House File 513 - Introduced HOUSE FILE 513 BY TUREK A BILL FOR An Act relating to education, including requiring instruction 1 related to persons with disabilities in school districts, 2 accredited nonpublic schools, and charter schools 3 in kindergarten through grade eight, modifying the 4 responsibilities of the state board of education, and 5 modifying provisions related to school district and 6 accredited nonpublic school programs that are designed to 7 eliminate harassment and bullying. 8 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 9 TLSB 2360YH (4) 90 jda/jh
H.F. 513 Section 1. Section 256.11, subsections 2, 3, and 4, Code 1 2023, are amended to read as follows: 2 2. The kindergarten program shall include experiences 3 designed to develop healthy emotional and social habits and 4 growth in the language arts and communication skills, as well 5 as a capacity for the completion of individual tasks, and 6 protect and increase physical well-being with attention given 7 to experiences relating to the development of life skills and 8 human growth and development. Commencing with the school 9 year beginning July 1, 2024, the kindergarten program shall 10 include age-appropriate and research-based instruction related 11 to persons with disabilities, including physical disabilities 12 and visual and hearing impairment, the federal Americans with 13 Disabilities Act of 1990, codified at 42 U.S.C. 12101 et 14 seq., and the history of persons with disabilities in this 15 state. A kindergarten teacher shall be licensed to teach in 16 kindergarten. An accredited nonpublic school must meet the 17 requirements of this subsection only if the nonpublic school 18 offers a kindergarten program. For purposes of this section, 19 age-appropriate and research-based mean the same as defined 20 in section 279.50. 21 3. The following areas shall be taught in grades one through 22 six: English-language arts, social studies, mathematics, 23 science, health, age-appropriate and research-based human 24 growth and development, physical education, traffic safety, 25 music, and visual art. Commencing with the school year 26 beginning July 1, 2024, the social studies curriculum shall 27 include age-appropriate and research-based instruction related 28 to persons with disabilities, including physical disabilities 29 and visual and hearing impairment, the federal Americans with 30 Disabilities Act of 1990, codified at 42 U.S.C. 12101 et seq., 31 and the history of persons with disabilities in this state. 32 Computer science instruction incorporating the standards 33 established under section 256.7, subsection 26 , paragraph 34 a , subparagraph (4), shall be offered in at least one grade 35 -1- LSB 2360YH (4) 90 jda/jh 1/ 5
H.F. 513 level commencing with the school year beginning July 1, 2023. 1 The health curriculum shall include the characteristics of 2 communicable diseases including acquired immune deficiency 3 syndrome. The state board as part of accreditation standards 4 shall adopt curriculum definitions for implementing the 5 elementary program. 6 4. The following shall be taught in grades seven and 7 eight: English-language arts; social studies; mathematics; 8 science; health; age-appropriate and research-based human 9 growth and development; career exploration and development; 10 physical education; music; and visual art. Commencing with 11 the school year beginning July 1, 2024, the social studies 12 curriculum shall include age-appropriate and research-based 13 instruction related to persons with disabilities, including 14 physical disabilities and visual and hearing impairment, the 15 federal Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, codified at 16 42 U.S.C. 12101 et seq., and the history of persons with 17 disabilities in this state. Computer science instruction 18 incorporating the standards established under section 256.7, 19 subsection 26 , paragraph a , subparagraph (4), shall be 20 offered in at least one grade level commencing with the 21 school year beginning July 1, 2023. Career exploration 22 and development shall be designed so that students are 23 appropriately prepared to create an individual career 24 and academic plan pursuant to section 279.61 , incorporate 25 foundational career and technical education concepts aligned 26 with the six career and technical education service areas 27 as defined in subsection 5 , paragraph h , and incorporate 28 relevant twenty-first century skills. The health curriculum 29 shall include age-appropriate and research-based information 30 regarding the characteristics of sexually transmitted diseases, 31 including HPV and the availability of a vaccine to prevent 32 HPV, and acquired immune deficiency syndrome. The state board 33 as part of accreditation standards shall adopt curriculum 34 definitions for implementing the program in grades seven 35 -2- LSB 2360YH (4) 90 jda/jh 2/ 5
