Print
House Study Bill 706 - IntroducedA Bill ForAn Act 1relating to education, including requiring the boards of
2directors of school districts to publish certain specified
3information and modifying provisions related to required
4social studies instruction.
5BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
1DIVISION I
2SCHOOL DISTRICT TRANSPARENCY
3 Section 1. Section 257.17, Code 2022, is amended to read as
4follows:
5257.17 Aid reduction for early school starts.
61. State aid payments made pursuant to section 257.16 for
7a fiscal year shall be reduced by one one-hundred-eightieth
8for each day of that fiscal year for which the school district
9begins school before the earliest school start date specified
10in section 279.10, subsection 1.
112. This section does Subsection 1 shall not apply to a
12school district attendance center that has received approval
13from the department of education under section 279.10,
14subsection 2, to maintain a year-round school calendar
15that commences classes in advance of the school start date
16established in section 279.10, subsection 1. The department of
17management shall prorate the reduction made pursuant to this
18section subsection 1 to account for an attendance center in
19a school district that is approved to maintain a year-round
20school calendar under section 279.10, subsection 2.
213. State aid payments made pursuant to section 257.16 for
22a fiscal year shall be reduced by the department of education
23for each day of that fiscal year for which the school district
24has been found to have intentionally violated a provision of
25section 279.76. The department of education shall reduce
26the state aid payments made pursuant to section 257.16 for a
27fiscal year in an amount the department of education determines
28is in proportion to the actual damages caused by the school
29district’s violation of section 279.76.
30 Sec. 2. NEW SECTION. 279.76 Transparency and state
31standards.
321. The board of directors of each school district shall
33publish all of the following information related to the current
34school year prominently on the school district’s internet site:
35a. A course syllabus or written summary of what material
-1-1will be taught in each class in the school district, sortable
2by subject area, grade level, and teacher.
3b. How each class in the school district meets or exceeds
4the educational standards established pursuant to section
5256.11, sortable by subject area, grade level, and teacher.
6c. The titles of all textbooks, books, articles, videos,
7and other educational materials used for student instruction
8in each class in the school district, or links to the internet
9sites containing such textbooks, books, articles, or other
10educational materials.
11d. The procedures or policies in effect for the
12documentation, review, and approval of all textbooks, books,
13articles, outlines, handouts, presentations, videos, and other
14educational materials used for student instruction. This shall
15include the procedures or policies applicable to the board of
16directors of the school district, principals, administrators,
17teachers, and any committee created by the board of directors,
18an administrator, or a principal.
19e. A comprehensive list of all books available to students
20in libraries operated by the school district.
21f. A flowchart developed by the department of education
22showing the procedures or polices in effect for the parent
23or guardian of a student enrolled in the school district to
24request the removal of a book that is available to students in
25a library operated by the school district.
262. a. The board of directors of each school district shall
27update the information required to be published pursuant to
28subsection 1 on or before August 23 and on or before January 15
29of each school year.
30b. The board of directors of each school district shall
31notify parents and guardians that the information required
32to be published pursuant to subsection 1 has been updated by
33publishing notice on the school district’s internet site and
34providing notice in a newsletter or other written communication
35that is distributed to parents and guardians.
-2- 13. The board of directors of each school district shall
2maintain the information required to be published pursuant to
3subsection 1 for at least five years on the school district’s
4internet site in a manner that is accessible to the public.
54. This section shall not be construed to require the board
6of directors of a school district to do any of the following:
7a. Reproduce educational materials that were not created by
8a teacher employed by the board of directors.
9b. Distribute any educational materials in a manner that
10would infringe on the intellectual property rights of any
11person.
125. For purposes of this section, unless the context
13otherwise requires, “used for student instruction” means
14that a textbook, book, article, syllabus, outline, handout,
15presentation, video, or other educational material meets any of
16the following criteria:
17a. Is or will be assigned, distributed, or otherwise
18presented to students in a class required pursuant to section
19256.11.
20b. Is or will be assigned, distributed, or otherwise
21presented to students as required by the board of directors of
22the school district.
23c. Is or will be created by the board of directors of the
24school district or a teacher employed by the board.
25 Sec. 3. NEW SECTION. 279.77 Protocols for the selection,
26review, reconsideration, and removal of materials from libraries.
27The board of directors of a school district shall adopt
28protocols for the selection, review, reconsideration, and
29removal of materials from libraries operated by the school
30district. The protocols shall require all of the following:
311. A process for the selection, reconsideration, and
32removal of materials from libraries operated by the school
33district.
