Bill Summary – FastDemocracy

House File 513 - Introduced
                                  HOUSE FILE 513
                                  BY TUREK
                            A BILL FOR
An Act relating to education, including requiring instruction
  related to persons with disabilities in school districts,
  accredited nonpublic schools, and charter schools
  in kindergarten through grade eight, modifying the
  responsibilities of the state board of education, and
  modifying provisions related to school district and
  accredited nonpublic school programs that are designed to
  eliminate harassment and bullying.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
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    Section 1. Section 256.11, subsections 2, 3, and 4, Code
 2023, are amended to read as follows:
    2. The kindergarten program shall include experiences
 designed to develop healthy emotional and social habits and
 growth in the language arts and communication skills, as well
 as a capacity for the completion of individual tasks, and
 protect and increase physical well-being with attention given
 to experiences relating to the development of life skills and
 human growth and development. Commencing with the school
 year beginning July 1, 2024, the kindergarten program shall
 include age-appropriate and research-based instruction related
 to persons with disabilities, including physical disabilities
 and visual and hearing impairment, the federal Americans with
 Disabilities Act of 1990, codified at 42 U.S.C. §12101 et
 seq., and the history of persons with disabilities in this
 state. A kindergarten teacher shall be licensed to teach in
 kindergarten. An accredited nonpublic school must meet the
 requirements of this subsection only if the nonpublic school
 offers a kindergarten program. For purposes of this section,
 “age-appropriate” and “research-based” mean the same as defined
 in section 279.50.
    3. The following areas shall be taught in grades one through
 six: English-language arts, social studies, mathematics,
 science, health, age-appropriate and research-based human
 growth and development, physical education, traffic safety,
 music, and visual art. Commencing with the school year
 beginning July 1, 2024, the social studies curriculum shall
 include age-appropriate and research-based instruction related
 to persons with disabilities, including physical disabilities
 and visual and hearing impairment, the federal Americans with
 Disabilities Act of 1990, codified at 42 U.S.C. §12101 et seq.,
 and the history of persons with disabilities in this state.
 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
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                                H.F. 513
 level commencing with the school year beginning July 1, 2023.
 The health curriculum shall include the characteristics of
 communicable diseases including acquired immune deficiency
 syndrome. The state board as part of accreditation standards
 shall adopt curriculum definitions for implementing the
 elementary program.
    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. Commencing with
 the school year beginning July 1, 2024, the social studies
 curriculum shall include age-appropriate and research-based
 instruction related to persons with disabilities, including
 physical disabilities and visual and hearing impairment, the
 federal Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, codified at
 42 U.S.C. §12101 et seq., and the history of persons with
 disabilities in this state. 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
 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
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                                H.F. 513
 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 means the same as defined in
 section 279.50.
    Sec. 2. Section 280.28, subsection 4, Code 2023, is amended
 to read as follows:
    4. Programs encouraged Antiharassment and antibullying
 programs. The board of directors of a school district and the
 authorities in charge of each accredited nonpublic school are
 encouraged to shall establish programs designed to eliminate
 harassment and bullying in schools. To the extent that
 funds are available for these purposes, school districts and
 accredited nonpublic schools shall do the following:
    a. Provide training on antiharassment and antibullying
 policies to school employees and volunteers who have
 significant contact with students.
    b. Develop a process to provide school employees,
 volunteers, and students with the skills and knowledge to help
 reduce incidents of harassment and bullying. Such a process
 shall include annual education related to the effects of
 bullying, including the effects of bullying through electronic
 communication and social media.
    Sec. 3. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION —— DEVELOPMENT OF
 CURRICULUM RELATED TO DISABILITY AWARENESS.
    1. On or before July 1, 2024, the state board of education
 shall adopt rules pursuant to chapter 17A that establish
 standards for the instruction related to persons with
 disabilities and the history of persons with disabilities
 described in section 256.11, subsections 2, 3, and 4, as
 amended by this Act.
    2. The department shall consult with all of the following
 persons when developing the standards described in subsection
 1:
    a. Parents of students who are enrolled in school districts,
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accredited nonpublic schools, and charter schools.
  b. Teachers and administrators who are employed by school
districts, accredited nonpublic schools, and charter schools.
                         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 requiring
 instruction related to persons with disabilities in school
 districts, accredited nonpublic schools, and charter
 schools in kindergarten through grade eight, modifying the
 responsibilities of the state board of education, and modifying
 provisions related to school district and accredited nonpublic
 school programs that are designed to eliminate harassment and
 bullying.
    The bill requires that, commencing with the school year
 beginning July 1, 2024, the kindergarten program in school
 districts, accredited nonpublic schools, and charter schools,
 and the social studies curriculum provided to students
 enrolled in grades one through eight in school districts,
 accredited nonpublic schools, and charter schools, shall
 include age-appropriate and research-based instruction related
 to persons with disabilities, including physical disabilities
 and visual and hearing impairment, the federal Americans with
 Disabilities Act of 1990, and the history of persons with
 disabilities in this state. The bill requires the state board
 of education to adopt rules that establish standards for this
 instruction in consultation with the parents of students
 enrolled in schools as well as teachers and administrators.
    Current law encourages the board of directors of a school
 district and the authorities in charge of each accredited
 nonpublic school to establish programs designed to eliminate
 harassment and bullying in schools. The bill modifies this
 provision to require the establishment of such programs.
 Current law also requires school districts and accredited
 nonpublic schools to develop a process to provide school
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                               H.F. 513
 employees, volunteers, and students with the skills and
 knowledge to help reduce incidents of harassment and bullying.
 The bill requires this process to include annual education
 related to the effects of bullying, including the effects of
 bullying through electronic communication and social media.
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Statutes affected: 
Introduced: 256.11