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House File 315 - IntroducedA Bill ForAn Act 1relating to the Iowa core curriculum and standards
2for school districts and accredited nonpublic schools and
3including effective date provisions.
4BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
1DIVISION I
2COMMON CORE STANDARDS PROHIBITED
3 Section 1. NEW SECTION. 256.25 Common core standards
4prohibited.
51. The state board shall terminate all plans,
6programs, activities, efforts, and expenditures relating
7to implementation of the educational initiative commonly
8referred to as the common core standards, or any derivative
9or permutation of that educational initiative including but
10not limited to the Iowa common core standards that have been
11enacted, adopted, or implemented by the general assembly, the
12state board, or the department, including but not limited to
13any assessments, data collection, and instructions based on
14or involving that educational initiative. To further protect
15state and local control of public education, the state board
16and the department are prohibited from adopting, aligning to,
17or implementing, any other national or multistate consortium
18standards from any source requiring the use of any assessments
19aligned with any other national or multistate consortium
20standards from any source, and, subject to section 256.7,
21subsection 21, paragraph “b”, subparagraph (1), the state board
22and the department shall do all of the following:
23a. Respect and support the ultimate right of a parent to
24opt the parent’s child out of public school, and out of any
25public school activity, practice, or testing that the parent
26finds unacceptable, with no negative repercussions to, or
27financial impact on, the child, parent, or school, and with
28no interference from this state. This paragraph shall not be
29construed to prohibit this state from funding public education
30on a per-pupil basis as provided in chapter 257.
31b. (1) By January 1, 2018, for the school year beginning
32July 1, 2018, and each succeeding school year, adopt and
33implement state academic content standards for kindergarten
34through grade twelve in English language arts, mathematics,
35science, and social studies that are the same as the academic
-1-1standards in effect for the state of Massachusetts during
2the academic year beginning July 1, 2008, except that any
3reference in those standards to the state of Massachusetts
4shall be changed to Iowa and any state history or government
5content standards shall be changed to reflect the history
6and government of Iowa. The department shall distribute the
7standards to school districts and shall post the standards
8on the department’s internet site within ten days following
9adoption of the state academic content standards pursuant to
10this paragraph “b”.
11(2) Adopt by January 1, 2018, for the school year
12beginning July 1, 2018, validated state assessments of student
13achievement based on the assessment used in Massachusetts
14during the 2008-2009 school year and aligned to the academic
15standards in effect in Massachusetts during the 2008-2009
16school year.
17c. Take and direct the director and any other state public
18employee or authority to take all steps necessary to terminate
19areas of federal control of the Iowa educational process.
20In so doing, the state board and the department shall be
21prohibited from doing any of the following:
22(1) Adopting or implementing any national or multistate
23consortium standard from any source, or the use of any
24assessments aligned with a national or multistate consortium
25standard that cedes control of Iowa educational standards in
26any manner, including but not limited to English language arts,
27mathematics, science, social studies, history, or sexuality
28standards or next generation science standards.
29(2) Joining any consortium or any other organization if
30participation in that consortium or organization would cede any
31measure of control over any aspect of Iowa public education to
32that consortium or organization.
33d. (1) Adopt, at the discretion of the state board but
34not earlier than five years after the adoption of standards as
35required under paragraph “b”, state academic content standards
-2-1for kindergarten through grade twelve to replace the English
2language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies
3content standards adopted under paragraph “b”. The content
4standards adopted under this paragraph “d” shall be developed
5independently and not as part of a multistate consortium.
6However, the content standards shall emphasize coherence,
7focus, and essential knowledge, have evidence of successful
8application and results, and may be administered using computer
9technology. The department shall not implement content
10standards adopted by the state board under this paragraph “d”
11until all of the following conditions are met:
12(a) The state board submits the content standards to the
13general assembly.
14(b) The general assembly’s standing committees on education
15hold a joint public hearing on the proposed content standards
16and provide public notice of the public hearing at least ten
17days prior to the public hearing.
18(c) The content standards are specifically authorized by a
19constitutional majority of each house of the general assembly
20and approved by the governor.
21(2) Adopt, following the adoption and implementation of
22state academic content standards for kindergarten through
23grade twelve in the manner specified in subparagraph (1),
24assessments aligned with such content standards which shall
25replace the assessments adopted under paragraph “b”. Each
26year, as soon as reasonably possible, the aggregated results
27shall be available on the department’s internet site for review
28by the public. In collecting student achievement data in
29order to post the results on the department’s internet site
30under this subparagraph, the department shall not collect data
31about the values, attitudes, beliefs, and personality traits
32of a student or the student’s family or medical, behavioral,
33mental, biometric, or psychometric data of a student or of the
34student’s family. The department shall not administer state
35assessments under this subparagraph until all of the following
-3-1conditions are met:
2(a) The department submits the proposed state assessments
3to the general assembly.
4(b) The general assembly’s standing committees on education
5hold a joint public hearing on the proposed state assessments
6and provide public notice of the public hearing at least ten
7days prior to the public hearing.
8(c) The proposed state assessments are specifically
9authorized by a constitutional majority of each house of the
10general assembly and approved by the governor.