342. The lawful and ethical use of information resources,
35including plagiarism and intellectual property rights.
-3- 13. A process that allows the parent or guardian of a student
2enrolled in the school district to request the reconsideration
3or removal of materials from a library operated by the school
4district. The process shall require all of the following:
5a. Within ten business days after a parent’s or guardian’s
6submission of a request to reconsider or remove materials from
7a library operated by the school district, or on or before a
8later date, if the school district and the parent or guardian
9agree in writing, the school district shall conduct a review
10of the materials described in the request and respond to the
11parent or guardian in writing with notice of the disposition of
12the request for reconsideration or removal.
13b. The parent or guardian may request that the board of
14directors of the school district review the school district’s
15disposition of the request described in paragraph “a”. The
16board of directors of the school district shall act on the
17request to review the school district’s disposition of the
18request described in paragraph “a” at the next regularly
19scheduled meeting of the board of directors of the school
20district but no later than twenty business days after the
21board of directors of the school district receives the request
22to review the disposition, or on or before a later date, if
23the board of directors of the school district and the parent
24or guardian agree in writing. The board of directors of the
25school district shall respond to the parent or guardian’s
26request for review of the school district’s disposition by
27affirming or reversing the school district’s decision.
28c. The parent or guardian may appeal the decision of the
29board of directors of the school district under paragraph “b” to
30the state board of education pursuant to section 290.1.
31d. If a school district or the board of directors of a
32school district fails to act on a parent’s or guardian’s
33request to reconsider or remove materials from a library
34operated by the school district within the timelines provided
35in this section, the parent or guardian may appeal the school
-4-1district’s or the board of directors of a school district’s
2failure to the state board of education. The state board
3of education may direct the school district or the board
4of directors of a school district to perform the review as
5prescribed and take any other actions applicable in case of
6noncompliance with state or federal education laws pursuant to
7section 256.11, subsection 10, paragraph “c”.
8 Sec. 4. FLOWCHART. The department of education shall create
9a flowchart that shows the procedure for a parent or guardian
10of a student enrolled in a school district to request the
11removal of a book that is available to students in a library
12operated by the school district as required by section 279.76,
13as enacted by this division of this Act. The department of
14education shall provide the flowchart to all school districts.
15DIVISION II
16SOCIAL STUDIES INSTRUCTION
17 Sec. 5. Section 256.11, subsection 5, paragraph b, Code
182022, is amended to read as follows:
19b. (1) Five units of the social studies including
20instruction in voting statutes and procedures, voter
21registration requirements, the use of paper ballots and voting
22systems in the election process, and the method of acquiring
23and casting an absentee ballot. All students shall complete a
24minimum of one-half unit of United States government and one
25unit of United States history.
26(2) The one-half unit of United States government shall
27include the all of the following:
28(a) Thevoting procedure as described in this lettered
29paragraph and section 280.9A. The government instruction shall
30also include a
31(b) Astudy of the Constitution of the United States and the
32Bill of Rights contained in the Constitution and an assessment
33of a student’s knowledge of the Constitution and the Bill of
34Rights.
35(c) (i) An assessment of the student’s knowledge of
-5-1United States government and civics that includes the nature,
2purpose, structure, function, and history of the United States
3government, the rights and responsibilities of citizens of
4the United States, and important United States government and
5civic leaders. The most recent version of the civics test
6developed by the United States citizenship and immigration
7services shall be used as the assessment required by this
8subparagraph division. On or before June 30 of each year, each
9school district and nonpublic school shall submit the results
10of the assessment required by this subparagraph division to the
11department.
12(ii) The school district or nonpublic school may modify
13the civics test developed by the United States citizenship and
14immigration services for a student who has an individualized
15education program.
16(iii) A student shall answer at least seventy percent of
17the questions on the civics test developed by the United States
18citizenship and immigration services correctly as a condition
19of graduation. A student who fails to answer at least seventy
20percent of the questions on the civics test correctly may
21retake the civics test as many times as necessary.
22EXPLANATION
23The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
24the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
25This bill relates to education, including requiring the
26boards of directors of school districts to publish certain
27specified information and modifying provisions related to
28required social studies instruction.
