Bill Text: IA SF350 | 2017-2018 | 87th General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: A bill for an act relating to high school equivalency programs and assessments and including effective date provisions. (Formerly SSB 1057.)
Spectrum: Committee Bill
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2017-04-10 - Withdrawn. S.J. 940. [SF350 Detail]
Download: Iowa-2017-SF350-Introduced.html
Senate File 350 - Introduced SENATE FILE BY COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION (SUCCESSOR TO SSB 1057) (COMPANION TO LSB 1288HV BY COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION) A BILL FOR 1 An Act relating to high school equivalency programs and 2 assessments and including effective date provisions. 3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: TLSB 1288SV (2) 87 kh/jh/rj PAG LIN 1 1 Section 1. Section 259A.1, Code 2017, is amended to read as 1 2 follows: 1 3 259A.1TestsAssessment of competency. 1 4 The department of education shall cause to be made available 1 5 for qualified individuals a high school equivalency diploma. 1 6 The diploma shall be issued on the basis ofsatisfactory 1 7demonstrated competenceas shown by tests coveringin all of 1 8 the following core areas: reading, language arts, literacy, 1 9 mathematics, science, and social studies. 1 10 Sec. 2. Section 259A.2, Code 2017, is amended to read as 1 11 follows: 1 12 259A.2AgeApplication requirements. 1 13 1. Every applicantmustshall have attained the age of 1 14 eighteen years,be a nonhighhave not graduated from high 1 15 schoolgraduate, and not be currently enrolled in a secondary 1 16 school.However, an1 17 2. An applicant is not eligible forthea high school 1 18 equivalency diploma until after the class in which the 1 19 applicant was enrolled has graduated from high school. 1 20 3. Application shall be made to a high school equivalency 1 21 program or testing center approved by the department of 1 22 education, accompanied by an application fee in an amount 1 23 prescribed by the department. 1 24 4.The testTest scores shall be forwarded by the scorer of 1 25 the test to the department of education. 1 26 5. Evidence that an applicant demonstrates competence as 1 27 required under section 259A.1 shall be made available to the 1 28 department of education by the high school equivalency program 1 29 for verification purposes. 1 30 Sec. 3. Section 259A.3, Code 2017, is amended to read as 1 31 follows: 1 32 259A.3 Notice and fee. 1 33 Any applicant who hasachieveddemonstrated competence in 1 34 theminimum passingcore areas under standardsas established 1 35 by the department, and approvedadopted by the state board of 2 1 education pursuant to section 259A.5, shall be issued a high 2 2 school equivalency diploma by the department of education upon 2 3 payment of an additional amount determined in rules adopted by 2 4 the state board of education to cover the actual costs of the 2 5 production and distribution of the diploma. The state board of 2 6 education may also by rule establish a fee for the issuance or 2 7 verification of a transcript which shall be based on the actual 2 8 costs of the production or verification of a transcript. 2 9 Sec. 4. Section 259A.5, Code 2017, is amended to read as 2 10 follows: 2 11 259A.5 Rules == duties. 2 12 1. The director of the department of education shalladopt 2 13 testsprescribe assessments, definitions of terms, and forms 2 14 and resources as necessary for the administration of this 2 15 chapter. 2 16 2. The state board of education shall adopt rules 2 17 under chapter 17A to carry out this chapter, including but 2 18 not limited to rules establishing standards for content 2 19 and measures by which competence in core areas is to be 2 20 demonstrated and assessed. Such measures shall include but 2 21 not be limited to a test battery, credit=based measures, and 2 22 attainment of other academic credentials of equivalent or 2 23 greater rigor. 2 24 Sec. 5. EFFECTIVE UPON ENACTMENT. This Act, being deemed of 2 25 immediate importance, takes effect upon enactment. 2 26 EXPLANATION 2 27 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 2 28 the explanation's substance by the members of the general assembly. 2 29 This bill modifies Code chapter 259A, which provides for 2 30 high school equivalency programs and assessments, and for the 2 31 issuance of high school equivalency diplomas by the department 2 32 of education. 2 33 Under the bill, issuance of a high school equivalency 2 34 diploma is to be based on an applicant's demonstrated 2 35 competence in core areas. Currently, the diploma is issued 3 1 based on satisfactory competence, which an applicant meets 3 2 by achieving the minimum passing standards in the same areas 3 3 that under the bill are described as "core areas": reading, 3 4 language arts, literacy, mathematics, science, and social 3 5 studies. 3 6 Currently, an applicant must submit an application to a 3 7 testing center, but, under the bill, application may be made 3 8 either to a high school equivalency program or to a testing 3 9 center. The bill directs high school equivalency programs to 3 10 make available to the department evidence of an applicant's 3 11 demonstrated competence. 3 12 The bill requires the director of the department of 3 13 education to prescribe assessments and resources, and strikes 3 14 a requirement that the director adopt tests. Currently, the 3 15 state board of education has the authority to adopt rules to 3 16 carry out the Code chapter. The bill maintains this broad 3 17 authority, while specifying that the rules must include but 3 18 not be limited to rules establishing standards for content 3 19 and measures by which competence in core areas is to be 3 20 demonstrated and assessed. Such measures shall include but 3 21 not be limited to a test battery, credit=based measures, and 3 22 attainment of other academic credentials of equivalent or 3 23 greater rigor. LSB 1288SV (2) 87 kh/jh/rj
