School
Board members
Principals
Teachers
Other
interested stakeholders
From: Judy
Jeffrey, Director
Subject: 2006
Legislative actions that will impact LEAs
Date: June
5, 2006
The 2006 Legislative session was very active, both in terms
of funding priorities and policy changes.
In an effort to keep you informed of changes that will likely require
some conversation and adjustment to local policy and procedures, we’ve provided
below a brief synopsis of legislative action related to educational
issues. Please note that on several of
these issues, the Department will be issuing detailed guidance specific to
those issues under separate cover.
1.
Additional data reporting by LEAs.
School districts and accredited nonpublic schools will be
required to report to the DE additional information regarding
·
students pursuing and attaining GEDs,
·
graduates who were not proficient in reading, math, and
science in grade 11, and
·
seniors who were within four units of graduation at the end
of junior year.
Whenever possible, the Department will pre-populate reports
for LEAs using existing data. These
data will be included in the annual APR beginning with the August 2007 report. Additional
guidance on these reporting requirements will be issued in the fall. (SF
2272 - sections 3 & 8)
2.
Statewide Graduation Requirements and reporting.
Beginning with students entering 9th grade in the
fall of the 2007-08 school year, local graduation requirements shall include
four years of English/language arts, three years of math, three years of
science, and three years of social studies in order to obtain a diploma. Local
districts will still determine the courses that count toward these graduation
requirements. Department data collected
last fall show that of the 350 districts with high schools, 196 have already
implemented the statewide graduation requirements effective with the graduating
class of 2010.
Additionally, data collection regarding the numbers of
students taking the ACT Core will be developed and districts will include in
the local CSIP information on how districts will increase the numbers of students
taking the ACT Core. Additional guidance on these requirements will be
issued separately in the near future. (SF
2272 - section 4, HF
2792 - sections 33 & 50)
3.
Changes to Class Size/Early Intervention requirements.
New language attached to this early intervention funding
requires school districts to ensure that a parent signs off on the receipt of
K-3 diagnostic assessment results if the performance of the student is below
grade level. If the parent does not
sign off, the school is required to note that lack of signature in the
student’s permanent file.
Since not all diagnostic assessments indicate a grade level,
local districts will have to provide guidance to teachers on how to determine
if a student is “below grade level” on the diagnostic assessments provided for
the K-3 early intervention programming or may have to use other local or
classroom assessments as available. The Department recommends that school
districts consider having all K-3 parents sign off on the receipt of assessment
results under the K-3 early intervention program. (SF
2272 – section 5)
4.
Charter Schools.
The cap of 10 charter schools statewide was increased to 20.
No additional funding or other changes were made to the Charter School statute.
We are unclear at this point whether additional federal funds will be available
– the Department will provide information if additional funding becomes available.
(SF
2272 – sections 7 & 17)
5.
8th grade four-year plan requirements.
The four-year high school plans to be developed with each 8th
grader statewide (required as a result of SF 245 in 2005) must now include
career options, and shall identify coursework needed in grades 9-12 to support
those career options, beginning in the fall of 2006. The plan shall also be
signed by a parent if the student is under 18 years of age and shall be
included in the student’s records.
Additional Department’s guidance on the 8th grade
plans will be issued as soon as possible. (SF
2272 – section 13)
6.
LEA Financial Reporting.
School districts will now be required to develop and
distribute a financial report to the public on an annual basis. Seven separate requirements are mandated for
reporting. The Department believes that
data currently exists in the system related to six of seven of these
requirements. The Department will
develop a reporting template and/or provide links to existing information and
will pre-populate this template with the existing collected data. Technical assistance on these data
reporting requirements will be forthcoming. (SF
2272 – sections 14 & 15)
7.
Changes to special education requirements – services in
nonpublic schools.
This change modifies existing statute to reflect current
practices in the field and federal expectations. If a district elects to provide special education services at the
nonpublic school site, those services shall be similar to those provided at the
public school setting. (SF
2272 – section 19)
8.
Foreign exchange student extracurricular participation.
Foreign exchange students are still immediately eligible for
varsity or any other level of extracurricular participation unless undue
influence was exerted to place the foreign exchange student in a school
primarily for athletic purposes, in which case existing transfer policy
applies. Additional guidance will be
issued by the athletic organizations on this issue. (SF
2272 – section 20)
9.