29DIVISION I — SCHOOL DISTRICT TRANSPARENCY. The bill
30creates new Code section 279.76, which requires the board of
31directors of each school district to publish on the school
32district’s internet site a syllabus or written summary of what
33material will be taught in each class in the school district,
34how each class in the school district meets or exceeds the
35educational standards established pursuant to Code section
-6-1256.11, information related to all educational materials used
2for student instruction in each class in the school district,
3the procedures for the review and approval of all educational
4materials used for student instruction, a list of all books
5available to students in libraries operated by the school
6district, and a flowchart developed by the department of
7education showing the procedures for the parent or guardian
8of a student enrolled in the school district to request the
9removal of a book that is available to students in a library
10operated by the school district. The bill also requires the
11board of directors to update this information periodically and
12notify parents and guardians that the information has been
13updated. The bill provides that the board of directors shall
14maintain this information for at least five years on the school
15district’s internet site.
16The bill provides that state aid payments made pursuant
17to Code section 257.16 for a fiscal year shall be reduced in
18an amount determined by the department of education for each
19day of that fiscal year for which the school district has been
20found to have intentionally violated a provision of new Code
21section 279.76. The bill provides that the department shall
22make the reduction in an amount the department determines
23is in proportion to the actual damages caused by the school
24district’s violation of new Code section 279.76.
25The bill requires the board of directors of a school district
26to adopt protocols for the selection, review, reconsideration,
27and removal of materials from libraries operated by the
28school district. The bill establishes what the protocols
29shall require, which includes a process for the selection,
30reconsideration, and removal of materials from libraries
31operated by the school district, the lawful and ethical use of
32information resources, including plagiarism and intellectual
33property rights, and a process that allows the parent or
34guardian of a student enrolled in the school district to
35request the reconsideration or removal of materials from a
-7-1library operated by the school district.
2DIVISION II — SOCIAL STUDIES INSTRUCTION. Under current
3law, the educational program established pursuant to Code
4section 256.11 is required to include, in grades 9 through 12,
5five units of social studies, one-half unit of which is to
6consist of instruction in United States government. The bill
7provides that this one-half unit of United States government
8shall include an assessment of the student’s knowledge of
9United States government and civics. The bill provides that
10the most recent version of the civics test developed by the
11United States citizenship and immigration services shall be
12used as the assessment. The bill requires each school district
13and nonpublic school to submit the results of the civics test
14to the department of education by June 30 of each year. The
15bill authorizes a school district or nonpublic school to
16modify the civics test for a student who has an individualized
17education program. The bill provides that a student must
18answer at least 70 percent of the questions correctly on the
19civics test as a condition of graduation. The bill authorizes
20a student who fails to answer at least 70 percent of the
21questions on the civics test correctly to retake the civics
22test.
-8-jda/jh
2directors of school districts to publish certain specified
3information and modifying provisions related to required
4social studies instruction.
5BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
1DIVISION I
2SCHOOL DISTRICT TRANSPARENCY
3 Section 1. Section 257.17, Code 2022, is amended to read as
4follows:
5257.17 Aid reduction for early school starts.
61. State aid payments made pursuant to section 257.16 for
7a fiscal year shall be reduced by one one-hundred-eightieth
8for each day of that fiscal year for which the school district
9begins school before the earliest school start date specified
10in section 279.10, subsection 1.
112. This section does Subsection 1 shall not apply to a
12school district attendance center that has received approval
13from the department of education under section 279.10,
14subsection 2, to maintain a year-round school calendar
15that commences classes in advance of the school start date
16established in section 279.10, subsection 1. The department of
17management shall prorate the reduction made pursuant to this
18section subsection 1 to account for an attendance center in
19a school district that is approved to maintain a year-round
20school calendar under section 279.10, subsection 2.
213. State aid payments made pursuant to section 257.16 for
22a fiscal year shall be reduced by the department of education
23for each day of that fiscal year for which the school district
24has been found to have intentionally violated a provision of
25section 279.76. The department of education shall reduce
26the state aid payments made pursuant to section 257.16 for a
27fiscal year in an amount the department of education determines
28is in proportion to the actual damages caused by the school
29district’s violation of section 279.76.
30 Sec. 2. NEW SECTION. 279.76 Transparency and state
31standards.
321. The board of directors of each school district shall
33publish all of the following information related to the current
34school year prominently on the school district’s internet site:
35a. A course syllabus or written summary of what material
-1-1will be taught in each class in the school district, sortable
2by subject area, grade level, and teacher.
3b. How each class in the school district meets or exceeds
4the educational standards established pursuant to section
5256.11, sortable by subject area, grade level, and teacher.
6c. The titles of all textbooks, books, articles, videos,
7and other educational materials used for student instruction
8in each class in the school district, or links to the internet
9sites containing such textbooks, books, articles, or other
10educational materials.
