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House File 784 - EnrolledAn Actrelating 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
-1-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
-2-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.
______________________________
PAT GRASSLEY
Speaker of the House
______________________________
AMY SINCLAIR
President of the Senate
I hereby certify that this bill originated in the House and
is known as House File 784, Ninety-first General Assembly.
-3-______________________________
MEGHAN NELSON
Chief Clerk of the House
Approved _______________, 2025
______________________________
KIM REYNOLDS
Governor
-4-jda/jh/md
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
-1-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
-2-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.
______________________________
PAT GRASSLEY
Speaker of the House
______________________________
AMY SINCLAIR
President of the Senate
I hereby certify that this bill originated in the House and
is known as House File 784, Ninety-first General Assembly.
-3-______________________________
MEGHAN NELSON
Chief Clerk of the House
Approved _______________, 2025
______________________________
KIM REYNOLDS
Governor
-4-jda/jh/md