Certified enrollment deadline change from third Friday in
September to October 1.
This change aligns state reporting to federal reporting
requirements. Any deadline that was
linked to “the third Friday in September” is now moved to October 1, along with
all concurrent deadlines linked to “the third Friday in September”.
Clarification on any deadline change caused by this action will be included in
the annual training on reporting of certified enrollment. This is effective for
the 2006-07 school year. (SF
2272 – sections 22, 25, 26, 32, 37, 39, 40, 41, 44, 46, 49, & 53)
10.
Modifications to expectations regarding Modified Allowable
Growth for At-Risk Students.
As has been done the past three years, districts must submit
program applications for modified allowable growth for at-risk students through
the CSIP. The deadline for annual
requests for funding and budget submissions has changed from November 1 to
December 15. Several new data reporting requirements will be included in the
annual budget submission. Additional
clarification on these requirements will be included in guidance regarding the
annual budget and funding request submission. (SF
2272 – sections 24, 25, 27, 28, & 53)
11. Changes to permissible uses of revenue from the sale of a schoolhouse or school site.
Any revenue obtained by the sale of a schoolhouse or school
site may now be used for the same purposes as PPEL under Iowa Code section
298.3. (SF
2272 – section 36)
12.
Open Enrollment.
Changes includes:
Additional clarification on
these items will be included in the Department’s open enrollment manual. (SF
2272 – sections 41, 42, & 43)
13.
Changes impacting bus drivers.
The language clarifies that a part-time or substitute bus
driver is treated the same way as a full-time bus driver under the law. Also
provides to the Director additional options for sanctions beyond the current “revoke
or non-revoke” options. Also deletes the out-dated requirement that bus drivers
submit certificates of physical fitness to the Department. This process is being handled through the
DOT currently. (SF
2272 – sections 45, 50, and 51)
14.
Barbed wire around school buildings.
There shall be no barbed wire within 10 feet of any school
attendance centers. (SF
2272 – sections 47 & 56)
15.
Home Schooled Student Records.
Clarifies that the records of home-schooled students,
including Form A (Report of CPI) shall be treated with the same confidentiality
that applies to all other students. (SF
2272 – section 58)
16.
New school construction in unincorporated areas.
Mandates that new school construction that occurs in areas
with no local building codes must meet state building codes. (SF
2272 – section 52)
17.
Reinstates the mandate for a media program and teacher
librarians (previously media specialists) in school districts.
Requires all school districts to have an articulated,
sequential media program with oversight by a properly licensed teacher
librarian (previously media specialist).
Waiver provisions are included in the legislation. Additional
guidance on these issues is included as the other attachment to the email that
contained this document. (HF
2792 – sections 2, 3, & 49)
18.
Teacher Quality (excluding Administrator Quality).
Several policy adjustments:
(HF
2792 – sections 1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18,
19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 32)
19.
New Administrator Mentoring and Induction.
Creates a new Iowa Code Chapter 284A specifically for
administrator quality. Language creates
and funds a one-year statewide mentoring and induction program for first-time
administrators. Additional guidance
is forthcoming. SAI has been implementing a pilot program that may serve as
a model for this type of support and could be accessed by school districts
seeking a program under this provision. (HF
2792 – sections 28, 29, 30)
20.
English Language Learner Supplemental Weighting
Extends fiscal support of ELL students from three to four
years. Guidance on these changes will be included in the annual Certified
Enrollment training. Changes to the 2006-07 weights and funding were
automatically adjusted under this bill. (HF
2792 – sections 41, 44, 47, 53, & 54)
21.
Issuance of free textbooks by a vote of the people.
HF
2462 adjusts the number of votes required to allow local citizens to vote
on whether a district can issue free textbooks, by allowing either 100
signatures or 10 percent or registered voters, whichever is higher, to bring
the issue mandating the school district to issue free textbooks to a vote of
the people.
22.
Iowa Studies Model Curriculum.
SF
2320 mandates the Department of Cultural Affairs convene a group of
educators to develop a model 0.5 unit 9-12 Iowa Studies Curriculum.
23.
Local school board reporting of allowable claims.
HF
2194 allows local board to consolidate multiple payment claims from the same
vendor into one payment and one notice.
24.
Changes to bid thresholds for certain public improvement
contracts.