11d. The procedures or policies in effect for the
12documentation, review, and approval of all textbooks, books,
13articles, outlines, handouts, presentations, videos, and other
14educational materials used for student instruction. This shall
15include the procedures or policies applicable to the board of
16directors of the school district, principals, administrators,
17teachers, and any committee created by the board of directors,
18an administrator, or a principal.
19e. A comprehensive list of all books available to students
20in libraries operated by the school district.
21f. A flowchart developed by the department of education
22showing the procedures or polices in effect for the parent
23or guardian of a student enrolled in the school district to
24request the removal of a book that is available to students in
25a library operated by the school district.
262. a. The board of directors of each school district shall
27update the information required to be published pursuant to
28subsection 1 on or before August 23 and on or before January 15
29of each school year.
30b. The board of directors of each school district shall
31notify parents and guardians that the information required
32to be published pursuant to subsection 1 has been updated by
33publishing notice on the school district’s internet site and
34providing notice in a newsletter or other written communication
35that is distributed to parents and guardians.
-2- 13. The board of directors of each school district shall
2maintain the information required to be published pursuant to
3subsection 1 for at least five years on the school district’s
4internet site in a manner that is accessible to the public.
54. This section shall not be construed to require the board
6of directors of a school district to do any of the following:
7a. Reproduce educational materials that were not created by
8a teacher employed by the board of directors.
9b. Distribute any educational materials in a manner that
10would infringe on the intellectual property rights of any
11person.
125. For purposes of this section, unless the context
13otherwise requires, “used for student instruction” means
14that a textbook, book, article, syllabus, outline, handout,
15presentation, video, or other educational material meets any of
16the following criteria:
17a. Is or will be assigned, distributed, or otherwise
18presented to students in a class required pursuant to section
19256.11.
20b. Is or will be assigned, distributed, or otherwise
21presented to students as required by the board of directors of
22the school district.
23c. Is or will be created by the board of directors of the
24school district or a teacher employed by the board.
25 Sec. 3. NEW SECTION. 279.77 Protocols for the selection,
26review, reconsideration, and removal of materials from libraries.
27The board of directors of a school district shall adopt
28protocols for the selection, review, reconsideration, and
29removal of materials from libraries operated by the school
30district. The protocols shall require all of the following:
311. A process for the selection, reconsideration, and
32removal of materials from libraries operated by the school
33district.
342. The lawful and ethical use of information resources,
35including plagiarism and intellectual property rights.
-3- 13. A process that allows the parent or guardian of a student
2enrolled in the school district to request the reconsideration
3or removal of materials from a library operated by the school
4district. The process shall require all of the following:
5a. Within ten business days after a parent’s or guardian’s
6submission of a request to reconsider or remove materials from
7a library operated by the school district, or on or before a
8later date, if the school district and the parent or guardian
9agree in writing, the school district shall conduct a review
10of the materials described in the request and respond to the
11parent or guardian in writing with notice of the disposition of
12the request for reconsideration or removal.
13b. The parent or guardian may request that the board of
14directors of the school district review the school district’s
15disposition of the request described in paragraph “a”. The
16board of directors of the school district shall act on the
17request to review the school district’s disposition of the
18request described in paragraph “a” at the next regularly
19scheduled meeting of the board of directors of the school
20district but no later than twenty business days after the
21board of directors of the school district receives the request
22to review the disposition, or on or before a later date, if
23the board of directors of the school district and the parent
24or guardian agree in writing. The board of directors of the
25school district shall respond to the parent or guardian’s
26request for review of the school district’s disposition by
27affirming or reversing the school district’s decision.
28c. The parent or guardian may appeal the decision of the
29board of directors of the school district under paragraph “b” to
30the state board of education pursuant to section 290.1.
31d. If a school district or the board of directors of a
32school district fails to act on a parent’s or guardian’s
33request to reconsider or remove materials from a library
34operated by the school district within the timelines provided
35in this section, the parent or guardian may appeal the school
-4-1district’s or the board of directors of a school district’s
2failure to the state board of education. The state board
3of education may direct the school district or the board
4of directors of a school district to perform the review as
5prescribed and take any other actions applicable in case of
6noncompliance with state or federal education laws pursuant to
7section 256.11, subsection 10, paragraph “c”.
8 Sec. 4. FLOWCHART. The department of education shall create
9a flowchart that shows the procedure for a parent or guardian
10of a student enrolled in a school district to request the
11removal of a book that is available to students in a library
12operated by the school district as required by section 279.76,
13as enacted by this division of this Act. The department of
14education shall provide the flowchart to all school districts.
