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House File 2263 - IntroducedA Bill ForAn Act 1relating to education, including modifying provisions
2related to required social studies instruction, personal
3financial literacy instruction, and high school equivalency
4diplomas, and including applicability provisions.
5BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
1 Section 1. Section 256.11, subsection 5, paragraph b, Code
22022, is amended to read as follows:
3b. Five units of the social studies including instruction
4in voting statutes and procedures, voter registration
5requirements, the use of paper ballots and voting systems in
6the election process, and the method of acquiring and casting
7an absentee ballot. All students shall complete a minimum
8of one-half unit of United States government and one unit of
9United States history. The one-half unit of United States
10government shall include the all of the following:
11(1) Thevoting procedure as described in this lettered
12paragraph and section 280.9A. The government instruction shall
13also include a
14(2) Astudy of the Constitution of the United States and the
15Bill of Rights contained in the Constitution and an assessment
16of a student’s knowledge of the Constitution and the Bill of
17Rights.
18(3) Beginning with the students in the 2022-2023 school
19year graduating class, an assessment of the student’s knowledge
20of United States government and civics. The most recent
21version of the civics test developed by the United States
22citizenship and immigration services shall be used as the
23assessment required by this subparagraph. The school district
24or nonpublic school may modify the civics test for a student
25who has an individualized education program. A student must
26attain a passing score on the civics test as a condition of
27graduation. A student who fails to attain a passing score on
28the civics test may retake the civics test as many times as
29necessary.
30 Sec. 2. Section 256.11, subsection 5, paragraph k,
31unnumbered paragraph 1, Code 2022, is amended to read as
32follows:
33One-half unit of personal finance literacy. All students,
34beginning with the students in the 2020-2021 school year
35graduating class, shall complete at least one-half unit of
-1-1personal finance literacy as a condition of graduation. All
2students, beginning with the students in the 2022-2023 school
3year graduating class, must attain a passing score on an
4assessment of the student’s knowledge of personal financial
5literacy as a condition of graduation. A student who fails
6to attain a passing score on the assessment may retake the
7assessment as many times as necessary.
8 Sec. 3. Section 259A.1, Code 2022, is amended to read as
9follows:
10259A.1 Assessment of competency.
11The department of education shall cause to be made available
12for qualified individuals a high school equivalency diploma.
13The diploma shall be issued on the basis of demonstrated
14competence in all of the following core areas: reading,
15language arts, literacy, mathematics, personal financial
16literacy, science, and social studies.
17 Sec. 4. Section 259A.5, subsection 2, Code 2022, is amended
18to read as follows:
192. The state board of education shall adopt rules under
20chapter 17A to carry out this chapter. Any rules adopted
21relating to demonstrations of competence for purposes of this
22chapter shall require such demonstrations to be equivalent
23to or of greater rigor than those required for high school
24graduation, and such demonstrations shall include but are
25not limited to a test battery, credit-based measures, and
26attainment of other academic credentials. The rules shall
27also require the demonstrations to include the applicant
28attaining a passing score on the most recent version of the
29civics test developed by the United States citizenship and
30immigration services and a passing score on an assessment of
31the applicant’s knowledge of personal financial literacy.
32 Sec. 5. APPLICABILITY. The following apply to individuals
33applying for a high school equivalency diploma on or after the
34effective date of this Act:
351. The section of this Act amending section 259A.1.
-2- 12. The section of this Act amending section 259A.5,
2subsection 2.
3EXPLANATION
4The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
5the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
6This bill relates to education, including modifying
7provisions related to required social studies instruction,
8personal financial literacy instruction, and high school
9equivalency diplomas.
10The bill requires that the United States government
11instruction provided in school districts and nonpublic schools
12in grades 9 through 12, beginning with the students in the
132022-2023 graduating class, include an assessment of the
14student’s knowledge of United States government and civics.
15The bill provides that the most recent version of the civics
16test developed by the United States citizenship and immigration
17services shall be used for this assessment. The bill requires
18a student to attain a passing score on the civics test as a
19condition of graduation and allows a student to retake the
20civics test as many times as necessary.
21The bill provides that the personal financial literacy
22instruction provided in school districts and nonpublic schools
23in grades 9 through 12, beginning with the students in the
242022-2023 graduating class, shall require students to attain a
25passing score on an assessment of the student’s knowledge of
26personal financial literacy as a condition of graduation. The
27bill authorizes a student who fails to attain a passing score
28on the assessment to retake the assessment as many times as
29necessary.
30Current law requires the department of education to make
31available to certain specified individuals a high school
32equivalency diploma, which shall be issued on the basis of
33demonstrated competency in reading, language arts, literacy,
34mathematics, science, and social studies. The bill adds
35personal financial literacy to this list of areas in which
-3-1competency must be demonstrated. The bill also requires that
2the rules adopted by the state board of education to carry out
3Code chapter 259A (high school equivalency diplomas) shall
4require the applicant to attain a passing score on the most
5recent version of the civics test developed by the United
6States citizenship and immigration services and a passing score
7on an assessment of the applicant’s knowledge of personal
8financial literacy. The bill provides that these provisions
9apply to individuals applying for a high school equivalency
10diploma on or after the effective date of the bill.