112. The board of directors of each school district,
12considering the academic content standards adopted and
13implemented under this section, shall do all of the following:
14a. Establish a fundamental academic curriculum for students
15enrolled in the school district in kindergarten through grade
16twelve that defines academic objectives to be achieved by all
17students and is based upon the school district’s educational
18mission, long-range student goals and student performance
19objectives, and graduation requirements under section 256.7,
20subsection 26. The fundamental academic curriculum may vary
21from the state academic content standards adopted pursuant to
22this section.
23b. After consulting with the school district’s teachers and
24administrators, determine the aligned instructional program
25for delivering the school district’s fundamental academic
26curriculum and identify the courses and programs in which the
27fundamental academic curriculum will be taught.
28c. Provide adequate time and transparency for public review
29and comment on the aligned instructional programs by all
30interested members of the community before final adoption of
31the fundamental academic curriculum.
323. This state shall retain sole control over the
33development, establishment, and revision of course of study
34standards for kindergarten through grade twelve.
354. This section shall not be construed to promote any
-4-1religious or nonreligious doctrine, promote discrimination
2for or against a particular set of religious beliefs or
3nonbeliefs, or promote discrimination for or against religion
4or nonreligion.
55. This section does not require any school district to
6utilize all or any part of the academic content standards
7adopted under this section. The state board and the department
8shall not impose any financial consequence on a school district
9that adopts academic content standards differing from those
10adopted and implemented under this section.
11DIVISION ii
12ELIMINATING COMMON CORE REFERENCES — PROVIDING FOR RELATED
13MATTERS
14 Sec. 2. Section 256.7, subsection 21, paragraph b,
15subparagraphs (2) and (3), Code 2017, are amended by striking
16the subparagraphs.
17 Sec. 3. Section 256.7, subsection 21, paragraph c, Code
182017, is amended to read as follows:
19c. A requirement that all school districts and accredited
20nonpublic schools annually report to the department and the
21local community the district-wide progress made in attaining
22student achievement goals on the academic and other core
23indicators and the district-wide progress made in attaining
24locally established student learning goals. The school
25districts and accredited nonpublic schools shall demonstrate
26the use of multiple assessment measures in determining student
27achievement levels. The school districts and accredited
28nonpublic schools shall also report the number of students
29who graduate; the number of students who drop out of school;
30the number of students who are tested and the percentage of
31students who are so tested annually; and the percentage of
32students who graduated during the prior school year and who
33completed a core curriculum. The board shall develop and
34adopt uniform definitions consistent with the federal No Child
35Left Behind Act of 2001, Pub.L. No.107-110 and any federal
-5-1regulations adopted pursuant to the federal Act. The school
2districts and accredited nonpublic schools may report on other
3locally determined factors influencing student achievement.
4The school districts and accredited nonpublic schools shall
5also report to the local community their results by individual
6attendance center.
7 Sec. 4. Section 256.7, subsection 26, paragraph a,
8unnumbered paragraph 1, Code 2017, is amended to read as
9follows:
10Adopt rules that establish a core curriculum and high school
11graduation requirements for all students in school districts
12and accredited nonpublic schools that include at a minimum
13satisfactory completion of four years of English and language
14arts, three years of mathematics, three years of science, and
15three years of social studies.
16 Sec. 5. Section 256.7, subsection 26, paragraph a,
17subparagraph (3), Code 2017, is amended by striking the
18subparagraph.
19 Sec. 6. Section 256.7, subsection 26, paragraphs b and c,
20Code 2017, are amended by striking the paragraphs.
21 Sec. 7. Section 256.7, subsection 28, Code 2017, is amended
22to read as follows:
2328. Adopt a set of core content assessment standards
24applicable to all students in kindergarten through grade twelve
25in every school district and accredited nonpublic school.
26For purposes of this subsection, “core content “assessment
27 standards” includes reading, mathematics, and science. The
28core content standards shall be identical to the core content
29standards included in Iowa’s approved 2006 standards and
30assessment system under Tit.I of the federal Elementary
31and Secondary Education Act of 1965, 20 U.S.C. §6301 et
32seq., as amended by the federal No Child Left Behind Act of
332001, Pub.L.No.107-110. School districts and accredited
34nonpublic schools shall include, at a minimum, the core content
35 assessment standards adopted pursuant to this subsection in any
-6-1set of locally developed content standards. School districts
2and accredited nonpublic schools are strongly encouraged to set
3higher expectations in local standards. As changes in federal
4law or regulation occur, the state board is authorized to amend
5the core content assessment standards as appropriate.
6 Sec. 8. Section 256.9, subsection 49, paragraph a, Code
72017, is amended to read as follows:
8a. Develop and distribute, in collaboration with the area
9education agencies, core curriculum technical assistance and
10implementation strategies that school districts and accredited
11nonpublic schools shall may utilize, including but not limited
12to the development and delivery of formative and end-of-course
13model assessments classroom teachers may use to measure student
14progress on the core curriculum adopted pursuant to section
15256.7, subsection 26. The department shall, in collaboration
16with the advisory group convened in accordance with paragraph
17“b” and educational assessment providers, identify and make
18available to school districts end-of-course and additional
19model end-of-course and additional assessments to align with
20the expectations included in the Iowa core curriculum. The
21model assessments shall be suitable to meet the multiple
22assessment measures requirement specified in section 256.7,
23subsection 21, paragraph “c”.