15DIVISION II
16SOCIAL STUDIES INSTRUCTION
17 Sec. 5. Section 256.11, subsection 5, paragraph b, Code
182022, is amended to read as follows:
19b. (1) Five units of the social studies including
20instruction in voting statutes and procedures, voter
21registration requirements, the use of paper ballots and voting
22systems in the election process, and the method of acquiring
23and casting an absentee ballot. All students shall complete a
24minimum of one-half unit of United States government and one
25unit of United States history.
26(2) The one-half unit of United States government shall
27include the all of the following:
28(a) Thevoting procedure as described in this lettered
29paragraph and section 280.9A. The government instruction shall
30also include a
31(b) Astudy of the Constitution of the United States and the
32Bill of Rights contained in the Constitution and an assessment
33of a student’s knowledge of the Constitution and the Bill of
34Rights.
35(c) (i) An assessment of the student’s knowledge of
-5-1United States government and civics that includes the nature,
2purpose, structure, function, and history of the United States
3government, the rights and responsibilities of citizens of
4the United States, and important United States government and
5civic leaders. The most recent version of the civics test
6developed by the United States citizenship and immigration
7services shall be used as the assessment required by this
8subparagraph division. On or before June 30 of each year, each
9school district and nonpublic school shall submit the results
10of the assessment required by this subparagraph division to the
11department.
12(ii) The school district or nonpublic school may modify
13the civics test developed by the United States citizenship and
14immigration services for a student who has an individualized
15education program.
16(iii) A student shall answer at least seventy percent of
17the questions on the civics test developed by the United States
18citizenship and immigration services correctly as a condition
19of graduation. A student who fails to answer at least seventy
20percent of the questions on the civics test correctly may
21retake the civics test as many times as necessary.
22EXPLANATION
23The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
24the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
25This bill relates to education, including requiring the
26boards of directors of school districts to publish certain
27specified information and modifying provisions related to
28required social studies instruction.
29DIVISION I — SCHOOL DISTRICT TRANSPARENCY. The bill
30creates new Code section 279.76, which requires the board of
31directors of each school district to publish on the school
32district’s internet site a syllabus or written summary of what
33material will be taught in each class in the school district,
34how each class in the school district meets or exceeds the
35educational standards established pursuant to Code section
-6-1256.11, information related to all educational materials used
2for student instruction in each class in the school district,
3the procedures for the review and approval of all educational
4materials used for student instruction, a list of all books
5available to students in libraries operated by the school
6district, and a flowchart developed by the department of
7education showing the procedures for the parent or guardian
8of a student enrolled in the school district to request the
9removal of a book that is available to students in a library
10operated by the school district. The bill also requires the
11board of directors to update this information periodically and
12notify parents and guardians that the information has been
13updated. The bill provides that the board of directors shall
14maintain this information for at least five years on the school
15district’s internet site.
16The bill provides that state aid payments made pursuant
17to Code section 257.16 for a fiscal year shall be reduced in
18an amount determined by the department of education for each
19day of that fiscal year for which the school district has been
20found to have intentionally violated a provision of new Code
21section 279.76. The bill provides that the department shall
22make the reduction in an amount the department determines
23is in proportion to the actual damages caused by the school
24district’s violation of new Code section 279.76.
25The bill requires the board of directors of a school district
26to adopt protocols for the selection, review, reconsideration,
27and removal of materials from libraries operated by the
28school district. The bill establishes what the protocols
29shall require, which includes a process for the selection,
30reconsideration, and removal of materials from libraries
31operated by the school district, the lawful and ethical use of
32information resources, including plagiarism and intellectual
33property rights, and a process that allows the parent or
34guardian of a student enrolled in the school district to
35request the reconsideration or removal of materials from a
-7-1library operated by the school district.
2DIVISION II — SOCIAL STUDIES INSTRUCTION. Under current
3law, the educational program established pursuant to Code
4section 256.11 is required to include, in grades 9 through 12,
5five units of social studies, one-half unit of which is to
6consist of instruction in United States government. The bill
7provides that this one-half unit of United States government
8shall include an assessment of the student’s knowledge of
9United States government and civics. The bill provides that
10the most recent version of the civics test developed by the
11United States citizenship and immigration services shall be
12used as the assessment. The bill requires each school district
13and nonpublic school to submit the results of the civics test
14to the department of education by June 30 of each year. The
15bill authorizes a school district or nonpublic school to
16modify the civics test for a student who has an individualized
17education program. The bill provides that a student must
18answer at least 70 percent of the questions correctly on the
19civics test as a condition of graduation. The bill authorizes
20a student who fails to answer at least 70 percent of the
21questions on the civics test correctly to retake the civics
22test.
-8-jda/jh