Bill Text: IA SSB1165 | 2019-2020 | 88th General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: A bill for an act relating to requirements school districts and accredited nonpublic schools must meet to provide distance learning classes that meet the requirements of Iowa's education program.

Spectrum: Committee Bill

Status: (N/A - Dead) 2019-02-14 - Subcommittee Meeting: 02/19/2019 1:30PM RM 315. [SSB1165 Detail]

Download: Iowa-2019-SSB1165-Introduced.html

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Senate Study Bill 1165 - Introduced
SENATE FILE _____
BY (PROPOSED COMMITTEE
ON EDUCATION BILL BY
CHAIRPERSON SINCLAIR)
A BILL FOR
An Act relating to requirements school districts and accredited
nonpublic schools must meet to provide distance learning
classes that meet the requirements of Iowa’s education
program.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
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S.F. _____
Section 1. Section 256.42, subsection 7, paragraph c, Code
2019, is amended to read as follows:
c. Any specified subject course to which If the provisions
of section 256.11, subsection 5 , does not apply under are
made inapplicable under paragraph “a” , or are waived under
paragraph “b” shall , the specified subject may be provided
by the initiative if the initiative offers the course unless
the course offered by the initiative lacks the capacity to
accommodate additional students. In that case, the specified
subject course may instead be provided or by the school
district or accredited nonpublic school if . Any course
not required under section 256.11, subsection 5, may also
be provided by the initiative or by the school district or
accredited nonpublic school. However, in either case, if
offered by the school district or accredited nonpublic school,
the specified subject or course shall be offered through either
of the following applies means :
(1) Through an An online learning platform if the course is
developed by the school district or accredited nonpublic school
itself, provided the course is taught by an Iowa licensed
teacher with online learning experience and the course content
is aligned with the Iowa content standards and satisfies the
requirements of subsection 6 .
(2) Through a A private provider utilized to provide the
course that meets the standards of section 256.42 and is
approved in accordance with section 256.9, subsection 55 .
EXPLANATION
The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
This bill permits school districts and accredited nonpublic
schools to offer distance learning courses to meet the state’s
educational program “offer and teach” course requirements at
the high school level by utilizing Iowa learning online (ILO)
through the department of education, or by offering such a
course through an online platform if the course is developed
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S.F. _____
by the school district or school itself, or by offering such
a course through a private provider that meets standards
specified under Code section 256.42 and is approved by the
director of the department.
Currently, statute provides that the educational program
requirements for certain courses at the high school level
shall not apply or may be waived by the department if a school
district or accredited nonpublic school is unable to employ
an appropriately licensed teacher for the specified course,
or too few students typically enroll in the specified course,
or the school district or school proved to the department’s
satisfaction that the school district or school has made
every reasonable effort to meet Iowa’s educational program
requirements for the specified course. However, the specified
course must be provided by the ILO unless the ILO lacks the
capacity, in which case the school district or school can offer
the course through an online platform or through a private
provider that meets certain standards.
The bill strikes the requirement that ILO provide the
course, and instead gives school districts and schools the
option of using ILO or an online platform or a private provider
to provide the specified subject or any other course that is
not required under the state’s education standards.
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