24 Sec. 9. Section 256.42, subsection 6, Code 2017, is amended
25to read as follows:
266. Coursework offered under the initiative shall be
27rigorous and high quality, and the department shall annually
28evaluate the quality of the courses and ensure that coursework
29is aligned with the state’s core curriculum and core content
30requirements and assessment standards adopted pursuant to
31section 256.7, subsection 28, as well as national standards
32of quality for online courses issued by an internationally
33recognized association for kindergarten through grade twelve
34online learning.
35 Sec. 10. Section 257.11, subsection 9, Code 2017, is amended
-7-1to read as follows:
29. Shared classes and curriculum standards. A school
3district shall ensure that any course made available to a
4student through any sharing agreement between the school
5district and a community college or any other entity providing
6course programming pursuant to this section to students
7enrolled in the school district meets the expectations
8contained in the core curriculum adopted pursuant to section
9256.7, subsection 26. The school district shall ensure that
10any course that has the capacity to generate college credit
11shall be equivalent to college-level work.
12 Sec. 11. Section 260C.14, subsection 22, paragraph b, Code
132017, is amended to read as follows:
14b. Collaborate with the state board of regents to meet
15the requirements specified in section 262.9, subsection 33,
16including but not limited to developing a systematic process
17for expanding academic discipline and meetings between the
18community college faculty and faculty of the institutions
19of higher education governed by the state board of regents,
20developing criteria to prioritize core curriculum areas,
21 promoting greater awareness of articulation-related activities,
22facilitating additional opportunities for individual
23institutions to pursue program articulation agreements for
24career and technical educational programs, and developing
25and implementing a process to examine a minimum of eight
26new associate of applied science degree programs for which
27articulation agreements would serve students’ continued
28academic success in those degree programs.
29 Sec. 12. Section 261E.9, subsection 2, paragraph b, Code
302017, is amended to read as follows:
31b. A regional academy may include in its curriculum virtual
32or internet-based coursework and courses delivered via the Iowa
33communications network, career and technical courses, core
34curriculum coursework, courses required pursuant to section
35256.7, subsection 26, or section 256.11, subsections 4 and 5,
-8-1and asynchronous learning networks.
2 Sec. 13. Section 262.9, subsection 33, paragraph c, Code
32017, is amended by striking the paragraph.
4 Sec. 14. Section 279.61, subsection 1, paragraph a,
5subparagraph (1), Code 2017, is amended to read as follows:
6(1) Prepare the student for successful completion of the
7core curriculum developed high school graduation requirements
8adopted by the state board of education pursuant to section
9256.7, subsection 26, by the time the student graduates from
10high school.
11 Sec. 15. Section 279.61, subsection 2, Code 2017, is amended
12to read as follows:
132. The board of directors of each school district shall
14report annually to each student enrolled in grades nine through
15twelve in the school district, and, if the student is under
16the age of eighteen, to each student’s parent or guardian, the
17student’s progress toward meeting the goal of successfully
18completing the core curriculum and high school graduation
19requirements adopted by the state board of education pursuant
20to section 256.7, subsection 26, and toward achieving the goals
21of the student’s career and academic plan.
22 Sec. 16. Section 280.3, subsection 2, Code 2017, is amended
23to read as follows:
242. The minimum educational program shall be the curriculum
25 graduation requirements set forth in subsection 3 of this
26 section 256.7, subsection 26, and educational program set forth
27in section 256.11, except as otherwise provided by law. The
28board of directors of a public school district shall not allow
29discrimination in any educational program on the basis of race,
30color, creed, sex, marital status, or place of national origin.
31 Sec. 17. Section 280.3, subsection 3, Code 2017, is amended
32by striking the subsection.
33DIVISION iii
34effective upon enactment
35 Sec. 18. EFFECTIVE UPON ENACTMENT. This Act, being deemed
-9-1of immediate importance, takes effect upon enactment.
2EXPLANATION
3The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
4the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
5This bill provides for the termination and elimination of
6all plans, programs, activities, efforts, and expenditures
7relating to implementation of the educational initiative
8commonly referred to as the common core standards, or any
9derivative or permutation of that educational initiative
10including but not limited to the Iowa common core standards
11that have been enacted, adopted, or implemented by the general
12assembly, the state board of education, or the department
13of education, including but not limited to any assessments,
14data collection, and instructions based on or involving that
15educational initiative.
16DIVISION I — COMMON CORE STANDARDS PROHIBITED. The bill
17establishes new Code section 256.25. The new Code section
18prohibits the state board from adopting, aligning to, or
19implementing any other national or multistate consortium
20standards from any source requiring the use of any assessments
21aligned with any other national or multistate consortium
22standards from any source and requires the state board and
23the department to respect and support the ultimate right of a
24parent to opt the parent’s child out of public school, and out
25of any public school activity, practice, or testing that the
26parent finds unacceptable, with no negative repercussions to,
27or financial impact on, the child, parent, or school, and with
28no interference from the state.
