Bill Text: IA SF2230 | 2013-2014 | 85th General Assembly | Introduced

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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Bill Title: A bill for an act relating to education by providing technical corrections to revise references and to adjust language to reflect current state school finance practices, revising references to an accrediting agency, reestablishing a rulemaking provision relating to the beginning teacher mentoring and induction program, and providing for disposition and sale of certain school district property. (Formerly SSB 3019.) Effective 7-1-14.

Spectrum: Committee Bill

Status: (Passed) 2014-03-14 - Signed by Governor. S.J. 587. [SF2230 Detail]

Download: Iowa-2013-SF2230-Introduced.html

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Senate File 2230 - Introduced
SENATE FILE 2230
BY COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION
(SUCCESSOR TO SSB 3019)
A BILL FOR
An Act relating to education by providing technical corrections
to revise references and to adjust language to reflect
current state school finance practices, revising references
to an accrediting agency, reestablishing a rulemaking
provision relating to the beginning teacher mentoring and
induction program, and providing for disposition and sale of
certain school district property.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
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Section 1. Section 256.7, subsection 21, paragraph b,
subparagraphs (1), (2), and (3), Code 2014, are amended to read
as follows:
(1) Annually, the department shall report state data
for each indicator in the condition of education report.
Rules adopted pursuant to this subsection shall specify that
the approved district-wide assessment of student progress
administered for purposes of the core academic indicators shall
be the assessment utilized by school districts statewide in the
school year beginning July 1, 2011, or a successor assessment
administered by the same assessment provider.
(2) Notwithstanding subparagraph (1), for the school year
beginning July 1, 2016, and each succeeding school year, the
rules shall provide that all students enrolled in school
districts in grades three through eleven shall be administered
an assessment during the last quarter of the school year that
at a minimum assesses the core academic indicators identified
in this paragraph “b” ; is aligned with the Iowa common core
standards in both content and rigor; accurately describes
student achievement and growth for purposes of the school, the
school district, and state accountability systems; and provides
valid, reliable, and fair measures of student progress toward
college or career readiness.
(3) The director shall establish an assessment task force
to review and make recommendations for a statewide assessment
of student progress on the core academic indicators identified
pursuant to this paragraph “b” . The task force shall recommend
a statewide assessment that is aligned to the Iowa common core
standards and is, at a minimum, valid, reliable, tested, and
piloted in Iowa. In addition, in developing recommendations,
the task force shall consider the costs to school districts and
the state in providing and administering such an assessment and
the technical support necessary to implement the assessment.
The task force shall submit its recommendations in a report
to the director, the state board, and the general assembly by
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January 1, 2015. The task force shall assist with the final
development and implementation of the assessment administered
pursuant to subparagraph (2). The task force members shall
include but not be limited to teachers, school administrators,
business leaders, representatives of state agencies, and
members of the general public. This subparagraph is repealed
July 1, 2020.
Sec. 2. Section 256.7, subsection 26, paragraph a,
subparagraph (1), Code 2014, is amended to read as follows:
(1) The rules establishing high school graduation
requirements shall authorize a school district or accredited
nonpublic school to consider that any student , at any grade
level, who satisfactorily completes a high school-level unit
of English or language arts, mathematics, science, or social
studies instruction has satisfactorily completed a unit of the
high school graduation requirements for that area as specified
in this lettered paragraph of instruction , and shall authorize
the school district or accredited nonpublic school to issue
high school credit for the unit to the student.
Sec. 3. Section 257.9, subsection 11, Code 2014, is amended
to read as follows:
11. Teacher leadership supplement state cost per pupil. The
teacher leadership supplement state cost per pupil amount for
the budget year beginning July 1, 2014, shall be calculated
by the department of management by dividing the allocation
amount for the budget year beginning July 1, 2014, in section
284.13, subsection 1 , paragraph “e” , subparagraph (5) (4) , by
one-third of the statewide total budget enrollment for the
fiscal year beginning July 1, 2014. The teacher leadership
supplement state cost per pupil for the budget year beginning
July 1, 2015, and succeeding budget years, shall be the teacher
leadership supplement state cost per pupil for the base year
plus a supplemental state aid amount that is equal to the
teacher leadership supplement categorical state percent of
growth, pursuant to section 257.8, subsection 2 , for the budget
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year, multiplied by the teacher leadership supplement state
cost per pupil for the base year.