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2related to required social studies instruction, personal
3financial literacy instruction, and high school equivalency
4diplomas, and including applicability provisions.
5BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
1 Section 1. Section 256.11, subsection 5, paragraph b, Code
22022, is amended to read as follows:
3b. Five units of the social studies including instruction
4in voting statutes and procedures, voter registration
5requirements, the use of paper ballots and voting systems in
6the election process, and the method of acquiring and casting
7an absentee ballot. All students shall complete a minimum
8of one-half unit of United States government and one unit of
9United States history. The one-half unit of United States
10government shall include the all of the following:
11(1) Thevoting procedure as described in this lettered
12paragraph and section 280.9A. The government instruction shall
13also include a
14(2) Astudy of the Constitution of the United States and the
15Bill of Rights contained in the Constitution and an assessment
16of a student’s knowledge of the Constitution and the Bill of
17Rights.
18(3) Beginning with the students in the 2022-2023 school
19year graduating class, an assessment of the student’s knowledge
20of United States government and civics. The most recent
21version of the civics test developed by the United States
22citizenship and immigration services shall be used as the
23assessment required by this subparagraph. The school district
24or nonpublic school may modify the civics test for a student
25who has an individualized education program. A student must
26attain a passing score on the civics test as a condition of
27graduation. A student who fails to attain a passing score on
28the civics test may retake the civics test as many times as
29necessary.
30 Sec. 2. Section 256.11, subsection 5, paragraph k,
31unnumbered paragraph 1, Code 2022, is amended to read as
32follows:
33One-half unit of personal finance literacy. All students,
34beginning with the students in the 2020-2021 school year
35graduating class, shall complete at least one-half unit of
-1-1personal finance literacy as a condition of graduation. All
2students, beginning with the students in the 2022-2023 school
3year graduating class, must attain a passing score on an
4assessment of the student’s knowledge of personal financial
5literacy as a condition of graduation. A student who fails
6to attain a passing score on the assessment may retake the
7assessment as many times as necessary.
8 Sec. 3. Section 259A.1, Code 2022, is amended to read as
9follows:
10259A.1 Assessment of competency.
11The department of education shall cause to be made available
12for qualified individuals a high school equivalency diploma.
13The diploma shall be issued on the basis of demonstrated
14competence in all of the following core areas: reading,
15language arts, literacy, mathematics, personal financial
16literacy, science, and social studies.
17 Sec. 4. Section 259A.5, subsection 2, Code 2022, is amended
18to read as follows:
192. The state board of education shall adopt rules under
20chapter 17A to carry out this chapter. Any rules adopted
21relating to demonstrations of competence for purposes of this
22chapter shall require such demonstrations to be equivalent
23to or of greater rigor than those required for high school
24graduation, and such demonstrations shall include but are
25not limited to a test battery, credit-based measures, and
26attainment of other academic credentials. The rules shall
27also require the demonstrations to include the applicant
28attaining a passing score on the most recent version of the
29civics test developed by the United States citizenship and
30immigration services and a passing score on an assessment of
31the applicant’s knowledge of personal financial literacy.
32 Sec. 5. APPLICABILITY. The following apply to individuals
33applying for a high school equivalency diploma on or after the
34effective date of this Act:
351. The section of this Act amending section 259A.1.
-2- 12. The section of this Act amending section 259A.5,
2subsection 2.
3EXPLANATION
4The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
5the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
6This bill relates to education, including modifying
7provisions related to required social studies instruction,
8personal financial literacy instruction, and high school
9equivalency diplomas.
10The bill requires that the United States government
11instruction provided in school districts and nonpublic schools
12in grades 9 through 12, beginning with the students in the
132022-2023 graduating class, include an assessment of the
14student’s knowledge of United States government and civics.
15The bill provides that the most recent version of the civics
16test developed by the United States citizenship and immigration
17services shall be used for this assessment. The bill requires
18a student to attain a passing score on the civics test as a
19condition of graduation and allows a student to retake the
20civics test as many times as necessary.
21The bill provides that the personal financial literacy
22instruction provided in school districts and nonpublic schools
23in grades 9 through 12, beginning with the students in the
242022-2023 graduating class, shall require students to attain a
25passing score on an assessment of the student’s knowledge of
26personal financial literacy as a condition of graduation. The
27bill authorizes a student who fails to attain a passing score
28on the assessment to retake the assessment as many times as
29necessary.
30Current law requires the department of education to make
31available to certain specified individuals a high school
32equivalency diploma, which shall be issued on the basis of
33demonstrated competency in reading, language arts, literacy,
34mathematics, science, and social studies. The bill adds
35personal financial literacy to this list of areas in which
-3-1competency must be demonstrated. The bill also requires that
2the rules adopted by the state board of education to carry out
3Code chapter 259A (high school equivalency diplomas) shall
4require the applicant to attain a passing score on the most
5recent version of the civics test developed by the United
6States citizenship and immigration services and a passing score
7on an assessment of the applicant’s knowledge of personal
8financial literacy. The bill provides that these provisions
9apply to individuals applying for a high school equivalency
10diploma on or after the effective date of the bill.
-4-jda/jh