29Also, by January 1, 2018, for the school year beginning
30July 1, 2018, and each succeeding school year, the state board
31and the department must adopt and implement state academic
32content standards for kindergarten through grade twelve
33(K-12) in English language arts, mathematics, science, and
34social studies that are the same as the academic standards in
35effect for the state of Massachusetts during the academic year
-10-1beginning July 1, 2008, except that any reference in those
2standards to the state of Massachusetts shall be changed to
3Iowa and any state history or government content standards
4shall be changed to reflect the history and government of
5Iowa. The department shall distribute the standards to school
6districts and shall post the standards on the department’s
7internet site within 10 days following adoption of the state
8academic content standards. At the same time, the state
9board and the department must also adopt validated state
10assessments of student achievement based on the assessment used
11in Massachusetts during the 2008-2009 school year and aligned
12to the academic standards in effect in Massachusetts during the
132008-2009 school year.
14The bill directs the state board, the department, and the
15director of the department, and any other state public employee
16or authority to take all steps necessary to terminate areas of
17federal control of the Iowa educational process; and prohibits
18these entities from adopting or implementing any national
19or multistate consortium standard from any source, or the
20use of any assessments aligned with a national or multistate
21consortium standard that cedes control of Iowa educational
22standards in any manner; or from joining any consortium or
23any other organization if participation in that consortium or
24organization would cede any measure of control over any aspect
25of Iowa public education to that consortium or organization.
26This state shall retain sole control over the development,
27establishment, and revision of course of study standards for
28K-12.
29After not less than five years and at the discretion of
30the state board, the state board may adopt state academic
31content standards to replace the standards that were based on
32Massachusetts’ standards. However, these replacement content
33standards must be developed independently and not as part of a
34multistate consortium. Such content standards shall emphasize
35coherence, focus, and essential knowledge, have evidence of
-11-1successful application and results, and may be administered
2using computer technology. The department shall not implement
3the replacement content standards until the state board submits
4the content standards to the general assembly, the general
5assembly’s standing committees on education hold a joint public
6hearing on the proposed content standards and provide public
7notice of the public hearing at least 10 days prior to the
8public hearing; and the content standards are specifically
9authorized by a constitutional majority of each house of the
10general assembly and approved by the governor.
11Each year, as soon as reasonably possible, the aggregated
12results shall be available on the department internet site
13for review by the public. In collecting student achievement
14data for posting on the internet site, the department shall
15not collect data about the values, attitudes, beliefs, and
16personality traits of a student or the student’s family or
17medical, behavioral, mental, biometric, or psychometric data of
18a student or of the student’s family.
19Prior to implementing the proposed state assessments, the
20department must submit them to the general assembly, the
21standing committees on education must hold a public hearing on
22the proposed assessments and post notice of the hearing 10 days
23prior to the hearing, and the general assembly and the governor
24must specifically authorize the assessments in the same manner
25as the state academic content standards.
26School districts must establish a fundamental academic
27curriculum for students enrolled in the school district in K-12
28that defines academic objectives to be achieved by all students
29and is based upon the school district’s educational mission,
30long-range student goals and student performance objectives,
31and the state’s graduation requirements. The fundamental
32academic curriculum may vary from the state academic content
33standards adopted pursuant to this section.
34After consulting with the school district’s teachers
35and administrators, the district must determine the aligned
-12-1instructional program for delivering its fundamental academic
2curriculum and identify the courses and programs in which the
3fundamental academic curriculum will be taught.
4School districts must provide adequate time and transparency
5for public review and comment on the aligned instructional
6programs by all interested members of the community before
7final adoption of the fundamental academic curriculum.
8New Code section 256.25 includes language providing that
9the new Code section shall not be construed to promote any
10religious or nonreligious doctrine, promote discrimination
11for or against a particular set of religious beliefs or
12nonbeliefs, or promote discrimination for or against religion
13or nonreligion; and that the new Code section does not require
14any school district to utilize all or any part of the academic
15content standards adopted. The state board and the department
16shall not impose any financial consequence on a school district
17that adopts academic content standards differing from those
18adopted and implemented under the new Code section.
19DIVISION II — ELIMINATING COMMON CORE REFERENCES
20— PROVIDING FOR RELATED MATTERS. The bill eliminates
21requirements and references to the (Iowa) common core or
22core curriculum and to core content standards, but continues
23to direct the state board of education to adopt high school
24graduation requirements and assessment standards.
25Provisions directing school districts to cooperate with
26each eighth grade student on a core curriculum plan to meet
27core curriculum requirements are amended to replace “core
28curriculum plan” with “graduation plan” and “core curriculum
29requirements” with “high school graduation requirements”. The
30term “core content standards”, which was used to describe the
31assessment standards adopted by the state board, is replaced
32with the term “assessment standards”. The assessment standards
33will remain applicable to all students in kindergarten through
34grade 12 in every school district and accredited nonpublic
35school. Corresponding changes are made throughout the Code,
-13-1and obsolete language is eliminated.
2DIVISION III — EFFECTIVE UPON ENACTMENT. The bill takes
3effect upon enactment.