Sec. 4. Section 257.10, subsection 12, paragraph a, Code
2014, is amended to read as follows:
a. The teacher leadership supplement district cost per
pupil amount for the budget year beginning July 1, 2014, shall
be calculated by the department of management by dividing the
allocation amount for the budget year beginning July 1, 2014,
in section 284.13, subsection 1 , paragraph “e” , subparagraph
(5) (4) , by one-third of the statewide total budget enrollment
for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2014. For the budget
year beginning July 1, 2015, and succeeding budget years, the
teacher leadership supplement district cost per pupil for each
school district for a budget year is the teacher leadership
supplement program district cost per pupil for the base year
plus the teacher leadership supplement supplemental state aid
amount for the budget year.
Sec. 5. Section 257.13, subsection 3, Code 2014, is amended
to read as follows:
3. If the board of directors of a school district
determines that a need exists for additional funds exceeding
the authorized budget adjustment for on-time funding budget
adjustment pursuant to this section , a request for a modified
supplemental amount based upon increased enrollment may be
submitted to the school budget review committee as provided in
section 257.31 .
Sec. 6. Section 257.31, subsection 5, unnumbered paragraph
5, Code 2014, is amended to read as follows:
If a district has unusual circumstances, creating an unusual
need for additional funds, including but not limited to the
circumstances enumerated in paragraphs “a” through “n” , the
committee may grant supplemental aid to the district from any
funds appropriated to the department of education for the use
of the school budget review committee for the purposes of
this subsection . The school budget review committee shall
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review a school district’s unexpended fund balance prior to
any decision regarding unusual finance circumstances. Such
aid shall be miscellaneous income and shall not be included
in district cost. In addition to or as an alternative to
granting supplemental aid the committee may establish a
modified supplemental amount for the district by increasing its
supplemental state aid . The school budget review committee
shall review a school district’s unspent balance prior to any
decision to establish a modified supplemental amount under this
subsection .
Sec. 7. Section 257.31, subsection 6, paragraph a, Code
2014, is amended to read as follows:
a. The committee shall establish increase a modified
supplemental amount for a district by increasing its
supplemental state aid when the district submits evidence that
it requires additional funding for removal, management, or
abatement of environmental hazards due to a state or federal
requirement. Environmental hazards shall include but are not
limited to the presence of asbestos, radon, or the presence of
any other hazardous material dangerous to health and safety.
Sec. 8. Section 257.31, subsection 7, paragraph b, Code
2014, is amended to read as follows:
b. Other expenditures, including but not limited to
expenditures for salaries or recurring costs, are not
authorized under this subsection . Expenditures authorized
under this subsection shall not be included in a modified
supplemental state aid amount or district cost, and the portion
of the unexpended fund balance which is authorized to be spent
shall be regarded as if it were miscellaneous income. Any part
of the amount not actually spent for the authorized purpose
shall revert to its former status as part of the unexpended
fund balance.
Sec. 9. Section 257.31, subsection 14, paragraph b,
subparagraph (3), Code 2014, is amended to read as follows:
(3) A school district is only eligible to receive
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supplemental aid payments during the budget year if the school
district certifies to the school budget review committee that
for the year following the budget year it will notify the
school budget review committee to instruct the director of the
department of management to increase the district’s modified
supplemental state aid amount and will fund the modified
supplemental state aid amount increase either by using moneys
from its unexpended fund balance to reduce the district’s
property tax levy or by using cash reserve moneys to equal the
amount of the deficit that would have been property taxes and
any part of the state aid portion of the deficit not received
as supplemental aid under this subsection . The director
of the department of management shall make the necessary
adjustments to the school district’s budget to provide the
modified supplemental amount and shall make the supplemental
aid payments.