HF
2713, along with language included in HF 2797, adjusts the bid thresholds
for certain public improvements.
25.
Background checks required for renewal licensing of teachers
The BOEE will now be required to do background checks for
all teachers seeking renewal of licensure or certification. Additional
information from the BOEE will be forthcoming.
·
4% allowable growth for FY08; (Same as for FY07)
·
School Foundation Aid - $2,049,333,461; $85,405,906 above
FY06 – includes $3.3 million for a 4th year of ELL and $6.0 million
for property tax relief in high tax rate districts.
·
Empowerment funding - $23,781,594; same as FY06
·
Teacher and Administrator Quality - $104,593,894;
$35,000,000 above FY06
o $4.65
million for Teacher Mentoring and Induction
o $2.25
million for National Board Certification
o $10
million for one professional development day (same as last year)
o $6.625
million for reimbursing teachers for time spent on professional development
activities or straight salary enhancement (same as last year)
·
New Administrator Mentoring and Induction - $250,000 (new)
·
Early Childhood funding - $15,000,000 (to Empowerment, new
funding included in HF 2769). $3.5 million will be distributed to local
empowerment boards for possible preschool supports.
·
Nonpublic textbooks - $638,620; $24,562 above FY06
·
Community College funding - $159,579,244; $10,000,000 over
FY06
·
Nonpublic transportation - $8,604,714; $330,951 above FY06
·
Educational Excellence program - $55,469,053; same as FY06
·
Early Intervention/Class Size - $29,250,000; same as FY06
·
Shared Visions program - $11,271,000; same as FY06
1.
Institute for Tomorrow’s Workforce Education System
Efficiency Study.
Mandates that the Institute for Tomorrow’s Workforce develop
“an Iowa education efficiency and improvement plan, the goal of which is to
establish a new educational delivery system.
In developing the plan, the Institute shall address issues concerning
the alignment of school districts, area education agencies, public
postsecondary institutions, and the Department of Education, focusing on
specific quantitative and qualitative indicators, management, governance,
services, boundaries, infrastructure and efficiencies, and administrative
efficiencies. The ITW shall submit the
plan and any recommendations for changes to leaders by January 15, 2007. (HF
2792 – sections 31)
2.
Equity in Property Taxation Interim Study Committee.
Mandates that the Legislative Council create an interim
legislative committee to study property tax equity issues and create a proposal
for additional equalization of property taxes statewide. This is a two-year study. (HF
2792 – section 48)
3.
Community College Supplemental Weighting Data Collection.
Mandates the Department to collect and submit data regarding
community college courses offered to high school students that qualify for
supplemental weighting. The statute
describes six types of data to be collected and analyzed. Guidance to schools and community
colleges is pending. (HF
2527 – Section 7, 17, & 24)
4.
High School Graduate Academic Experience Data Collection
Study.
Mandates that the Department, in collaboration with Regents
Institutions and Community Colleges, examine ways for data collection to occur
that allows for tracking of the performance of Iowa students K-16. Report due by January 1, 2007. (HF
2527 – Section 8)
5.
Health Children’s Task Force.
The Department of Education and Department of Public Health
will co-facilitate a task force designed to study policy issues involving the
health and well being of children and to recommend policy changes that could
positively affect these issues. Report to the legislature due January 2007. (SF
2251)
1.
Reading Instruction Pilot Project Grant Program - $250,000
statewide.
This pilot project establishes a minimum of two
comprehensive reading strategy pilots and two direct reading instruction pilots
for grades K-3. Details are included in
the bill. An RFP will be issued for a limited number of pilot projects.
(HF
2527 – Section 15)
2.
Parent Liaison Pilots - $44,000 statewide.
This pilot project provides funding to support a parent liaison
in schools with a high percentage of students in poverty. An RFP for interested applicants will be
issued for a limited number of pilots. (HF
2527 – Section 6, Item 15).
3.
Before/After school program grants - $150,000 statewide.
This pilot project supports expansion of before/after school
programming for children. An RFP will be issued for a limited number of
program applications. (HF 2743
– Section 5)
For additional information, please visit the Department’s
Legislative Update page at https://www.edinfo.state.ia.us/web/legisupdate.asp
or contact the Department’s Legislative Liaison Jeff Berger at 515-281-3399 or
jeff.berger@iowa.gov