Bill Summary – FastDemocracy

Senate File 400 - Introduced
                                  SENATE FILE 400
                                  BY JOCHUM
                            A BILL FOR
An Act relating to competent private instruction, independent
  private instruction, and private instruction requirements.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
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                                S.F. 400
    Section 1. Section 299.4, subsection 1, Code 2021, is
 amended to read as follows:
    1. a. The parent, guardian, or legal custodian of a child
 who is of compulsory attendance age, who places the child
 under competent private instruction under section 299A.2, or
 independent private instruction or private instruction under
 chapter 299A, not in an accredited school or a home school
 assistance program operated by a school district or accredited
 nonpublic school, shall furnish a report in duplicate on forms
 a format provided by the public school district and approved
 by the department of education, to the district by September 1
 of the school year in which the child will be under competent
 private instruction under section 299A.2, or independent
 private instruction or private instruction under chapter 299A.
    b. The secretary of the school district receiving a report
 furnished for a child under competent private instruction
 under section 299A.2 shall retain and file one copy of the
 report submitted for a child placed under competent private
 instruction and forward the other a copy of the report to the
 district’s area education agency.
    c. The report furnished pursuant to paragraph “a” shall
 state the name and age of the child, and the period of time
 during which the child has been or will be under competent
 private instruction, independent private instruction, or
 private instruction for the year,.
    d. (1) The report shall include an outline of the course of
 study, texts used, and the name and address of the instructor
 providing competent private instruction, the name and address
 of the authority responsible for the independent private
 instruction, or the name of the individual providing private
 instruction, as applicable.
    (2) A report furnished for a child under private instruction
 must include the qualifications of the individual providing the
 private instruction.
    e. The parent, guardian, or legal custodian of a child, who
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                                S.F. 400
 is placing the child under competent private instruction under
 section 299A.2, for the first time, shall also provide the
 district with evidence that the child has had the immunizations
 required under section 139A.8, and, if the child is elementary
 school age, a blood lead test in accordance with section
 135.105D.
    f. The term “outline of course of study” shall include
 subjects covered, lesson plans, and time spent on the areas of
 study.
    Sec. 2. Section 299A.3, Code 2021, is amended to read as
 follows:
    299A.3 Private Independent private instruction and private
 instruction by a nonlicensed person.
    1. A parent, guardian, or legal custodian of a child
 of compulsory attendance age providing independent private
 instruction or private instruction to the child may meet all of
 the following requirements: shall
    1. Complete complete and send, in a timely manner, the
 report required under section 299.4 to the school district of
 residence of the child.
    2. Ensure and shall ensure that the child under the
 parent’s, guardian’s, or legal custodian’s instruction is
 evaluated annually to determine whether the child is making
 adequate progress, as defined in section 299A.6.
    3. 2. Ensure that The parent, guardian, or legal custodian
 of a child of compulsory attendance age providing independent
 private instruction or private instruction to the child
 may report the results of the child’s annual evaluation are
 reported to the school district of residence of the child and
 to the department of education by a date not later than June 30
 of each year in which the child is under independent private
 instruction or private instruction.
    3. The nonlicensed person providing private instruction
 to a child of compulsory attendance age shall possess a high
 school diploma or a high school equivalency diploma.
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                                         S.F. 400
                                   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 competent private instruction,
 independent private instruction, and private instruction
 reporting and assessment requirements, and requires the
 nonlicensed person providing private instruction to possess a
 high school diploma or a high school equivalency diploma.
    The bill requires the parent, guardian, or legal custodian
 of a child who is of compulsory attendance age, who places
 the child under competent private instruction under Code
 section 299A.2, or independent private instruction or private
 instruction under Code chapter 299A, not in an accredited
 school or a home school assistance program operated by a school
 district or accredited nonpublic school, to furnish a report
 to the school district by September 1 of the school year. The
 report must state the name and age of the child and the period
 of time during which the child has been or will be under such
 instruction for the year. Currently, only persons providing
 competent private instruction must furnish this information.
    The report must also include an outline of the course of
 study, texts used, and the name and address of the instructor
 providing competent private instruction, the name and address
 of the authority responsible for the independent private
 instruction, or the name of the individual providing private
 instruction, as applicable.
    A report furnished for a child under private instruction
 must include the qualifications of the individual providing the
 private instruction.
    Currently, a parent, guardian, or legal custodian of a child
 of compulsory attendance age providing private instruction
 to the child may meet the reporting and annual assessment
 requirements. The bill requires parents, guardians, and
 custodians of such children, who are providing private or
 independent private instruction, to file the reports with the
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                               S.F. 400
 school district and to ensure that the child is evaluated
 annually to determine whether the child is making adequate
 progress.
    The bill requires a nonlicensed person providing private
 instruction to a child of compulsory attendance age to possess
 a high school diploma or a high school equivalency diploma.
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Statutes affected: 
Introduced: 299.4