Bill Summary – FastDemocracy

House File 597 - Introduced
                                  HOUSE FILE 597
                                  BY COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION
                                  (SUCCESSOR TO HSB 219)
                            A BILL FOR
An Act relating to education, including modifying provisions
  related to school district library programs and the
  educational program provided to students enrolled in
  school districts, accredited nonpublic schools, and charter
  schools.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
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    Section 1. Section 256.11, unnumbered paragraph 1, Code
 2023, is amended to read as follows:
    The state board shall adopt rules under chapter 17A and
 a procedure for accrediting all public and nonpublic schools
 in Iowa offering instruction at any or all levels from the
 prekindergarten level through grade twelve. The rules of
 the state board shall require that a an age-appropriate,
 multicultural, and gender-fair approach is used by schools and
 school districts. The educational program shall be taught from
 a an age-appropriate, multicultural, and gender-fair approach.
 Global perspectives shall be incorporated into all levels of
 the educational program. The rules adopted by the state board
 pursuant to section 256.17, Code Supplement 1987, to establish
 new standards shall satisfy the requirements of this section to
 adopt rules to implement the educational program contained in
 this section. The educational program shall be as follows:
    Sec. 2. Section 256.11, subsections 4 and 9, Code 2023, are
 amended to read as follows:
    4. The following shall be taught in grades seven and
 eight: English-language arts; social studies; mathematics;
 science; health; age-appropriate and research-based human
 growth and development; career exploration and development;
 physical education; music; and visual art. Computer science
 instruction incorporating the standards established under
 section 256.7, subsection 26, paragraph “a”, subparagraph (4),
 shall be offered in at least one grade level commencing with
 the school year beginning July 1, 2023. Career exploration
 and development shall be designed so that students are
 appropriately prepared to create an individual career
 and academic plan pursuant to section 279.61, incorporate
 foundational career and technical education concepts aligned
 with the six career and technical education service areas
 as defined in subsection 5, paragraph “h”, and incorporate
 relevant twenty-first century skills. The health curriculum
 shall include age-appropriate and research-based information
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                                H.F. 597
 regarding the characteristics of sexually transmitted diseases,
 including HPV and the availability of a vaccine to prevent
 HPV, and acquired immune deficiency syndrome. The state board
 as part of accreditation standards shall adopt curriculum
 definitions for implementing the program in grades seven
 and eight. However, this subsection shall not apply to the
 teaching of career exploration and development in nonpublic
 schools. For purposes of this section, “age-appropriate”,
 “HPV”, and “research-based” mean the same as defined in section
 279.50.
    9. a. Beginning July 1, 2006, each school district shall
 have a qualified teacher librarian who shall be licensed by
 the board of educational examiners under chapter 272. Each
 school district shall establish a kindergarten through grade
 twelve library program that is consistent with the educational
 standards established in this section, contains only
 age-appropriate materials, and supports the student achievement
 goals of the total school curriculum.
    b. The state board shall establish in rule a definition
 of and standards for an articulated sequential kindergarten
 through grade twelve media program.
    c. A school district that entered into a contract with an
 individual for employment as a media specialist or librarian
 prior to June 1, 2006, shall be considered to be in compliance
 with this subsection until June 30, 2011, if the individual
 is making annual progress toward meeting the requirements
 for a teacher librarian endorsement issued by the board of
 educational examiners under chapter 272. A school district
 that entered into a contract with an individual for employment
 as a media specialist or librarian who holds at least a
 master’s degree in library and information studies shall be
 considered to be in compliance with this subsection until the
 individual leaves the employ of the school district.
    Sec. 3. Section 256.11, Code 2023, is amended by adding the
 following new subsection:
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                                         H.F. 597
    NEW SUBSECTION. 19. For purposes of this section:
    a. (1) “Age-appropriate” means topics, messages, and
 teaching methods suitable to particular ages or age groups
 of children and adolescents, based on developing cognitive,
 emotional, and behavioral capacity typical for the age or age
 group. “Age-appropriate” does not include any material with
 descriptions or visual depictions of a sex act as defined in
 section 702.17 or section 728.1.
    (2) Notwithstanding subparagraph (1), for purposes of the
 human growth and development curriculum, “age-appropriate” means
 the same as defined in section 279.50.
    b. “HPV” means the same as defined in section 279.50.
    c. “Research-based” means the same as defined in section
 279.50.
                           EXPLANATION
         The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
          the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
    This bill relates to education, including modifying
 provisions related to school district library programs and the
 educational program provided to students enrolled in school
 districts, accredited nonpublic schools, and charter schools.
    Code section 256.11 (educational standards) requires that
 the educational program adopted by the state board of education
 for school districts, accredited nonpublic schools, and
 charter schools be taught from a multicultural and gender-fair
 approach. The bill provides that the educational program shall
 also be taught from an age-appropriate approach. The bill
 defines “age-appropriate” in this context as topics, messages,
 and teaching methods suitable to particular ages or age groups
 of children and adolescents, based on developing cognitive,
 emotional, and behavioral capacity typical for the age or age
 group. Additionally, the bill provides that “age-appropriate”
 does not include any material with descriptions or visual
 depictions of a sex act. The bill does not affect the
 definition of “age-appropriate” in the context of the human
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                               H.F. 597
 growth and development curriculum.
    The bill requires each school district to establish
 a kindergarten through grade 12 library program that
 is consistent with Code section 256.11, contains only
 age-appropriate materials, and supports the student achievement
 goals of the total school curriculum.
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Statutes affected: 
Introduced: 256.11, 256.17