Sec. 10. Section 257.32, subsection 1, paragraph a, Code
2014, is amended to read as follows:
a. An area education agency budget review procedure is
established for the school budget review committee created
in section 257.30 . The school budget review committee, in
addition to its duties under section 257.31 , shall meet and
hold hearings each year to review unusual circumstances of area
education agencies, either upon the committee’s motion or upon
the request of an area education agency. The committee may
grant supplemental aid to the area education agency from funds
appropriated to the department of education for area education
agency budget review purposes, or an amount may be added to
the area education agency special education support services
modified supplemental state aid amount for districts in an area
or an additional amount may be added to district cost for media
services or educational services for all districts in an area
for the budget year either on a temporary or permanent basis,
or both.
Sec. 11. Section 257.41, subsection 1, Code 2014, is amended
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to read as follows:
1. Budget. The budget of an approved program for returning
dropouts and dropout prevention for a school district, after
subtracting funds received from other sources for that purpose,
shall be funded annually on a basis of one-fourth or more
from the district cost of the school district and up to
three-fourths by an increase in modified supplemental state aid
amount as defined in section 257.8 . Annually, the department
of management shall establish a modified supplemental amount
for each such school district equal to the difference between
the approved budget for the program for returning dropouts and
dropout prevention for that district and the sum of the amount
funded from the district cost of the school district plus funds
received from other sources.
Sec. 12. Section 260C.36, subsection 1, paragraph h, Code
2014, is amended to read as follows:
h. Compliance with the faculty accreditation standards of
the north central association of colleges and schools higher
learning commission, and compliance with faculty standards
required under specific programs offered by the community
college that are accredited by other accrediting agencies.
Sec. 13. Section 260C.47, subsection 1, unnumbered
paragraph 1, Code 2014, is amended to read as follows:
The state board of education shall establish an
accreditation process for community college programs by July
1, 1997 . The process shall be jointly developed and agreed
upon by the department of education and the community colleges.
The state accreditation process shall be integrated with the
accreditation process of the north central association of
colleges and schools higher learning commission , including the
evaluation cycle, the self-study process, and the criteria for
evaluation, which shall incorporate the standards for community
colleges developed under section 260C.48 ; and shall identify
and make provision for the needs of the state that are not met
by the association’s accreditation process. For the academic
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year commencing July 1, 1998, and in succeeding school years,
the The department of education shall use a two-component
process for the continued accreditation of community college
programs.
Sec. 14. Section 260C.47, subsection 1, paragraph b, Code
2014, is amended to read as follows:
b. The second component consists of the use of an
accreditation team appointed by the director of the department
of education, to conduct an evaluation, including an on-site
visit of each community college, with a comprehensive
evaluation to occur during the same year as the evaluation by
the north central association of colleges and schools occurring
once every ten years , and an interim evaluation midway between
comprehensive evaluations. The number and composition of the
accreditation team shall be determined by the director, but the
team shall include members of the department of education staff
and community college staff members from community colleges
other than the community college that conducts the programs
being evaluated for accreditation. Beginning July 1, 2006,
the The accreditation team shall monitor the quality faculty
plan implemented by each community college pursuant to section
260C.36 .
Sec. 15. Section 260C.48, subsection 4, Code 2014, is
amended to read as follows:
4. Commencing July 1, 2006, standards Standards relating to
quality assurance of faculty and ongoing quality professional
development shall be the accreditation standards of the north
central association of colleges and schools higher learning
commission, and the faculty standards required under specific
programs offered by the community college that are accredited
by other accrediting agencies.
