House
File
2231
-
Reprinted
HOUSE
FILE
2231
BY
COMMITTEE
ON
EDUCATION
(SUCCESSOR
TO
HSB
558)
(As
Amended
and
Passed
by
the
House
March
3,
2026
)
A
BILL
FOR
An
Act
establishing
a
seal
of
civics
excellence
program
1
administered
by
the
department
of
education
to
recognize
2
student
excellence
in
civics.
3
BE
IT
ENACTED
BY
THE
GENERAL
ASSEMBLY
OF
THE
STATE
OF
IOWA:
4
HF
2231
(2)
91
mb/jh/md
H.F.
2231
Section
1.
Section
256.9,
subsection
59,
Code
2026,
is
1
amended
to
read
as
follows:
2
59.
a.
Develop
and
administer
a
seal
of
biliteracy
program
3
to
recognize
students
graduating
from
high
school
who
have
4
demonstrated
proficiency
in
two
or
more
world
languages,
one
of
5
which
may
be
American
sign
language,
though
one
of
which
must
6
be
English.
Participation
in
the
program
by
a
school
district,
7
attendance
center,
or
accredited
nonpublic
school
shall
8
be
voluntary.
The
department
shall
work
with
stakeholders
9
to
identify
standardized
tests
that
may
be
utilized
to
10
demonstrate
proficiency.
The
department
shall
produce
a
seal
11
of
biliteracy,
which
may
include
but
need
not
be
limited
to
12
a
sticker
that
may
be
affixed
to
a
student’s
high
school
13
transcript
or
a
certificate
that
may
be
awarded
to
the
student.
14
A
participating
school
district
or
school
shall
notify
the
15
department
of
the
names
of
the
students
who
have
qualified
for
16
the
seal
and
the
department
shall
provide
the
school
district
17
or
school
with
the
appropriate
number
of
seals
or
other
18
authorized
endorsement.
The
department
may
charge
a
nominal
19
fee
to
cover
printing
and
postage
charges
related
to
issuance
20
of
the
biliteracy
seal
under
this
subsection
paragraph
.
21
b.
Develop
and
administer
a
seal
of
civics
excellence
22
program
to
recognize
students
graduating
from
high
school
who
23
have
demonstrated
proficiency
in
civics.
The
department
shall
24
determine
the
minimum
requirements
necessary
for
a
student
25
to
obtain
a
civics
seal,
including
knowledge
of
American
26
government
and
participation
in
civic
and
community
activities.
27
The
department
shall
produce
a
civics
seal,
which
may
include
28
a
sticker
which
may
be
affixed
to
a
student’s
high
school
29
transcript
or
a
certificate
awarded
to
the
student.
A
seal
of
30
civics
excellence
may
be
affixed
to
the
diploma
and
noted
on
31
the
transcript
of
a
student
to
recognize
that
the
student
has
32
achieved
excellence
in
civics.
Participation
in
the
program
33
by
a
school
district
or
accredited
nonpublic
school
shall
be
34
voluntary.
A
participating
school
district
or
accredited
35
-1-
HF
2231
(2)
91
mb/jh/md
1/
2
H.F.
2231
nonpublic
school
shall
notify
the
department
of
the
names
of
1
students
who
have
qualified
for
a
seal,
and
the
department
2
shall
provide
the
school
district
or
accredited
nonpublic
3
school
with
the
appropriate
number
of
seals
or
other
authorized
4
endorsement.
The
department
may
charge
a
nominal
fee
to
cover
5
printing
and
postal
charges
related
to
the
issuance
of
the
6
civics
seal
under
this
paragraph.
7
-2-
HF
2231
(2)
91
mb/jh/md
2/
2