships, benchmark numbers, and part-part-whole models.
   NEW SUBSECTION.  72.  Develop and publish on the department’s internet site a list of valid and reliable mathematics screeners that may be used by teachers to identify students enrolled in kindergarten through grade six who may require additional instruction or support in mathematics.
    Sec. 2.  Section 256.16, subsection 1, Code 2025, is amended by adding the following new paragraph:
   NEW PARAGRAPH.  o.  Include preparation in methods for teaching mathematics. A higher education institution providing practitioner preparation may satisfy this requirement by requiring students admitted to an approved practitioner preparation program who will be teaching mathematics to students enrolled in kindergarten through grade twelve to complete mathematics methods coursework and demonstrate competency in number sense, learning progressions, conceptual understanding, and procedural fluency and application in mathematics, including the implementation of high-quality instructional materials aligned to Iowa academic standards for mathematics.
    Sec. 3.  NEW SECTION.  279.68A  Student progression —— mathematics proficiency.
   1.  Each school district shall assess all students enrolled in kindergarten through grade six at least three times each school year to determine the students’ level of mathematics proficiency by administering a mathematics screener that is on the list developed by the department of education pursuant to section 256.9, subsection 72.
   2.  If, as the result of the assessments administered pursuant to subsection 1, a school district determines that a student is persistently at risk in mathematics, the school district shall do all of the following:
   a.  Assess the student’s level of proficiency in mathematics at least every other week and implement mathematics interventions and supports.
   b.  Develop, in consultation with the student’s parents or guardians, a personalized mathematics plan that identifies interventions and supports that will be used to help the student achieve proficiency in mathematics.
   c.  If the student is meeting expectations related to increases in the student’s level of mathematics proficiency, provide the student with small group interventions.
   d.  If the student is not meeting expectations related to increases in the student’s level of mathematics proficiency, provide the student with intensive interventions.
   3.  A school district shall provide the assessments, plans, and interventions described in subsection 2 to students enrolled in kindergarten through grade six who are persistently at risk in mathematics until the student performs at benchmark on the statewide summative assessment in mathematics or until the student performs at benchmark on two consecutive assessments administered pursuant to subsection 1, whichever occurs first.
   4.  For purposes of this section, “persistently at risk” means the student has not met the grade-level benchmark on two consecutive assessments administered pursuant to subsection 1.
   5.  The state board of education shall adopt rules pursuant to chapter 17A to administer this section.
    Sec. 4.  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. 5.  EFFECTIVE DATE.  The following, being deemed of immediate importance, takes effect upon enactment:
   The portion of the section of this Act enacting section 256.9, subsection 71.
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 education, including by modifying provisions related to mathematics instruction, practitioner preparation programs, and the duties of the director of the department of education.
   The bill requires the director of the department of education (DE) to develop and distribute to schools family-centered resources to support student development of mathematics knowledge at home. The bill also requires the director of DE to, on or before July 1, 2025, develop and distribute to schools a comprehensive state mathematics plan that is designed to increase the level of mathematics proficiency attained by students. This provision is effective upon enactment. Additionally, the bill requires the director of DE to provide teachers who are employed by schools most in need of support with evidence-based professional development services related to implementing high-quality mathematics instruction. The bill requires the director of DE to develop and publish on DE’s internet site a list of valid and reliable mathematics screeners that may be used by teachers to identify students enrolled in kindergarten through grade six who may require additional instruction or support in mathematics.
   The bill requires school districts to assess all students enrolled in kindergarten through grade six at least three times each school year to determine the students’ level of mathematics proficiency by administering a mathematics screener that is on the list on DE’s internet site. If, as the result of the assessments, a school district determines that a student is persistently at risk in mathematics, the school district is required to take certain specified steps involving additional assessments, the development of personalized mathematics plans, and interventions. The school district is required to take these steps until the student performs at benchmark on the statewide summative assessment in mathematics or until the student performs at benchmark on an assessment, whichever occurs first. The bill defines “persistently at risk” to mean that the student has not met the grade-level benchmark on two consecutive assessments. The bill requires the state board of education to adopt rules to administer these provisions.
   The bill provides that the state board of education is required to adopt rules requiring all higher education institutions providing practitioner preparation to include preparation in methods for teaching mathematics. The bill authorizes a higher education institution providing practitioner preparation to satisfy this requirement by requiring students who will be teaching mathematics to students enrolled in kindergarten through grade 12 to complete mathematics methods coursework and demonstrate competency in certain specified areas.
   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.