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House File 2189 - IntroducedA Bill ForAn Act 1authorizing the boards of directors of school districts
2to appoint student liaisons to the boards.
3BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
1 Section 1. Section 279.3, Code 2024, is amended to read as
2follows:
3279.3 Appointment of secretary and treasurer — student
4liaison.
51. a. The board shall appoint a secretary who shall not be
6a teacher employed by the board but may be another employee of
7the board. The board shall also appoint a treasurer who may be
8another employee of the board. However, the board may appoint
9one person to serve as the secretary and the treasurer.
102. b. These officers shall be appointed from outside the
11membership of the board and the appointment and qualification
12shall be entered of record in the minutes of the secretary.
13They shall qualify within ten days following appointment by
14taking the oath of office in the manner required by section
15277.28 and filing a bond as required by section 291.2 and shall
16hold office until their successors are appointed and qualified.
172. a. The board shall develop and implement an application
18and selection process for the position of student liaison,
19who shall act as a liaison between the board, administrators,
20teachers, the student council, and the general student
21population. If an applicant for student liaison satisfies the
22board’s application and selection process, the board shall
23select at least one applicant to act as a student liaison.
24b. The student liaison shall have a seat at the table
25of all regular meetings of the board and board subcommittee
26meetings in a nonvoting capacity, and shall have access to all
27nonconfidential board meeting materials. The student liaison
28may advocate for student interests in regular meetings of the
29board, provide school administrators and board members with
30student viewpoints, assist in developing and monitoring the
31implementation of education policy, and volunteer to perform
32other functions of benefit to the students and the district
33that the board deems appropriate for a student to carry out.
34c. The student liaison shall not do any of the following:
35(1) Participate in special meetings of the board.
-1- 1(2) Be involved in board meetings related to the discipline
2of employees of the school district or students enrolled in the
3school district.
4(3) Have access to documents involving the discipline of
5employees of the school district or students enrolled in the
6school district.
7EXPLANATION
8The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
9the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
10This bill authorizes the boards of directors of school
11districts to select students to act as liaisons between
12the board, administrators, teachers, the student council,
13and the general student population. The board must develop
14and implement an application and selection process. If an
15applicant satisfies the application and selection process,
16the board is required to select at least one applicant to act
17as a student liaison. The student liaison must have a seat
18at the table of all regular meetings of the board and board
19subcommittee meetings in a nonvoting capacity and must also
20have access to all nonconfidential board meeting materials.
21The student liaison may perform functions of benefit to the
22students and the district that the board deems appropriate for
23a student to carry out.
24The bill prohibits the student liaison from participating in
25special meetings of the board, being involved in board meetings
26related to employee or student discipline, or having access to
27documents involving employee or student discipline.
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2to appoint student liaisons to the boards.
3BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
1 Section 1. Section 279.3, Code 2024, is amended to read as
2follows:
3279.3 Appointment of secretary and treasurer — student
4liaison.
51. a. The board shall appoint a secretary who shall not be
6a teacher employed by the board but may be another employee of
7the board. The board shall also appoint a treasurer who may be
8another employee of the board. However, the board may appoint
9one person to serve as the secretary and the treasurer.
102. b. These officers shall be appointed from outside the
11membership of the board and the appointment and qualification
12shall be entered of record in the minutes of the secretary.
13They shall qualify within ten days following appointment by
14taking the oath of office in the manner required by section
15277.28 and filing a bond as required by section 291.2 and shall
16hold office until their successors are appointed and qualified.
172. a. The board shall develop and implement an application
18and selection process for the position of student liaison,
19who shall act as a liaison between the board, administrators,
20teachers, the student council, and the general student
21population. If an applicant for student liaison satisfies the
22board’s application and selection process, the board shall
23select at least one applicant to act as a student liaison.
24b. The student liaison shall have a seat at the table
25of all regular meetings of the board and board subcommittee
26meetings in a nonvoting capacity, and shall have access to all
27nonconfidential board meeting materials. The student liaison
28may advocate for student interests in regular meetings of the
29board, provide school administrators and board members with
30student viewpoints, assist in developing and monitoring the
31implementation of education policy, and volunteer to perform
32other functions of benefit to the students and the district
33that the board deems appropriate for a student to carry out.
34c. The student liaison shall not do any of the following:
35(1) Participate in special meetings of the board.
-1- 1(2) Be involved in board meetings related to the discipline
2of employees of the school district or students enrolled in the
3school district.
4(3) Have access to documents involving the discipline of
5employees of the school district or students enrolled in the
6school district.
7EXPLANATION
8The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
9the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
10This bill authorizes the boards of directors of school
11districts to select students to act as liaisons between
12the board, administrators, teachers, the student council,
13and the general student population. The board must develop
14and implement an application and selection process. If an
15applicant satisfies the application and selection process,
16the board is required to select at least one applicant to act
17as a student liaison. The student liaison must have a seat
18at the table of all regular meetings of the board and board
19subcommittee meetings in a nonvoting capacity and must also
20have access to all nonconfidential board meeting materials.
21The student liaison may perform functions of benefit to the
22students and the district that the board deems appropriate for
23a student to carry out.
24The bill prohibits the student liaison from participating in
25special meetings of the board, being involved in board meetings
26related to employee or student discipline, or having access to
27documents involving employee or student discipline.
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