|
This newsletter will be distributed throughout the legislative session and will include pertinent information on bills and activities impacting education. At the outset, I want to remind this audience of the resources available on the Iowa Legislature’s website, including bill tracking tools, daily logs of legislative activities, calendars, and information on various legislative committees.
Legislators returned to the State Capitol on Monday, January 8th for the second session of the 90th General Assembly. The first week is filled with ceremonial and procedural meetings, as well as the introduction of bills and subcommittee assignments.
On Tuesday, Gov. Reynolds delivered the Condition of the State address to a joint session of the Iowa House and Senate where she outlined her priorities for the upcoming session, including:
- Supporting a strong teacher pipeline through recruitment and retention,
- Strengthening early literacy and evidence-based reading instruction,
- Narrowing and closing achievement gaps experienced by students with disabilities, and
- Empowering students with multiple pathways to postsecondary success.
On Wednesday, a key component of the Governor’s agenda was introduced through House Study Bill 542. The bill provides local school boards and districts with control over its special education funding. Please find additional information in the Department’s family resource document. Over the coming days and weeks, additional legislation will be introduced to implement the Governor’s agenda.
This session, the Department has several pre-filed bills that will be considered by the Legislature. A summary of each, including a link to the filed bill, is provided below:
Iowa College Aid, Reporting Requirements (Senate Study Bill 3048): Remove duplicative and inconsistent reporting requirements in Iowa Code Section 256, and consolidate reporting requirements so that the Iowa College Aid Annual Report includes key program indicators for all state-funded financial aid programs.
Commission on Educator Leadership, Report (SSB3047): Remove the defunct requirement that the Department submit a report on behalf of the commission, as school districts no longer are required to report the information to the Department. This proposal does not seek to eliminate the commission.
Community College Reports, Workforce Training and Economic Development (SSB3046): Technical and conforming modification for the annual plan required under the Workforce Training and Economic Development Fund.
Board of Educational Examiners, Investigations (SSB3041): Integrate the House File 430 (2023 session) investigative procedures for non-licensed school employees with Board of Educational Examiners investigative process for licensed practitioners.
Adoption of State Academic Standards (SSB3045): Technical and conforming modification to align statutory process for the adoption of the Iowa academic standards with historical practice.
Therapeutic Classroom Transportation Claims (HSB520; SSB3044): Allow the Department to retain and repurpose unspent transportation funds to support additional therapeutic classroom grants.
Board of Education Examiners Investigations, Confidentiality (SSB3043): Allow for disclosure of criminal findings uncovered during an investigation to law enforcement.
Licensed Practitioners, Inappropriate Relationships (SSB3042): Allow the Board of Educational Examiners to charge individuals with one or more specific acts of inappropriate relations with a student, including romantic/physical relations, otherwise inappropriate relations, and/or demonstrating grooming behaviors toward a student(s). Adds abuse of a student as an ethical violation that a district would be required to report to the Board of Educational Examiners.
Complaints against Licensed Practitioners, Limitations (SSB3050): Allow the Board of Educational Examiners to disclose criminal findings uncovered as part of an investigation of an ethical violation to the proper legal authorities, while ensuring that the protected information remains confidential in response to public information requests.
Transitional Coaching License, Shortened Course (SSB3049): Eliminate the shortened course of training relating to the code of professional rights and responsibilities, practices, and ethics, due to the overlapping content that is repeated when completing the standard coaching authorization coursework.
Please contact me if you have any questions or comments throughout the session.
- Eric
Eric St Clair
Legislative Liaison
Iowa Department of Education
Grimes State Office Building
515-326-0274
eric.stclair@iowa.gov
|