Sec. 16. Section 261.9, subsection 1, paragraphs a, b, and
c, Code 2014, are amended to read as follows:
a. Is accredited by the north central association of
colleges and secondary schools accrediting agency based on
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their requirements higher learning commission .
b. Is accredited by the north central association of
colleges and secondary schools accrediting agency based on
their requirements higher learning commission , is exempt from
taxation under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue
Code, and annually provides a matching aggregate amount of
institutional financial aid equal to at least seventy-five
percent of the amount received in a fiscal year by the
institution’s students for Iowa tuition grant assistance under
this chapter . Commencing with the fiscal year beginning
July 1, 2006, the matching aggregate amount of institutional
financial aid shall increase by the percentage of increase
each fiscal year of funds appropriated for Iowa tuition grants
under section 261.25, subsection 1 , to a maximum match of one
hundred percent. The institution shall file annual reports
with the commission prior to receipt of tuition grant moneys
under this chapter . An institution whose income is not exempt
from taxation under section 501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code
and whose students were eligible to receive Iowa tuition grant
money in the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2003, shall meet the
match requirements of this paragraph no later than June 30,
2005.
c. Is a specialized college that is accredited by the
north central association of colleges and secondary schools
accrediting agency higher learning commission , and which offers
health professional programs that are affiliated with health
care systems located in Iowa.
Sec. 17. Section 261.92, subsection 1, Code 2014, is amended
to read as follows:
1. “Accredited higher education institution” means a
public institution of higher learning located in Iowa which
is accredited by the north central association of colleges
and secondary schools accrediting agency based on their
requirements as of April 1, 1969 higher learning commission ,
or an institution of higher learning located in Iowa which is
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operated privately and not controlled or administered by any
state agency or any subdivision of the state, and which meets
the following requirements:
a. Is accredited by the north central association of
colleges and secondary schools accrediting agency based on
their requirements as of April 1, 1969, and,
b. Promotes promotes equal opportunity and affirmative
action efforts in the recruitment, appointment, assignment,
and advancement of personnel at the institution and provides
information regarding such efforts to the commission upon
request.
Sec. 18. Section 275.12, subsection 5, Code 2014, is amended
to read as follows:
5. The petition may also include a provision that the
voter-approved physical plant and equipment levy provided in
section 298.2 will be voted upon at the election conducted
under section 275.18 . The petition may also include a
provision that the revenue purpose statement provided in
section 423F.3 will be voted upon at the election conducted
under section 275.18.
Sec. 19. Section 275.20, Code 2014, is amended to read as
follows:
275.20 Separate vote in existing districts.
The voters shall vote separately in each existing school
district affected and voters residing in the entire existing
district are eligible to vote upon the proposition to create
a new school corporation and the proposition to levy the
voter-approved physical plant and equipment levy under section
298.2 , if the petition included a provision for a vote to
authorize the levy on any additional provision authorized
pursuant to section 275.12, subsection 5 . If a proposition
receives a majority of the votes cast in each of at least
seventy-five percent of the districts, and also a majority of
the total number of votes cast in all of the districts, the
proposition is carried.
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Sec. 20. Section 284.5, Code 2014, is amended by adding the
following new subsection:
NEW SUBSECTION . 8. The state board shall adopt rules to
administer this section.
Sec. 21. Section 297.22, subsection 1, paragraphs b and d,
Code 2014, are amended to read as follows:
b. Proceeds from the sale or disposition of real or other
property shall be deposited into the fund which was used to
account for the acquisition of the property. If the district
is unable to determine which fund was used to account for the
acquisition of the property or if the fund no longer exists
in the district, the proceeds from the sale or disposition
of real property shall be placed in the physical plant and
equipment levy fund . Proceeds , and the proceeds from the sale
or disposition of property other than real property shall be
placed in the general fund. Proceeds from the lease of real or
other property shall be placed in the general fund.
d. However, property having a value of not more than five
thousand dollars, other than real property, may be sold or
disposed of by any procedure which is adopted by the board
and each . Each such sale shall be published by at least one
insertion each week for two consecutive weeks in a newspaper
having general circulation in the district and any other
disposition shall be published by at least one insertion in a
newspaper having general circulation in the district .
