Bill Text: IA HF520 | 2025-2026 | 91st General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: A bill for an act relating to social studies instruction, including instruction in United States government, provided to students enrolled in grades nine through twelve, and including applicability provisions.(Formerly HF 236.)
Sponsorship: Committee Bill
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2025-04-03 - Referred to Education. H.J. 895. [HF520 Detail]
Download: Iowa-2025-HF520-Introduced.html
House
File
520
-
Introduced
HOUSE
FILE
520
BY
COMMITTEE
ON
EDUCATION
(SUCCESSOR
TO
HF
236)
A
BILL
FOR
An
Act
relating
to
social
studies
instruction,
including
1
instruction
in
United
States
government,
provided
to
2
students
enrolled
in
grades
nine
through
twelve,
and
3
including
applicability
provisions.
4
BE
IT
ENACTED
BY
THE
GENERAL
ASSEMBLY
OF
THE
STATE
OF
IOWA:
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520
Section
1.
Section
256.11,
subsection
5,
paragraph
b,
Code
1
2025,
is
amended
to
read
as
follows:
2
b.
(1)
Five
units
of
the
social
studies
including
3
instruction
in
voting
statutes
and
procedures,
voter
4
registration
requirements,
the
use
of
paper
ballots
and
voting
5
systems
in
the
election
process,
and
the
method
of
acquiring
6
and
casting
an
absentee
ballot.
All
students
shall
complete
a
7
minimum
of
one-half
one
unit
of
United
States
government
and
8
one
unit
of
United
States
history.
9
(2)
The
one-half
one
unit
of
United
States
government
shall
10
include
the
all
of
the
following:
11
(a)
The
voting
procedure
as
described
in
this
lettered
12
paragraph
and
section
280.9A
.
The
government
instruction
shall
13
also
include
a
14
(b)
A
study
of
the
Constitution
of
the
United
States
and
the
15
Bill
of
Rights
contained
in
the
Constitution
and
an
assessment
16
of
a
student’s
knowledge
of
the
Constitution
and
the
Bill
of
17
Rights.
18
(c)
Instruction
related
to
civics,
including
the
roles
and
19
responsibilities
of
citizens
in
a
society
and
in
state
and
20
local
governments.
21
Sec.
2.
Section
256E.7,
subsection
2,
paragraph
g,
Code
22
2025,
is
amended
by
adding
the
following
new
subparagraph:
23
NEW
SUBPARAGRAPH
.
(02)
The
educational
standards
24
established
in
section
256.11,
subsection
5,
paragraph
“b”
,
25
related
to
United
States
government
instruction.
26
Sec.
3.
Section
256F.4,
subsection
2,
Code
2025,
is
amended
27
by
adding
the
following
new
paragraph:
28
NEW
PARAGRAPH
.
0q.
Be
subject
to
and
comply
with
the
29
requirements
of
section
256.11,
subsection
5,
paragraph
“b”
,
30
relating
to
United
States
government
instruction
in
the
same
31
manner
as
a
school
district.
32
Sec.
4.
APPLICABILITY.
This
Act
applies
to
school
years
33
beginning
on
or
after
July
1,
2026.
34
EXPLANATION
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H.F.
520
The
inclusion
of
this
explanation
does
not
constitute
agreement
with
1
the
explanation’s
substance
by
the
members
of
the
general
assembly.
2
This
bill
relates
to
social
studies
instruction,
including
3
instruction
in
United
States
government,
provided
to
students
4
enrolled
in
grades
9
through
12.
5
The
bill
requires
students
enrolled
in
grades
9
through
12
6
in
school
districts,
accredited
nonpublic
schools,
charter
7
schools,
and
innovation
zone
schools
to
complete
a
minimum
of
8
one
unit
of
United
States
government
instruction
as
part
of
the
9
social
studies
curriculum.
The
bill
provides
that
the
United
10
States
government
instruction
shall
include
instruction
related
11
to
civics.
Under
current
law,
students
enrolled
in
grades
9
12
through
12
in
school
districts
and
accredited
nonpublic
schools
13
are
required
to
complete
a
minimum
of
one-half
unit
of
United
14
States
government
instruction.
15
The
bill
applies
to
school
years
beginning
on
or
after
July
16
1,
2026.
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