-14-kh/rj
2for school districts and accredited nonpublic schools and
3including effective date provisions.
4BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
1DIVISION I
2COMMON CORE STANDARDS PROHIBITED
3 Section 1. NEW SECTION. 256.25 Common core standards
4prohibited.
51. The state board shall terminate all plans,
6programs, activities, efforts, and expenditures relating
7to implementation of the educational initiative commonly
8referred to as the common core standards, or any derivative
9or permutation of that educational initiative including but
10not limited to the Iowa common core standards that have been
11enacted, adopted, or implemented by the general assembly, the
12state board, or the department, including but not limited to
13any assessments, data collection, and instructions based on
14or involving that educational initiative. To further protect
15state and local control of public education, the state board
16and the department are prohibited from adopting, aligning to,
17or implementing, any other national or multistate consortium
18standards from any source requiring the use of any assessments
19aligned with any other national or multistate consortium
20standards from any source, and, subject to section 256.7,
21subsection 21, paragraph “b”, subparagraph (1), the state board
22and the department shall do all of the following:
23a. Respect and support the ultimate right of a parent to
24opt the parent’s child out of public school, and out of any
25public school activity, practice, or testing that the parent
26finds unacceptable, with no negative repercussions to, or
27financial impact on, the child, parent, or school, and with
28no interference from this state. This paragraph shall not be
29construed to prohibit this state from funding public education
30on a per-pupil basis as provided in chapter 257.
31b. (1) By January 1, 2018, for the school year beginning
32July 1, 2018, and each succeeding school year, adopt and
33implement state academic content standards for kindergarten
34through grade twelve in English language arts, mathematics,
35science, and social studies that are the same as the academic
-1-1standards in effect for the state of Massachusetts during
2the academic year beginning July 1, 2008, except that any
3reference in those standards to the state of Massachusetts
4shall be changed to Iowa and any state history or government
5content standards shall be changed to reflect the history
6and government of Iowa. The department shall distribute the
7standards to school districts and shall post the standards
8on the department’s internet site within ten days following
9adoption of the state academic content standards pursuant to
10this paragraph “b”.
11(2) Adopt by January 1, 2018, for the school year
12beginning July 1, 2018, validated state assessments of student
13achievement based on the assessment used in Massachusetts
14during the 2008-2009 school year and aligned to the academic
15standards in effect in Massachusetts during the 2008-2009
16school year.
17c. Take and direct the director and any other state public
18employee or authority to take all steps necessary to terminate
19areas of federal control of the Iowa educational process.
20In so doing, the state board and the department shall be
21prohibited from doing any of the following:
22(1) Adopting or implementing any national or multistate
23consortium standard from any source, or the use of any
24assessments aligned with a national or multistate consortium
25standard that cedes control of Iowa educational standards in
26any manner, including but not limited to English language arts,
27mathematics, science, social studies, history, or sexuality
28standards or next generation science standards.
29(2) Joining any consortium or any other organization if
30participation in that consortium or organization would cede any
31measure of control over any aspect of Iowa public education to
32that consortium or organization.
33d. (1) Adopt, at the discretion of the state board but
34not earlier than five years after the adoption of standards as
35required under paragraph “b”, state academic content standards
-2-1for kindergarten through grade twelve to replace the English
2language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies
3content standards adopted under paragraph “b”. The content
4standards adopted under this paragraph “d” shall be developed
5independently and not as part of a multistate consortium.
6However, the content standards shall emphasize coherence,
7focus, and essential knowledge, have evidence of successful
8application and results, and may be administered using computer
9technology. The department shall not implement content
10standards adopted by the state board under this paragraph “d”
11until all of the following conditions are met:
12(a) The state board submits the content standards to the
13general assembly.
14(b) The general assembly’s standing committees on education
15hold a joint public hearing on the proposed content standards
16and provide public notice of the public hearing at least ten
17days prior to the public hearing.
18(c) The content standards are specifically authorized by a
19constitutional majority of each house of the general assembly
20and approved by the governor.
21(2) Adopt, following the adoption and implementation of
22state academic content standards for kindergarten through
23grade twelve in the manner specified in subparagraph (1),
24assessments aligned with such content standards which shall
25replace the assessments adopted under paragraph “b”. Each
26year, as soon as reasonably possible, the aggregated results
27shall be available on the department’s internet site for review
28by the public. In collecting student achievement data in
29order to post the results on the department’s internet site
30under this subparagraph, the department shall not collect data
31about the values, attitudes, beliefs, and personality traits
32of a student or the student’s family or medical, behavioral,
33mental, biometric, or psychometric data of a student or of the
34student’s family. The department shall not administer state
35assessments under this subparagraph until all of the following
-3-1conditions are met:
2(a) The department submits the proposed state assessments
3to the general assembly.
4(b) The general assembly’s standing committees on education
5hold a joint public hearing on the proposed state assessments
6and provide public notice of the public hearing at least ten
7days prior to the public hearing.
8(c) The proposed state assessments are specifically
9authorized by a constitutional majority of each house of the
10general assembly and approved by the governor.
