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Senate File 89 - IntroducedA Bill ForAn Act 1requiring cursive instruction for students enrolled in
2public elementary schools.
3BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
1 Section 1. Section 256.11, subsection 3, Code 2021, is
2amended to read as follows:
33. The following areas shall be taught in grades one through
4six: English-language arts, social studies, mathematics,
5science, health, age-appropriate and research-based human
6growth and development, physical education, traffic safety,
7music, and visual art. Computer science instruction
8incorporating the standards established under section 256.7,
9subsection 26, paragraph “a”, subparagraph (4), shall be
10offered in at least one grade level commencing with the school
11year beginning July 1, 2023. The health curriculum shall
12include the characteristics of communicable diseases including
13acquired immune deficiency syndrome. Each school district
14shall incorporate cursive handwriting instruction into the
15curriculum with the goal of making students proficient in
16reading cursive and legibly writing in cursive by the end of
17the third grade. The state board as part of accreditation
18standards shall adopt curriculum definitions for implementing
19the elementary program.
20 Sec. 2. STATE MANDATE FUNDING SPECIFIED. In accordance
21with section 25B.2, subsection 3, the state cost of requiring
22compliance with any state mandate included in this Act shall
23be paid by a school district from state school foundation aid
24received by the school district under section 257.16. This
25specification of the payment of the state cost shall be deemed
26to meet all of the state funding-related requirements of
27section 25B.2, subsection 3, and no additional state funding
28shall be necessary for the full implementation of this Act
29by and enforcement of this Act against all affected school
30districts.
31EXPLANATION
32The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
33the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
34This bill requires school districts to incorporate cursive
35handwriting instruction into the curriculum with the goal of
-1-1making students proficient in reading cursive and legibly
2writing in cursive by the end of the third grade. The
3provisions of the bill do not apply to nonpublic schools.
4The bill may include a state mandate as defined in Code
5section 25B.3. The bill requires that the state cost of
6any state mandate included in the bill be paid by a school
7district from state school foundation aid received by the
8school district under Code section 257.16. The specification
9is deemed to constitute state compliance with any state mandate
10funding-related requirements of Code section 25B.2. The
11inclusion of this specification is intended to reinstate the
12requirement of political subdivisions to comply with any state
13mandates included in the bill.
-2-kh/jh
2public elementary schools.
3BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
1 Section 1. Section 256.11, subsection 3, Code 2021, is
2amended to read as follows:
33. The following areas shall be taught in grades one through
4six: English-language arts, social studies, mathematics,
5science, health, age-appropriate and research-based human
6growth and development, physical education, traffic safety,
7music, and visual art. Computer science instruction
8incorporating the standards established under section 256.7,
9subsection 26, paragraph “a”, subparagraph (4), shall be
10offered in at least one grade level commencing with the school
11year beginning July 1, 2023. The health curriculum shall
12include the characteristics of communicable diseases including
13acquired immune deficiency syndrome. Each school district
14shall incorporate cursive handwriting instruction into the
15curriculum with the goal of making students proficient in
16reading cursive and legibly writing in cursive by the end of
17the third grade. The state board as part of accreditation
18standards shall adopt curriculum definitions for implementing
19the elementary program.
20 Sec. 2. STATE MANDATE FUNDING SPECIFIED. In accordance
21with section 25B.2, subsection 3, the state cost of requiring
22compliance with any state mandate included in this Act shall
23be paid by a school district from state school foundation aid
24received by the school district under section 257.16. This
25specification of the payment of the state cost shall be deemed
26to meet all of the state funding-related requirements of
27section 25B.2, subsection 3, and no additional state funding
28shall be necessary for the full implementation of this Act
29by and enforcement of this Act against all affected school
30districts.
31EXPLANATION
32The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
33the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
34This bill requires school districts to incorporate cursive
35handwriting instruction into the curriculum with the goal of
-1-1making students proficient in reading cursive and legibly
2writing in cursive by the end of the third grade. The
3provisions of the bill do not apply to nonpublic schools.
4The bill may include a state mandate as defined in Code
5section 25B.3. The bill requires that the state cost of
6any state mandate included in the bill be paid by a school
7district from state school foundation aid received by the
8school district under Code section 257.16. The specification
9is deemed to constitute state compliance with any state mandate
10funding-related requirements of Code section 25B.2. The
11inclusion of this specification is intended to reinstate the
12requirement of political subdivisions to comply with any state
13mandates included in the bill.
-2-kh/jh