Sec. 22. Section 297.22, subsection 3, Code 2014, is amended
to read as follows:
3. The provisions in subsections 1 and 2 relating to the
sale, lease, or disposition of school district property do not
apply to student-constructed buildings and the property on
which student-constructed buildings are located. The board of
directors of a school district may sell, lease, or dispose of
a student-constructed building and the property on which the
student-constructed building is located, and may purchase sites
for the erection of additional student-constructed structures,
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by any procedure which is adopted by the board. The proceeds
from disposition of a student-constructed structure shall be
placed in the school district’s student construction fund.
Moneys remaining in the school district’s student construction
fund after the board discontinues the student construction
program shall first be used to reimburse the fund or funds from
which the student construction program’s start-up costs were
paid and any moneys remaining after such reimbursement shall
be transferred by board resolution to the school district’s
general fund.
EXPLANATION
The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
This bill makes technical corrections to revise internal
references and adjusts language to reflect current state school
finance practices, revising references to an accrediting
agency, reestablishes a rulemaking provision relating to the
beginning teacher mentoring and induction program, and provides
for the disposition and sale of certain school district
property.
The bill amends Code sections 260C.36, 260C.47, 260C.48,
261.9, and 261.92 to replace references to the “north central
association of colleges and (secondary) schools” with
references to the higher learning commission. The bill states
that the comprehensive evaluation conducted on a community
college must occur every 10 years, rather than during the same
year as the evaluation by the accrediting agency as the current
requirement provides. The bill also strikes obsolete language
from these Code sections as necessary.
The bill modifies a provision relating to core indicators
of student achievement to differentiate between core academic
indicators and other core indicators that include but are
not limited to graduation rate, postsecondary education,
and successful employment in Iowa. The bill provides that
assessments of core indicators are to be administered to assess
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core academic indicators.
The bill provides that school districts and accredited
nonpublic schools may consider that any student at any grade
level who satisfactorily completes a high school-level unit of
instruction has satisfactorily completed a unit of the high
school graduation requirements for that area of instruction
and the school district or school may issue high school credit
for the unit to the student. Currently, any student who
successfully completes English or language arts, mathematics,
science, and social studies at the secondary level may receive
high school credit for such completion.
The bill amends Code sections 275.12 and 275.20 to allow
a petition describing school boundaries to be on the ballot
of a special school election to include a provision that the
revenue purpose statement relating to the expenditure of local
sales and services tax for school infrastructure purposes will
be voted upon at the special election. Voters shall vote
separately in each existing school district affected regarding
any additional provision on the ballot.
Code section 297.22 is amended to permit a school board to
sell, by any procedure adopted by the board, property having a
value of not more than $5,000. Disposition of such property by
other than sale shall be published by at least one insertion in
a newspaper having general circulation in the district.
The bill corrects internal references and modifies state
school finance language modified or enacted by 2013 Iowa
Acts, chapter 121 (HF 215). The internal references relate
to provisions establishing the teacher leadership supplement,
and the language modifications relate to changes to the terms
“modified allowable growth” and “modified supplemental amount”
in school district funding terminology.
The bill also reestablishes a provision, inadvertently
stricken in the 2013 legislation, requiring the state board of
education to adopt rules to administer the beginning teacher
mentoring and induction program.
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The bill establishes that a school district may deposit
proceeds from the sale or disposition of real or other property
into the fund which was used to account for the acquisition
of the property. If the district is unable to determine
which fund was used or if the fund no longer exists, the
proceeds shall be placed in the physical plant and equipment
levy fund. Current law only permits that the proceeds be
placed in the physical plant and equipment levy fund. The
same Code provision is amended to specify that a school
district may purchase sites for the erection of additional
“student-constructed” structures, and the proceeds from the
disposition of a student-constructed structure must be placed
in the school district’s student construction fund. Moneys
remaining in the fund after the school board discontinues the
program shall be used to reimburse the fund or funds from which
the program’s start-up costs were paid and any moneys remaining
after such reimbursement shall be transferred to the school
district’s general fund.
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