House File 264 - IntroducedA Bill ForAn Act 1providing for a world language education pilot program
2and making appropriations.
3BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
1   Section 1.  NEW SECTION.  256.19  World language education
2pilot program — report — appropriation.
   31.  The department shall establish a world language
4education pilot program to enhance foreign language education
5in Iowa elementary schools. The pilot program shall provide
6for research-based foreign language instruction of students
7beginning in kindergarten and continuing through grade five.
8The pilot program shall provide for yearly assessments of
9student progress in the development of foreign language skills.
10The department shall establish program evaluation criteria,
11including but not limited to improvement in student grades and
12reading, writing, and cultural competency skills.
   132.  The department shall establish the pilot program in two
14elementary schools in school districts with enrollment less
15than three thousand students and two elementary schools in
16school districts with enrollment greater than three thousand
17students. The department shall limit participation in the
18pilot program to schools in which at least ninety percent
19of enrolled students are eligible for free or reduced price
20meals under the federal National School Lunch Act and the
21federal Child Nutrition Act of 1966, 42 U.S.C. §1751-1785. The
22department shall give preference in the selection of schools
23to participate in the pilot program to schools in which a
24significant percentage of enrolled students are limited English
25proficient as defined in section 280.4, subsection 1, or
26in which enrolled students have a language background in a
27significant number of languages other than English.
   283.  Each elementary school participating in the pilot
29program shall enter into a chapter 28E agreement with a regents
30institution to assist in the development of instruction,
31coursework, assessments, and any other resources necessary to
32carry out the pilot program.
   334.  The department shall submit a biennial report to
34the general assembly beginning December 30, 2022, on the
35department’s findings and recommendations regarding the pilot
-1-1program and foreign language education in this state.
   25.  There is appropriated from the general fund of the state
3to the department of education for each of the fiscal years in
4the period beginning July 1, 2021, and ending June 30, 2027,
5two hundred eighty thousand dollars for the pilot program.
6There is appropriated from the general fund of the state to the
7department of education for the fiscal year beginning July 1,
82021, and ending June 30, 2022, one hundred thousand dollars
9for administrative costs associated with the implementation of
10the pilot program.
11EXPLANATION
12The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
13the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
   14This bill requires the department of education to establish
15a world language education pilot program to enhance foreign
16language education in Iowa elementary schools. The pilot
17program shall provide for research-based foreign language
18instruction of students beginning in kindergarten and
19continuing through grade five. The pilot program shall provide
20for yearly assessments of student progress in the development
21of foreign language skills. The bill requires the department
22to establish program evaluation criteria.
   23The bill requires the department to establish the pilot
24program in two elementary schools in school districts with
25enrollment less than 3,000 students and two elementary
26schools in school districts with enrollment greater than 3,000
27students. The bill limits participation in the pilot program
28to schools in which at least 90 percent of enrolled students
29are eligible for free or reduced price meals under federal
30law. The bill requires the department to give preference in
31the selection of schools to participate in the pilot program to
32schools in which a significant percentage of enrolled students
33are limited English proficient or in which enrolled students
34have a language background in a significant number of languages
35other than English.
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   1The bill requires a participating elementary school to enter
2into an agreement pursuant to Code chapter 28E with a regents
3institution to assist in the development of instruction,
4coursework, assessments, and any other resources necessary to
5carry out the pilot program.
   6The bill requires the department to submit a biennial
7report to the general assembly on the department’s findings
8and recommendations regarding the pilot program and foreign
9language education.
   10The bill appropriates $280,000 to the department for the
11pilot program for each of the six fiscal years in the period
12beginning July 1, 2021, and ending June 30, 2027. The bill
13also appropriates $100,000 to the department for administrative
14costs associated with the implementation of the pilot program
15for fiscal year 2021-2022.
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