112. The board of directors of each school district,
12considering the academic content standards adopted and
13implemented under this section, shall do all of the following:
14a. Establish a fundamental academic curriculum for students
15enrolled in the school district in kindergarten through grade
16twelve that defines academic objectives to be achieved by all
17students and is based upon the school district’s educational
18mission, long-range student goals and student performance
19objectives, and graduation requirements under section 256.7,
20subsection 26. The fundamental academic curriculum may vary
21from the state academic content standards adopted pursuant to
22this section.
23b. After consulting with the school district’s teachers and
24administrators, determine the aligned instructional program
25for delivering the school district’s fundamental academic
26curriculum and identify the courses and programs in which the
27fundamental academic curriculum will be taught.
28c. Provide adequate time and transparency for public review
29and comment on the aligned instructional programs by all
30interested members of the community before final adoption of
31the fundamental academic curriculum.
323. This state shall retain sole control over the
33development, establishment, and revision of course of study
34standards for kindergarten through grade twelve.
354. This section shall not be construed to promote any
-4-1religious or nonreligious doctrine, promote discrimination
2for or against a particular set of religious beliefs or
3nonbeliefs, or promote discrimination for or against religion
4or nonreligion.
55. This section does not require any school district to
6utilize all or any part of the academic content standards
7adopted under this section. The state board and the department
8shall not impose any financial consequence on a school district
9that adopts academic content standards differing from those
10adopted and implemented under this section.
11DIVISION ii
12ELIMINATING COMMON CORE REFERENCES — PROVIDING FOR RELATED
13MATTERS
14 Sec. 2. Section 256.7, subsection 21, paragraph b,
15subparagraphs (2) and (3), Code 2017, are amended by striking
16the subparagraphs.
17 Sec. 3. Section 256.7, subsection 21, paragraph c, Code
182017, is amended to read as follows:
19c. A requirement that all school districts and accredited
20nonpublic schools annually report to the department and the
21local community the district-wide progress made in attaining
22student achievement goals on the academic and other core
23indicators and the district-wide progress made in attaining
24locally established student learning goals. The school
25districts and accredited nonpublic schools shall demonstrate
26the use of multiple assessment measures in determining student
27achievement levels. The school districts and accredited
28nonpublic schools shall also report the number of students
29who graduate; the number of students who drop out of school;
30the number of students who are tested and the percentage of
31students who are so tested annually; and the percentage of
32students who graduated during the prior school year and who
33completed a core curriculum. The board shall develop and
34adopt uniform definitions consistent with the federal No Child
35Left Behind Act of 2001, Pub.L. No.107-110 and any federal
-5-1regulations adopted pursuant to the federal Act. The school
2districts and accredited nonpublic schools may report on other
3locally determined factors influencing student achievement.
4The school districts and accredited nonpublic schools shall
5also report to the local community their results by individual
6attendance center.
7 Sec. 4. Section 256.7, subsection 26, paragraph a,
8unnumbered paragraph 1, Code 2017, is amended to read as
9follows:
10Adopt rules that establish a core curriculum and high school
11graduation requirements for all students in school districts
12and accredited nonpublic schools that include at a minimum
13satisfactory completion of four years of English and language
14arts, three years of mathematics, three years of science, and
15three years of social studies.
16 Sec. 5. Section 256.7, subsection 26, paragraph a,
17subparagraph (3), Code 2017, is amended by striking the
18subparagraph.
19 Sec. 6. Section 256.7, subsection 26, paragraphs b and c,
20Code 2017, are amended by striking the paragraphs.
21 Sec. 7. Section 256.7, subsection 28, Code 2017, is amended
22to read as follows:
2328. Adopt a set of core content assessment standards
24applicable to all students in kindergarten through grade twelve
25in every school district and accredited nonpublic school.
26For purposes of this subsection, “core content “assessment
27 standards” includes reading, mathematics, and science. The
28core content standards shall be identical to the core content
29standards included in Iowa’s approved 2006 standards and
30assessment system under Tit.I of the federal Elementary
31and Secondary Education Act of 1965, 20 U.S.C. §6301 et
32seq., as amended by the federal No Child Left Behind Act of
332001, Pub.L.No.107-110. School districts and accredited
34nonpublic schools shall include, at a minimum, the core content
35 assessment standards adopted pursuant to this subsection in any
-6-1set of locally developed content standards. School districts
2and accredited nonpublic schools are strongly encouraged to set
3higher expectations in local standards. As changes in federal
4law or regulation occur, the state board is authorized to amend
5the core content assessment standards as appropriate.
6 Sec. 8. Section 256.9, subsection 49, paragraph a, Code
72017, is amended to read as follows:
8a. Develop and distribute, in collaboration with the area
9education agencies, core curriculum technical assistance and
10implementation strategies that school districts and accredited
11nonpublic schools shall may utilize, including but not limited
12to the development and delivery of formative and end-of-course
13model assessments classroom teachers may use to measure student
14progress on the core curriculum adopted pursuant to section
15256.7, subsection 26. The department shall, in collaboration
16with the advisory group convened in accordance with paragraph
17“b” and educational assessment providers, identify and make
18available to school districts end-of-course and additional
19model end-of-course and additional assessments to align with
20the expectations included in the Iowa core curriculum. The
21model assessments shall be suitable to meet the multiple
22assessment measures requirement specified in section 256.7,
23subsection 21, paragraph “c”.