H.F. 513 and eight. However, this subsection shall not apply to the 1 teaching of career exploration and development in nonpublic 2 schools. For purposes of this section , age-appropriate , 3 HPV , and research-based mean means the same as defined in 4 section 279.50 . 5 Sec. 2. Section 280.28, subsection 4, Code 2023, is amended 6 to read as follows: 7 4. Programs encouraged Antiharassment and antibullying 8 programs . The board of directors of a school district and the 9 authorities in charge of each accredited nonpublic school are 10 encouraged to shall establish programs designed to eliminate 11 harassment and bullying in schools. To the extent that 12 funds are available for these purposes, school districts and 13 accredited nonpublic schools shall do the following: 14 a. Provide training on antiharassment and antibullying 15 policies to school employees and volunteers who have 16 significant contact with students. 17 b. Develop a process to provide school employees, 18 volunteers, and students with the skills and knowledge to help 19 reduce incidents of harassment and bullying. Such a process 20 shall include annual education related to the effects of 21 bullying, including the effects of bullying through electronic 22 communication and social media. 23 Sec. 3. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION DEVELOPMENT OF 24 CURRICULUM RELATED TO DISABILITY AWARENESS. 25 1. On or before July 1, 2024, the state board of education 26 shall adopt rules pursuant to chapter 17A that establish 27 standards for the instruction related to persons with 28 disabilities and the history of persons with disabilities 29 described in section 256.11, subsections 2, 3, and 4, as 30 amended by this Act. 31 2. The department shall consult with all of the following 32 persons when developing the standards described in subsection 33 1: 34 a. Parents of students who are enrolled in school districts, 35 -3- LSB 2360YH (4) 90 jda/jh 3/ 5
H.F. 513 accredited nonpublic schools, and charter schools. 1 b. Teachers and administrators who are employed by school 2 districts, accredited nonpublic schools, and charter schools. 3 EXPLANATION 4 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 5 the explanations substance by the members of the general assembly. 6 This bill relates to education, including requiring 7 instruction related to persons with disabilities in school 8 districts, accredited nonpublic schools, and charter 9 schools in kindergarten through grade eight, modifying the 10 responsibilities of the state board of education, and modifying 11 provisions related to school district and accredited nonpublic 12 school programs that are designed to eliminate harassment and 13 bullying. 14 The bill requires that, commencing with the school year 15 beginning July 1, 2024, the kindergarten program in school 16 districts, accredited nonpublic schools, and charter schools, 17 and the social studies curriculum provided to students 18 enrolled in grades one through eight in school districts, 19 accredited nonpublic schools, and charter schools, shall 20 include age-appropriate and research-based instruction related 21 to persons with disabilities, including physical disabilities 22 and visual and hearing impairment, the federal Americans with 23 Disabilities Act of 1990, and the history of persons with 24 disabilities in this state. The bill requires the state board 25 of education to adopt rules that establish standards for this 26 instruction in consultation with the parents of students 27 enrolled in schools as well as teachers and administrators. 28 Current law encourages the board of directors of a school 29 district and the authorities in charge of each accredited 30 nonpublic school to establish programs designed to eliminate 31 harassment and bullying in schools. The bill modifies this 32 provision to require the establishment of such programs. 33 Current law also requires school districts and accredited 34 nonpublic schools to develop a process to provide school 35 -4- LSB 2360YH (4) 90 jda/jh 4/ 5
H.F. 513 employees, volunteers, and students with the skills and 1 knowledge to help reduce incidents of harassment and bullying. 2 The bill requires this process to include annual education 3 related to the effects of bullying, including the effects of 4 bullying through electronic communication and social media. 5 -5- LSB 2360YH (4) 90 jda/jh 5/ 5