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House File 2054 - IntroducedA Bill ForAn Act 1relating to the therapeutic classroom incentive program
2by authorizing the expenditure of moneys for certain
3nutritional items and making appropriations.
4BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
1 Section 1. Section 256.25, subsection 7, Code 2024, is
2amended to read as follows:
37. For purposes of this section, “therapeutic classroom”
4means a classroom designed for the purpose of providing support
5for any student whose emotional, social, or behavioral needs
6interfere with the student’s ability to be successful in the
7current educational environment, with or without supports,
8until the student is able to successfully return to the
9student’s current education environment, with or without
10supports, including but not limited to the general education
11classroom. The support provided by a therapeutic classroom
12shall also include all of the following:
13a. Supporting student access to micronutrients, vitamin
14supplementation, and mineral supplementation, including vitamin
15“D” and vitamin “K2”.
16b. Assessing the macro-nutritional needs of students.
17c. Providing minimally processed whole foods, including
18fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, and healthy animal-derived fats
19and proteins, including eggs, full-fat dairy products, beef,
20and bacon.
21d. Restricting the use and availability of artificial or
22synthetic food additives that may have an adverse effect on
23activity and attention in students.
24e. Remediating the negative impacts of excessive use of
25digital screens and devices on human biology.
26f. Increasing student exposure to natural light or the light
27emitted by full spectrum lighting fixtures.
28g. Carrying out any other scientifically supported
29initiative that a school district reasonably believes will
30improve emotional, social, and behavioral health outcomes among
31students.
32 Sec. 2. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION — THERAPEUTIC CLASSROOM
33INCENTIVE GRANT PROGRAM. There is appropriated from the
34general fund of the state to the department of education for
35the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2024, and ending June 30,
-1-12025, the following amount, or so much thereof as is necessary,
2to be used for the purposes designated:
3For deposit in the therapeutic classroom incentive fund
4established pursuant to section 256.25:
.................................................. $575,000,000
6EXPLANATION
7The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
8the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
9This bill relates to the therapeutic classroom incentive
10program by authorizing the expenditure of moneys for certain
11nutritional items. The therapeutic classroom incentive
12program, administered by the department of education, provides
13competitive grants to school districts to establish classrooms
14that are designed for the purpose of providing support for any
15student whose emotional, social, or behavioral needs interfere
16with the student’s ability to be successful in the current
17educational environment, with or without supports, until the
18student is able to successfully return to the student’s current
19education environment, with or without supports, including
20the general education classroom. The bill provides that
21the support provided by a therapeutic classroom is required
22to include supporting student access to micronutrients and
23vitamins, assessing the macro-nutritional needs of students,
24providing minimally processed whole foods, restricting the
25use and availability of certain artificial or synthetic food
26additives, remediating the negative impacts of excessive use
27of digital screens, increasing student exposure to natural
28light or the light emitted by full spectrum lighting fixtures,
29and carrying out any other scientifically supported initiative
30that a school district reasonably believes will improve student
31health. The bill appropriates $75 million from the general
32fund of the state to the therapeutic classroom incentive fund
33for FY 2024-2025.
-2-jda/jh
2by authorizing the expenditure of moneys for certain
3nutritional items and making appropriations.
4BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
1 Section 1. Section 256.25, subsection 7, Code 2024, is
2amended to read as follows:
37. For purposes of this section, “therapeutic classroom”
4means a classroom designed for the purpose of providing support
5for any student whose emotional, social, or behavioral needs
6interfere with the student’s ability to be successful in the
7current educational environment, with or without supports,
8until the student is able to successfully return to the
9student’s current education environment, with or without
10supports, including but not limited to the general education
11classroom. The support provided by a therapeutic classroom
12shall also include all of the following:
13a. Supporting student access to micronutrients, vitamin
14supplementation, and mineral supplementation, including vitamin
15“D” and vitamin “K2”.
16b. Assessing the macro-nutritional needs of students.
17c. Providing minimally processed whole foods, including
18fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, and healthy animal-derived fats
19and proteins, including eggs, full-fat dairy products, beef,
20and bacon.
21d. Restricting the use and availability of artificial or
22synthetic food additives that may have an adverse effect on
23activity and attention in students.
24e. Remediating the negative impacts of excessive use of
25digital screens and devices on human biology.
26f. Increasing student exposure to natural light or the light
27emitted by full spectrum lighting fixtures.
28g. Carrying out any other scientifically supported
29initiative that a school district reasonably believes will
30improve emotional, social, and behavioral health outcomes among
31students.
32 Sec. 2. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION — THERAPEUTIC CLASSROOM
33INCENTIVE GRANT PROGRAM. There is appropriated from the
34general fund of the state to the department of education for
35the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2024, and ending June 30,
-1-12025, the following amount, or so much thereof as is necessary,
2to be used for the purposes designated:
3For deposit in the therapeutic classroom incentive fund
4established pursuant to section 256.25:
.................................................. $575,000,000
6EXPLANATION
7The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
8the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
9This bill relates to the therapeutic classroom incentive
10program by authorizing the expenditure of moneys for certain
11nutritional items. The therapeutic classroom incentive
12program, administered by the department of education, provides
13competitive grants to school districts to establish classrooms
14that are designed for the purpose of providing support for any
15student whose emotional, social, or behavioral needs interfere
16with the student’s ability to be successful in the current
17educational environment, with or without supports, until the
18student is able to successfully return to the student’s current
19education environment, with or without supports, including
20the general education classroom. The bill provides that
21the support provided by a therapeutic classroom is required
22to include supporting student access to micronutrients and
23vitamins, assessing the macro-nutritional needs of students,
24providing minimally processed whole foods, restricting the
25use and availability of certain artificial or synthetic food
26additives, remediating the negative impacts of excessive use
27of digital screens, increasing student exposure to natural
28light or the light emitted by full spectrum lighting fixtures,
29and carrying out any other scientifically supported initiative
30that a school district reasonably believes will improve student
31health. The bill appropriates $75 million from the general
32fund of the state to the therapeutic classroom incentive fund
33for FY 2024-2025.
-2-jda/jh