24 Sec. 9. Section 256.42, subsection 6, Code 2017, is amended
25to read as follows:
266. Coursework offered under the initiative shall be
27rigorous and high quality, and the department shall annually
28evaluate the quality of the courses and ensure that coursework
29is aligned with the state’s core curriculum and core content
30requirements and assessment standards adopted pursuant to
31section 256.7, subsection 28, as well as national standards
32of quality for online courses issued by an internationally
33recognized association for kindergarten through grade twelve
34online learning.
35 Sec. 10. Section 257.11, subsection 9, Code 2017, is amended
-7-1to read as follows:
29. Shared classes and curriculum standards. A school
3district shall ensure that any course made available to a
4student through any sharing agreement between the school
5district and a community college or any other entity providing
6course programming pursuant to this section to students
7enrolled in the school district meets the expectations
8contained in the core curriculum adopted pursuant to section
9256.7, subsection 26. The school district shall ensure that
10any course that has the capacity to generate college credit
11shall be equivalent to college-level work.
12 Sec. 11. Section 260C.14, subsection 22, paragraph b, Code
132017, is amended to read as follows:
14b. Collaborate with the state board of regents to meet
15the requirements specified in section 262.9, subsection 33,
16including but not limited to developing a systematic process
17for expanding academic discipline and meetings between the
18community college faculty and faculty of the institutions
19of higher education governed by the state board of regents,
20developing criteria to prioritize core curriculum areas,
21 promoting greater awareness of articulation-related activities,
22facilitating additional opportunities for individual
23institutions to pursue program articulation agreements for
24career and technical educational programs, and developing
25and implementing a process to examine a minimum of eight
26new associate of applied science degree programs for which
27articulation agreements would serve students’ continued
28academic success in those degree programs.
29 Sec. 12. Section 261E.9, subsection 2, paragraph b, Code
302017, is amended to read as follows:
31b. A regional academy may include in its curriculum virtual
32or internet-based coursework and courses delivered via the Iowa
33communications network, career and technical courses, core
34curriculum coursework, courses required pursuant to section
35256.7, subsection 26, or section 256.11, subsections 4 and 5,
-8-1and asynchronous learning networks.
2 Sec. 13. Section 262.9, subsection 33, paragraph c, Code
32017, is amended by striking the paragraph.
4 Sec. 14. Section 279.61, subsection 1, paragraph a,
5subparagraph (1), Code 2017, is amended to read as follows:
6(1) Prepare the student for successful completion of the
7core curriculum developed high school graduation requirements
8adopted by the state board of education pursuant to section
9256.7, subsection 26, by the time the student graduates from
10high school.
11 Sec. 15. Section 279.61, subsection 2, Code 2017, is amended
12to read as follows:
132. The board of directors of each school district shall
14report annually to each student enrolled in grades nine through
15twelve in the school district, and, if the student is under
16the age of eighteen, to each student’s parent or guardian, the
17student’s progress toward meeting the goal of successfully
18completing the core curriculum and high school graduation
19requirements adopted by the state board of education pursuant
20to section 256.7, subsection 26, and toward achieving the goals
21of the student’s career and academic plan.
22 Sec. 16. Section 280.3, subsection 2, Code 2017, is amended
23to read as follows:
242. The minimum educational program shall be the curriculum
25 graduation requirements set forth in subsection 3 of this
26 section 256.7, subsection 26, and educational program set forth
27in section 256.11, except as otherwise provided by law. The
28board of directors of a public school district shall not allow
29discrimination in any educational program on the basis of race,
30color, creed, sex, marital status, or place of national origin.
31 Sec. 17. Section 280.3, subsection 3, Code 2017, is amended
32by striking the subsection.
33DIVISION iii
34effective upon enactment
35 Sec. 18. EFFECTIVE UPON ENACTMENT. This Act, being deemed
-9-1of immediate importance, takes effect upon enactment.
2EXPLANATION
3The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
4the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
5This bill provides for the termination and elimination of
6all plans, programs, activities, efforts, and expenditures
7relating to implementation of the educational initiative
8commonly referred to as the common core standards, or any
9derivative or permutation of that educational initiative
10including but not limited to the Iowa common core standards
11that have been enacted, adopted, or implemented by the general
12assembly, the state board of education, or the department
13of education, including but not limited to any assessments,
14data collection, and instructions based on or involving that
15educational initiative.
16DIVISION I — COMMON CORE STANDARDS PROHIBITED. The bill
17establishes new Code section 256.25. The new Code section
18prohibits the state board from adopting, aligning to, or
19implementing any other national or multistate consortium
20standards from any source requiring the use of any assessments
21aligned with any other national or multistate consortium
22standards from any source and requires the state board and
23the department to respect and support the ultimate right of a
24parent to opt the parent’s child out of public school, and out
25of any public school activity, practice, or testing that the
26parent finds unacceptable, with no negative repercussions to,
27or financial impact on, the child, parent, or school, and with
28no interference from the state.
29Also, by January 1, 2018, for the school year beginning
30July 1, 2018, and each succeeding school year, the state board
31and the department must adopt and implement state academic
32content standards for kindergarten through grade twelve
33(K-12) in English language arts, mathematics, science, and
34social studies that are the same as the academic standards in
35effect for the state of Massachusetts during the academic year
-10-1beginning July 1, 2008, except that any reference in those
2standards to the state of Massachusetts shall be changed to
3Iowa and any state history or government content standards
4shall be changed to reflect the history and government of
5Iowa. The department shall distribute the standards to school
6districts and shall post the standards on the department’s
7internet site within 10 days following adoption of the state
8academic content standards. At the same time, the state
9board and the department must also adopt validated state
10assessments of student achievement based on the assessment used
11in Massachusetts during the 2008-2009 school year and aligned
12to the academic standards in effect in Massachusetts during the
132008-2009 school year.
14The bill directs the state board, the department, and the
15director of the department, and any other state public employee
16or authority to take all steps necessary to terminate areas of
17federal control of the Iowa educational process; and prohibits
18these entities from adopting or implementing any national
19or multistate consortium standard from any source, or the
20use of any assessments aligned with a national or multistate
21consortium standard that cedes control of Iowa educational
22standards in any manner; or from joining any consortium or
23any other organization if participation in that consortium or
24organization would cede any measure of control over any aspect
25of Iowa public education to that consortium or organization.
26This state shall retain sole control over the development,
27establishment, and revision of course of study standards for
28K-12.
29After not less than five years and at the discretion of
30the state board, the state board may adopt state academic
31content standards to replace the standards that were based on
32Massachusetts’ standards. However, these replacement content
33standards must be developed independently and not as part of a
34multistate consortium. Such content standards shall emphasize
35coherence, focus, and essential knowledge, have evidence of
-11-1successful application and results, and may be administered
2using computer technology. The department shall not implement
3the replacement content standards until the state board submits
4the content standards to the general assembly, the general
5assembly’s standing committees on education hold a joint public
6hearing on the proposed content standards and provide public
7notice of the public hearing at least 10 days prior to the
8public hearing; and the content standards are specifically
9authorized by a constitutional majority of each house of the
10general assembly and approved by the governor.
11Each year, as soon as reasonably possible, the aggregated
12results shall be available on the department internet site
13for review by the public. In collecting student achievement
14data for posting on the internet site, the department shall
15not collect data about the values, attitudes, beliefs, and
16personality traits of a student or the student’s family or
17medical, behavioral, mental, biometric, or psychometric data of
18a student or of the student’s family.
19Prior to implementing the proposed state assessments, the
20department must submit them to the general assembly, the
21standing committees on education must hold a public hearing on
22the proposed assessments and post notice of the hearing 10 days
23prior to the hearing, and the general assembly and the governor
24must specifically authorize the assessments in the same manner
25as the state academic content standards.
26School districts must establish a fundamental academic
27curriculum for students enrolled in the school district in K-12
28that defines academic objectives to be achieved by all students
29and is based upon the school district’s educational mission,
30long-range student goals and student performance objectives,
31and the state’s graduation requirements. The fundamental
32academic curriculum may vary from the state academic content
33standards adopted pursuant to this section.
34After consulting with the school district’s teachers
35and administrators, the district must determine the aligned
-12-1instructional program for delivering its fundamental academic
2curriculum and identify the courses and programs in which the
3fundamental academic curriculum will be taught.
4School districts must provide adequate time and transparency
5for public review and comment on the aligned instructional
6programs by all interested members of the community before
7final adoption of the fundamental academic curriculum.
8New Code section 256.25 includes language providing that
9the new Code section shall not be construed to promote any
10religious or nonreligious doctrine, promote discrimination
11for or against a particular set of religious beliefs or
12nonbeliefs, or promote discrimination for or against religion
13or nonreligion; and that the new Code section does not require
14any school district to utilize all or any part of the academic
15content standards adopted. The state board and the department
16shall not impose any financial consequence on a school district
17that adopts academic content standards differing from those
18adopted and implemented under the new Code section.
19DIVISION II — ELIMINATING COMMON CORE REFERENCES
20— PROVIDING FOR RELATED MATTERS. The bill eliminates
21requirements and references to the (Iowa) common core or
22core curriculum and to core content standards, but continues
23to direct the state board of education to adopt high school
24graduation requirements and assessment standards.
25Provisions directing school districts to cooperate with
26each eighth grade student on a core curriculum plan to meet
27core curriculum requirements are amended to replace “core
28curriculum plan” with “graduation plan” and “core curriculum
29requirements” with “high school graduation requirements”. The
30term “core content standards”, which was used to describe the
31assessment standards adopted by the state board, is replaced
32with the term “assessment standards”. The assessment standards
33will remain applicable to all students in kindergarten through
34grade 12 in every school district and accredited nonpublic
35school. Corresponding changes are made throughout the Code,
-13-1and obsolete language is eliminated.
2DIVISION III — EFFECTIVE UPON ENACTMENT. The bill takes
3effect upon enactment.
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